# Social Media Client Onboarding Checklist: What to Collect First

> Use this social media client onboarding checklist to collect brand voice, account access, approval rules and posting times before you publish anything.

URL: https://pilotpost.social/blog/social-media-client-onboarding-checklist
Published: 2026-10-28
Publisher: PilotPost (https://pilotpost.social)

A social media client onboarding checklist is a short, repeatable list of everything you need from a new client before the first post goes out: brand voice, account access, approval rules, content boundaries and posting times. Collect it in the first week and the first month runs with far fewer "can you just check this?" messages.

Below is a step-by-step workflow you can reuse for every new client, including a copy-and-paste questionnaire, an access checklist, a first-week timeline and a sign-off before launch.

## Key takeaways

- Onboarding is about removing future questions. Every unanswered question at the start becomes a delay in week three.
- Ask for decisions, not just assets: who approves, how fast, and what you must never post.
- Clients should own their accounts, and you should get access through proper admin or partner roles, never a shared password.
- Agree posting times and a review routine in writing, then build them into your scheduling tool.
- Finish with a one-page sign-off so everyone agrees what "ready to launch" means.

## What should a client intake questionnaire cover?

A good intake questionnaire covers five things: the business, the audience, the voice, the rules and the goals. Keep it to one page of questions the client can answer in 20 to 30 minutes, ideally on a call so you can probe vague answers.

Here is a version you can copy and adapt.

```
CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE

1. THE BUSINESS
- Business name, website and main contact for social media:
- What do you sell, and what are your top three products or services?
- What makes you different from the nearest competitor?
- Any seasonal peaks, launches or events in the next 90 days?

2. THE AUDIENCE
- Who is your ideal customer? Describe one real person.
- What questions do customers ask most often?
- Which networks do you use now, and which do you want to add or drop?

3. BRAND VOICE
- Pick three words that describe how you sound (for example: warm, direct, playful).
- Three words that describe how you never want to sound:
- Do you use emoji, slang, or humour? Any phrases you love or hate?
- Name two accounts whose tone you admire, and why.

4. RULES AND BOUNDARIES
- Topics we must avoid (politics, competitors, pricing, health claims, etc.):
- Words, claims or phrases that need legal or compliance sign-off:
- Can we show staff or customers? Do we need consent first?
- How should we handle negative comments and direct messages?

5. GOALS AND MEASURES
- What would make the next three months a success?
- Which number matters most: enquiries, bookings, sales, followers, sign-ups?
- Who should receive the monthly report?
```

Don't skip the "never" questions. Clients rarely volunteer their red lines until you post something that crosses one.

If you want a fuller picture of where the accounts stand today, run a quick [social media audit](/blog/social-media-audit) alongside the questionnaire. It gives you a baseline to measure against.

## How do you get access to a client's social accounts safely?

Ask the client to add you through each platform's official admin, partner or connection route, and avoid taking passwords. This keeps ownership with the client, protects you if the relationship ends, and avoids lockouts caused by security checks on unfamiliar logins.

Use this access checklist for each network:

- **Confirm who owns the account.** The business should be the owner, not a former employee, a freelancer or a personal profile you cannot transfer.
- **Check there are at least two admins on the client side.** One person on holiday should not block you.
- **Request the lowest role that lets you do the job.** Publishing rights are usually enough. Full admin is rarely needed.
- **Check account type and requirements.** For example, Instagram publishing needs a professional account linked correctly. If something is off, the [connecting accounts guide](/help/connecting-accounts) walks through how to link each network.
- **Record where two-step verification codes go.** Agree who receives them and how you will be told when a code is needed.
- **Note shared assets.** Logos, fonts, image folders, product photos, past top performers and any approved hashtags.
- **Do a test connection.** Connect each account to your scheduler and confirm it appears correctly before you plan any content.

Write the access status into a simple tracker so nothing is assumed:

| Network | Account owner | Your role | Connected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Page | Client | Editor | Yes / No | Second admin added |
| Instagram | Client | Publisher | Yes / No | Linked to Page |
| LinkedIn | Client | Content admin | Yes / No | Company Page only |
| TikTok | Client | Login via client | Yes / No | Code goes to owner |

## What approval rules and content boundaries should you agree?

Agree who approves, how quickly, and what happens if they do not respond. Most approval pain comes from unspoken assumptions, such as the client thinking they will see everything while you think silence means yes.

Settle these points in writing:

1. **Named approver.** One person with final say, and one backup.
2. **Turnaround time.** For example, two working days for routine posts, same day for anything urgent.
3. **Silence rule.** Decide whether no reply means "approved", "hold" or "chase". Hold is the safest default.
4. **What needs approval.** Everything at first, then relax it for low-risk post types once trust builds.
5. **Change limits.** How many rounds of edits are included, and what counts as a new request.
6. **Sensitive content.** Anything involving prices, legal claims, people's images or crisis topics always goes to the approver.

It helps to have a clear picture of the review loop itself. The [client approval process guide](/blog/social-media-client-approval-process) covers how to keep reviews quick without losing control.

A short boundaries list also saves time. Keep it to three columns:

| Always | Needs approval | Never |
|---|---|---|
| Tone-matched replies to simple questions | Replies to complaints | Discussing competitors |
| Sharing the client's own blog posts | Posts mentioning prices or offers | Medical or legal advice |
| Reposting approved customer photos | Anything showing staff or children | Political comment |

## How do you decide posting times and frequency?

Start with what the client can sustain and what their audience is likely to be online for, then adjust after a few weeks of results. Do not promise a daily schedule on five networks if the client can only supply one photo a week.

In onboarding, agree:

- **Which networks, and how often on each.** Be realistic about the content you can produce.
- **Time windows, not exact minutes.** For example, weekday mornings and one weekend slot.
- **Content mix.** A rough split between education, behind the scenes, offers and community posts.
- **Format limits.** Some networks cap text length or media. Check the [network rules](/help/network-rules) so your plan is realistic for each one.

Use the client's own knowledge for the first schedule, such as when customers phone, visit or buy. Then review native analytics after a month. The [best time to post guide](/blog/best-time-to-post-on-social-media) explains how to treat timing advice as a starting point to test.

If you manage several clients, a weekly pattern of fixed slots makes planning simple. A [content calendar](/blog/social-media-content-calendar) turns those slots into a visible plan the client can read at a glance.

## What does the first week of onboarding look like?

The first week should move from information to access to a first approved batch, with a clear owner for each step. Here is a timeline you can paste into your project tool.

| Day | Task | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Send welcome email, questionnaire and access checklist | You |
| 1 | Book a 30-minute kick-off call | You |
| 2 | Kick-off call: walk through questionnaire, agree approver and turnaround | Both |
| 2 | Client adds you to accounts and shares brand assets | Client |
| 3 | Connect accounts, test each connection, set up labels and roles | You |
| 3 | Quick audit of current accounts, bios and links | You |
| 4 | Draft content pillars, posting windows and a first-month outline | You |
| 5 | Send first batch for review through a review link | You |
| 5 | Client approves or requests changes | Client |
| 5 | Sign-off checklist completed, launch date confirmed | Both |

Plan the first batch using [content batching](/blog/social-media-content-batching). Writing a couple of weeks at once shows the client the direction early, which leads to faster feedback than a single post at a time.

## How do you set up roles, labels and a review link in PilotPost?

In PilotPost, set up each new client with a defined team role for everyone involved, labels to organise their content, and a client review link so they can respond without needing an account. This takes a few minutes per client and makes the approval routine you agreed on visible in your daily workflow.

A setup routine that works:

1. **Connect the client's accounts.** Add each network and check it appears under the right name.
2. **Set team roles.** Give writers, designers and approvers only what they need. The [team help page](/help/team) explains roles and approvals.
3. **Create labels.** Use a consistent set per client, such as content pillar (education, offer, behind the scenes) or campaign name, so you can filter the calendar quickly.
4. **Save assets to the media library.** Upload logos, product shots and approved images so the whole team uses the right files.
5. **Set your weekly time slots.** Put the agreed posting windows into the queue so approved posts drop into place.
6. **Send a client review link.** The client can approve or request changes without creating an account, which removes a common barrier to quick sign-off.

These steps use the review and teamwork tools described on the [collaboration features page](/features/collaborate). Whatever tool you use, the principle is the same: the client sees posts in one place, you see their decision in one place, and nothing relies on screenshots in email threads.

A tip on naming: start labels and folders with the client's name so that if you manage many accounts, nothing gets mixed up. If your portfolio is growing, [managing multiple social media accounts](/blog/manage-multiple-social-media-accounts) covers more ways to stay organised.

## What goes in the pre-launch sign-off?

The pre-launch sign-off is a short checklist the client and you both confirm before the first scheduled post goes live. It proves that nothing important was assumed.

Copy this into an email or shared document:

```
PRE-LAUNCH SIGN-OFF

Access
[ ] All agreed accounts connected and tested
[ ] Client has at least two admins on each account
[ ] Two-step verification contact confirmed

Brand
[ ] Voice description and "never" list agreed
[ ] Logos, colours, fonts and image folder received
[ ] Bios, profile images and link in bio checked and approved

Approval
[ ] Named approver and backup confirmed
[ ] Turnaround time and silence rule agreed
[ ] Review link sent and tested by the client

Content
[ ] Content pillars and first-month outline approved
[ ] First batch approved and scheduled
[ ] Posting windows agreed for each network

Reporting
[ ] Main goal and key numbers agreed
[ ] Report format and date agreed

Signed off by (client): ______  Date: ______
Signed off by (you): ______  Date: ______
```

For the reporting line, decide early what you will send each month. A [one-page client report template](/blog/social-media-report-template-for-clients) gives you a format to show the client during onboarding, so they know what to expect.

If you work with many clients, a tool built for [agencies](/made-for/agencies) can keep this routine consistent, but the checklist works equally well with a spreadsheet and a shared folder.

## FAQ

### How long should social media client onboarding take?

Aim for about a week if the client responds promptly. The slowest parts are usually account access and brand assets, so send the questionnaire and access checklist on day one and book the kick-off call immediately.

### What if the client does not know the answers to the questionnaire?

That is common, and it is a useful finding. Use the kick-off call to talk through the questions, suggest defaults based on their industry and audience, and mark anything uncertain as "review after month one".

### Should I ask clients for their passwords?

No. Ask to be added through each platform's proper admin, partner or connection route so the client keeps ownership and you do not trigger security problems. If a platform makes this awkward, agree a clear process for who logs in and who receives verification codes.

### Do I need a different onboarding process for each client?

No. Keep one standard process and adjust only the questionnaire answers, networks and approval rules. A consistent workflow means every client gets the same quality of start, and you spend less time inventing it each time.