Swimlane SOP
A standard operating procedure as a swimlane chart: one tinted lane per role the post names, numbered step boxes placed in the lane of whoever does them, joined by a dashed elbow route in order. Shows who does what and when — the hand-offs are the insight.
When the AI picks it
MarketiQ’s Creative Director favours the Swimlane SOP for posts that teach, when the message is steps or a process or a timeline. It is built first to teach.
It reads each post’s goal and shape first, then its own words, the platform and the facts you have, and offers this template only where it fits.
Who it’s for
Any business. Nothing in it assumes what you sell, so the Director can offer it to a software company, a café or a coaching centre alike — whenever the post fits.
Platforms and sizes
| Size | Where |
|---|---|
| 4:51080 × 1350 px | Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Reddit |
| 1:11080 × 1080 px | Ads |
| 9:161080 × 1920 px | TikTok |
| 2:31000 × 1500 px | |
| 1.91:11200 × 628 px | Newsletter, Blog |
| 16:91600 × 900 px | X, YouTube |
Single image. Each size is laid out for its canvas, not cropped; the sample above is the 4:5 version.
What it needs
Only your post. It is made from your copy and your brand kit — there is nothing else to prepare.
Rules the AI follows
Word for word from the template library. The Director follows the copy rules when it writes into the template, and the visual review checks every creative against the visual rules.
Copy rules
- Every label is the post's own idea in a few words; diagrams carry no number, name or result the post does not.
- Lanes are roles, never people's names; steps are short imperatives under seven words.
Visual rules
- A rounded board of tinted lanes (columns in portrait and square, rows in landscape) with mono lane names; numbered step boxes in brand, night or deep brand by lane, joined in order by a dashed ink elbow route with arrowheads.
- Kicker, logo and headline on top; the website (and call to action) in the foot row.
More Playbooks & explainers templates
Field guide
'A field guide to …' set like a naturalist's handbook: an aged paper page, a serif title over a double rule, and one entry per kind the post describes
House rules
The post's rules as an enamel 'house rules' sign screwed to the wall: a deep brand plate with a double rim, four screws, the title in big condensed capitals and numbered…
Worked example
A worked example on graph paper, written by hand: the situation the post describes, the steps circled and numbered, and the answer in a hand-drawn box.
Bookmark card
A reference card made to be bookmarked: a white card with a brand bookmark ribbon on its edge, a 'save this' pill, the card's title, a numbered list of what to remember…
Reading shelf
A reading list or curriculum as book spines on a shelf: one spine per title the post recommends, in palette colours and staggered heights with the title set vertically…
Mistakes and fixes ledger
The mistakes, and 'how to fix them', as a two-column ledger: every mistake struck through in a grey column, an arrow across the gutter, and its fix in bold in a…
Decision guide
A 'decision guide': the question in a dark banner, a stem down to one card per option
Annotated rewrite
A before-and-after rewrite, marked up like an editor would: the original line struck through on a white card, numbered handwritten notes on what was wrong, and the…
Make a Swimlane SOP with your brand.
MarketiQ writes the post, picks the template that carries it best — this one, when it fits — and fills it with your logo, colours, facts and copy.