When it comes to social media, the holiday season encompasses much more than just Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and the Fourth of July. In fact, you can celebrate a holiday almost every day of the year.
We’re talking about “hashtag holidays” – fun, engaging celebrations like National Margarita Day or Best Friends Day. These social media holidays provide the perfect opportunity for brands to get creative and interact with their followers.
While it may seem simple to incorporate these national days into your Digital Marketing strategy, there are things you need to consider before jumping in. Being strategic about the days you choose to celebrate and the types of posts you create will not only help showcase your brand, but it will also build your follower base.
There is a national day, week, or month for just about everything. The first step is to sift through a social media holiday calendar and look for ones that resonate with your brand. Try to find more unusual holidays – if you pick those, you’re less likely to have your campaign overshadowed by brands with significant marketing budgets. You can even think outside of the box (as makeup brand Wet N’ Wild did by coming up with their original National Dark Lipstick Day) and submit your own national day for consideration.
No matter what social media holiday you pick, it must align with your company’s products and values. Holidays are meant to be positive and fun, so make sure you’re joining the conversation for the right reasons. If you can’t find a legitimate reason, you may need to find a more suitable holiday for your brand.
After you’ve found relevant holidays, don’t go overboard. Instead of jumping on every one of them, focus on those that are the most meaningful to your company and audience. If you’re having trouble narrowing down the list, consider only using holiday-themed posts a few times per month.
One good way to help narrow your focus is to look for unusual holidays that are a natural extension of the content you’re already producing. For example, a genetics company, 23andMe, used National Siblings Day to highlight customer stories about reuniting or finding their siblings and weaved the corresponding hashtag into social media, blogs, and email.
By planning ahead and making thoughtful choices about which social media holidays you choose to engage with, you can ensure your content speaks to your audience and generates a positive response.
One of the challenges of social media holidays is getting your content to stand out.
A great way to do this is by crafting posts that encourage follower engagement. Create a poll, or if your brand is product-centric, ask for photos incorporating your merchandise into the holiday theme. This gives you free brand visibility you wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Take a holiday to the next level by coming up with your own unique hashtag that works in tandem with the theme. A hashtag tied directly to your social feeds will allow you to find and engage with participants quickly and track your results. Instagram stories are another great way to join in on a conversation by using the day’s hashtags.
Don’t forget the power of personalization. Give people a behind-the-scenes look at your brand and allow them to connect on a more individual level. Share photos or videos of your employees’ pets for Love Your Pet Day or do a photo collage of your favorite page-turners on Book Lover’s Day.
Participating in unusual holidays is a lot of fun, which is why it’s so popular on social media outlets. However, don’t fall into the trap of letting them take over your digital marketing. Find social media holidays that make sense for your brand and bring great content and engagement to your social feeds. The positive benefits will follow!
Ready to start incorporating holidays into your social media strategy but not sure where to begin? Zero Gravity Marketing can help. Contact us today to get in touch with one of our social media gurus.