Whether you’ve been meticulously planning your brand’s holiday campaigns for months or you’re still in denial that the holiday season is right around the corner, now is the perfect time to put your holiday marketing strategy into motion. So what’s the best way to add seasonal cheer on social media while staying true to your brand identity? Create a festive social media strategy with these nine holiday marketing tips.
Create a Social Media Calendar
An editorial calendar is the key to a solid social media strategy, and it’s a necessity during the holiday season. This essential tool can help you map out your overall strategy and plan backward from key dates.
After all, the holidays tend to be busy for small business owners. Creating a calendar can also help you avoid letting the season fly by and waiting until Christmas Eve to launch your holiday marketing strategy.
Put Up Some Holiday Decor
You decorate your home and your business for the holidays. So why not deck the halls online, too?
The holiday season is the ideal time to replace your standard profile and cover photos with festive options. Add a Santa hat to your logo. Photoshop bows onto your products. Have your graphics team create an on-brand cover image that truly captures the holiday spirit. Just remember to replace the decor with your standard branded images when the season ends.
Share Your Festive Photo Shoot
Why post the festive results from your holiday-themed photo shoot on your website or blog only? Add your top picks to your social media calendar, and then share them in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
Don’t forget the copy, either. Add on-brand, holiday-focused captions to each image. Skip the hard sell and focus on entertaining and delighting your followers instead.
Use Holiday Hashtags
Want to invite new followers to join the festivities? Adding holiday hashtags to your posts is a great way to further your reach on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Not sure which hashtags to use? Try a tool like Hashtagify to check popularity and find similar terms to add to your holiday mix. For best results, use a mix of seasonal words, branded terms, and industry hashtags to cover all your bases.
Host a Branded Giveaway
The holiday season is all about giving meaningful gifts. So why not spread the holiday cheer with a branded giveaway?
Hosting a giveaway on Facebook or Instagram is a great way to increase engagement, build your audience, and give back to your biggest supporters. Check the giveaway rules on your platform of choice, and then get ready to launch. Be sure to time the giveaway at the start of the season if you want to send out the grand prize before the holidays end.
Promote Seasonal Discounts
Offering a seasonal special or a discount for the holidays? Don’t let your email subscribers have all the fun. Share your brand’s holiday sales on social media, too.
Want to make sure none of your social followers miss out on the special? Plan a series of posts to publish throughout the sale, but don’t stop there. Add the details to an eye-catching cover image or profile link, too.
Make Your Holiday Content Shareable
Worried that your holiday promotions will get lost in the online shuffle? You’ll want to make sure that your social media posts truly stand out and capture your followers’ attention.
From holiday-themed images that trigger positive emotions to content that resonates with your followers, make your holiday content irresistible. Don’t hesitate to use a friendly call to action (CTA) asking fans to spread the word by sharing your content.
Launch a Social Ad Campaign
If your social media audience is on the small side or if you want to connect with a much larger audience, the holiday season is a great time to launch a social media ad campaign. From increasing brand awareness and reaching more of your target audience to advertising product and specials, paid ads can give your social media marketing strategy a welcome boost.
Focus Holiday Marketing Efforts on Long-Term Relationships
Whether you opt for ads or you stick to an organic social media strategy, you’ll want to keep your end goal the same. Focus your brand’s holiday marketing efforts on building long-term relationships.
Rather than going radio silent after the holiday season, continue to add value for your followers in the long run. You’ll have a better chance of turning prospects into customers and clients into repeat buyers or even lifelong fans of your brand.
Need a hand getting your brand’s holiday marketing strategy off the ground? Already thinking ahead to your social media strategy for 2019? Contact us to find out how we can help your natural food brand create a killer social media strategy for the holidays and beyond.
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