How To Prep Your Social for the Holidays
5 tips for holiday social media success
If you’re anything like we are, the holiday season is all about preparation. From decorating to gift-giving, countless things need to be done in the colder months. So the real question is: are you preparing your social media in the same way?
For many, the holidays are a stressful (or even overwhelming) time for those marketing on social media. Whether you’re doing a holiday giveaway or simply trying to accommodate the ever-increasing use of e-commerce for holiday shopping, this is one of those times you just want to get it right.
So what is the secret to nailing social media throughout the winter holidays? Here’s the BNL guide to getting your socials prepped for the season!
Save the dates
November and December are pretty packed with notable dates, including:
Remembrance Day/Veterans Day
American Thanksgiving
Black Friday
Cyber Monday
Christmas
Kwanzaa
Boxing Day
Hannukah
New Year’s Eve
What does this mean for you? Save those dates! When you make your posting calendar (more on that in a moment), be sure to make special note of the important dates and holidays, and see if you can incorporate them into your strategy.
You don’t need to post for every single holiday, but by doing so you’ll connect with a more diverse range of people who might become interested in your page!
Make a posting calendar (and check it twice)
If you don’t do this already, this winter is the time to start. Why? Because a pre-set, organized schedule of all your upcoming posts is one of the best things you can do for your socials!
By creating a posting calendar, you’ll be able to say goodbye to the last-minute stress of whipping up posts on the fly, or that sinking feeling when you realize you forgot to put out a holiday post in time.
Posting plans are also a great way to keep yourself organized. They encourage consistent posting, which is one of the best ways to drive growth on social media. Making your schedule can even lead to those crucial marketing epiphanies as you overlook the plan from above, creating a more cohesive strategy altogether.
The best way to make a posting calendar is by sourcing images, writing captions, adding other elements (tags, hashtags, locations, etc.), and having them ready to go. We recommend taking some time as soon as possible to create your posts all the way to the end of December for the best results!
Show your cheer with a giveaway
The holidays are known to many as a time for kindness, generosity, and good cheer. So why not show your followers you care this year with a little social media giveaway?
Giveaways are a great way to grow your market, get engagement on your account, and build connections all at the same time. Whether you give away a basket of products or a free service package, there’s nothing like ‘free’ to get people’s attention!
Converting a social media giveaway to growth is easier than it sounds – it all depends on the rules you set for the contest! You might require people to follow, like your post, and share it to their story, or maybe have people tag friends in the comments. All of this will benefit your social stats and help your future posts perform even better.
For even better results, you can also try linking up with another local company to do a collab giveaway!
Get into the holiday spirit with a well-marketed promo
The holidays are known for sales! It’s common to see seasonal discounts in stores this time of year, so follow suit with a holiday promo of your own.
The best days to have your sales are – you guessed it – Black Friday and Boxing Day. These are two huge shopping days in Canada and the United States. This is a unique situation since many people hop online – actively looking to shop rather than passively scrolling. So be sure to take advantage of this with a well-timed sale!
However, simply having a sale isn’t enough – that’s where social media comes in! On your posting calendar, mark the day(s) of the sale. All posts for at least a week beforehand should be mentioning the sale, even if it’s just a reminder. Get people excited with social media, and you’ll see the difference it makes in your holiday numbers.
Get some guidance from a holiday helper
If this all sounds like a bit too much stress for the holidays, we don’t blame you. If you’d prefer to take the holiday season to relax, without having to compromise social media growth, you’ll need a holiday helper!
BNL’s Holiday Helper package is our gift to small businesses! You get all the benefits of a strong strategy, an organized calendar, and ample marketing ideas for your promos and giveaways, with none of the normal holiday hassle. Our social media cheerleaders support you with a well-thought-out holiday strategy while you enjoy a well-deserved, stress-free holiday.
Don’t get snowed in on the highest revenue-driving quarter of the year! We’ll work with you to develop and refine the vision for your holiday social strat, and then take care of building out your holiday calendar. Plus, we’re getting into the holiday spirit early with a limited time deal of our own – half off our consult fee!
Ready to nail the holiday season on social media, grow your audience, and drive revenue without missing a beat? We’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch to sign on and save!