A Guide to Holiday Social Campaigns

Here they come – the holidays.

According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending alone reached $9 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach up to $8.8 billion this year. And that’s just the beginning – Thanksgiving and Christmas soon follow as the biggest spending months of the year.

Brands everywhere are looking for inspiration behind social media holiday campaigns, preparing campaigns that are frightening, full of gratitude and wonderfully magical. The busy holiday season gives marketers creative freedom to draw attention to their brand and create a link between their product and the holiday. For some brands, it’s easy. For others, there is a ton of room for imagination and opportunity to join the conversation.

Whether your brand is a pro at holiday social media campaigns or you’re trying it for the first time, the best holiday marketing features a strong story that connects back to your brand, mission or product. If you’re thinking about developing seasonal content with the holidays in mind, check out this helpful guide to jump-start your thinking.

1. Add a simple theme.

If you’re regularly posting products and content, think about how you can infuse a bit of the holiday into the way you talk about or picture it on social media. Give it a ghostly touch or add some sparkle. Think of it as decorating your profile. Much like the thrill of seeing storefronts all decked out for the holidays, social profiles can create a fun experience also. Spruce up your page with a holiday color scheme or add holiday-inspired graphics.

2. Be personal, not promotional.

The holidays are a decorated time, but it can become overwhelming with the influx of showy campaigns. Counter this with simpler imagery or user generated content that’s not overly produced with so many discount codes. You don’t need expensive photographers or designers to create relatable content that evokes an emotional response or creates nostalgia. The more relatable it is, the higher engagement you’ll see.

3. Sneak a peek behind the scenes.

People are usually interested in seeing the hard work that goes into creating something and an insider approach is a great way to amp up your holiday social media campaign. If you’re planning to launch a limited-edition product, service or collection to followers, create anticipation for it with a sneak-peek or a behind the scenes look. Make it exciting, unexpected and eye catching without revealing everything. It will take some thought, but delighting customers and giving them a fun holiday experience that directly connects with your brand will surely generate results.

4. Have fun with videos and memes.

Visual content like GIFs and videos grab the attention of social media audiences much better than text. And special occasions allow brands to loosen up and have some fun. Show off your holiday spirit by including memes and videos in your social media campaign. Simply create a series of themed videos that are easy to digest and move viewers to visit your website. Go ahead, be cheeky and engaging, but always choose content that aligns with your brand and target audience.

6. Do a DIY tutorial.

Highlight seasonal relevancy with a useful tutorial demonstrating how your audience might use your brand. This is a great way to create valuable content that doesn’t feel like marketing. The goal should be to give actionable tips based on your brand’s expertise, tie it to the holiday, and watch the unique and shareable nature of these posts drives momentum for the brand.

For Halloween social ideas to implement this week, click here and here.

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