5 Tips to Boost Your Holiday Social Media Game
March 6, 2021
The holidays are coming and there’s no better time to impress upon your social media followers how great your products and services are. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all excellent places to ramp up the holiday spirit and remind shoppers that there are only so many days to gift friends and family with all the things your business offers.
While festive paid ads and website campaigns go a long way to get your message across, there are plenty of ways to increase attention with social media. Here are 5 of the best and brightest holiday tips to increase brand awareness over the holiday season.
1. Get Festive with Your Team
The last decade has changed the online marketing game, making everything far more customer centric. Consumers want to see that the brands they shop with are real people. Humanizing your brand by posting a festive photo of you and your staff will improve customer relations and brand loyalty.
Even if you’re trying to keep the vibe “holiday neutral”, a simple, “Enjoy the winter season!” goes a long way. Some ideas for cute holiday staff photos are:
- Ugly Christmas Sweaters
- Santa Hats
- Elf Ears
- Matching Red Shirts
- Dressed Neutral Holding Holiday Mugs
- Reindeer Antler Headbands
For law offices, and other settings which require a formal atmosphere, a simple staff photo holding candy canes or standing in front of a tree send the same message.
2. Theme a Contest
No promotion is more appreciated than those around the holidays. While consumers are scrimping to save every penny on each product they purchase, having an opportunity to win something is the perfect marketing move. Theming your contest makes this occasion even more attractive, as it reminds customers why they should enter.
There are a few ways to theme your contest for the winter season. You can create a prize pack which reflects the holiday, such as a gift basket full of peppermint bark, classic holiday movies, and hot chocolate mix. Or, you can theme the contest itself. Some contest examples include:
- Name That Christmas Carol
- Guess the Holiday Film Based on This Quote
- How Many Candy Canes are in The Jar?
- Caption This Holiday Meme
There’s no end to the number of festive contest options. There are so many ways to spin things to make it work for the holidays. Take advantage of the fun and glitz this season brings and show your customers how fun your team can be.
3. Change Your Profile Pictureand Background Picture to Something Festive
The whole reason social media exists is to interact and engage with other users. When customers visit a Facebook page which feels generic, or lacking in current trends, they may assume you’re not as in tune with current customer needs. Changing your profile picture to match the season or holiday will show your shoppers that you know what’s going on and you’re involved.
For the winter season, consider posting a photo from the staff holiday party or a snapshot of your business front during snow fall. Remind consumers that you are part of their holiday experience, and they’re more likely to make your products and service a part of it too.
4. Use Evergreen Content WhichStill Relates to the Holidays
One of the risks businesses face when creating content designed for the holidays is that it doesn’t work the rest of the year. If a consumer is searching for information on something related to your industry and the only information they can find is Christmas-focused, it could deter them from reading it. To ensure everything you post is digestible year-round, use broad concepts when discussing the holidays. It’s still a great idea to post memes, videos and photos designed for winter break, but when typing out long-form content, keeping things evergreen will make it readable anytime of the year.
Evergreen content is information which isn’t specific to a time or date. It shouldn’t mention the year. In this way it never goes out of style or sounds outdated. Rather than saying, “this December”, or “for your Christmas party”, stick with “over the winter”, or “when planning a party”.
5. Repost UGC Your CustomersWill Love
Consumers love seeing information they’ve posted or shared on their favorite business’ social media accounts. If you see something funny, cute, or inspiring that could relate to your product or service, repost it and send a shout out to the original poster. Not only is this an excellent way to build community among your followers, but it ensures that you’re posting content which is interesting to them. If someone following your business posted it themselves, it must be relevant to them. So, why not show customers that you feel the same way.
When posting UGC don’t post photos or content which has personal information or photos in it. Stick to more generic themes, such as a comic about Santa’s sleigh getting stuck in the snow, or a GIF with New Year’s Eve fireworks. Whatever suits the tone of your message, but isn’t too invasive into the lives of your followers. Whatever you do to improve sales throughout the winter festivities, be sure to engage with customers. The more your customers feel involved with your business, the higher brand loyalty levels increase. The great thing about holiday shopping is that no product or service goes unneeded. Whether you service hot water tanks or sell sports equipment – this is your time to shine. Remind customers about special promotions, holiday coupons, and the magic of gift cards.