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With the holiday season upon us, brands must approach their social media output with sales in mind. While many brands have most of their holiday plans in place, there’s always time to make tactical adjustments as you go. Here are a few lessons to keep in mind during the holiday rush:

Invest Financially in Your Social Channels

A BDO study found that 99% of retailers (yes, 99%) indicated they would be focused on Facebook for their social marketing efforts – and that was last holiday season. 51% planned to spend on Twitter, while 20% planned to invest on Pinterest.” With other platforms, such as Vine, on the rise, it is crucial to follow in last season’s footsteps and invest in Facebook advertising but not neglect newer social media platforms.

Human capital is extremely important, but putting dollars behind your team’s efforts can amplify your social content in a big way.

Create Exclusive Offers

Who doesn’t want to be rewarded for loyalty? Your brand’s followers want to feel like they’re receiving an exclusive discount or gift with purchase that’s not available to “outsiders”. Providing new users with an incentive to follow your brand during the holidays will not only increase your followers, but also give you a chance to keep them around long-term.

Timing is Key

Research when most of your audience is holiday shopping, as well as their demographics. For example, is your target demographic male or female? Do they wait until the last minute to shop, or are they early planners? Base your social media plan during the holidays around when the most users are online and off work or school for break.

Share Your Brand’s Holiday Spirit

Don’t just offer discounts and giveaways; this is also your opportunity to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how your company is spending the holidays. Share content related to in-office events as well as personalized holiday wishes to customers.

Utilize Holiday Hashtags

Create a brand-specific holiday hashtag for followers to share gifts they’ve received on Instagram, Twitter, and beyond. Some notable examples from last season include #CoachChristmas, #SephoraSeasons, and #HalstonHoliday. Try to keep your hashtag short, memorable, and unique. The last thing you want to do is plan your entire campaign and then realize another brand is using the same tag.

We hope some of these are helpful in your holiday efforts. Happy marketing!