It's Thanksgiving week in the United States, which means we're officially in the thick of the holiday season. For social media marketers, this can mean a lot of chaos. In order to make said chaos a bit more organized, we wanted to ask our #SMTLive community on Twitter about how they prepare for the holidays on social.
Firstly, we wanted to see if anyone hadn't gotten started yet.
Q1 - Poll: Do you have a social media plan in place for the holidays? #SMTLive
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) November 26, 2019
It turns out most people actually have gotten started, proving that those of us working in social have learned the hard way that procrastination is not your friend at this time of year.
Fun! What type of content do you plan to produce at the holiday party? #SMTLive
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) November 26, 2019
We're wearing ugly sweaters and are planning to take plenty of photos, videos, and even going to try going LIVE on Facebook & Instagram!
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
Holiday parties seem like a great opportunity for behind the scenes content and experimenting with Instagram/Facebook Live!
Q2 - How do you think your social media strategy should be managed differently than usual over the holidays? #SMTLive pic.twitter.com/YYJmcprM0V
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) November 26, 2019
With so many events to prep for during the holiday season, plus employee time off, this time of year often provokes a change in workflow.
A2 - Our social media strategy will be geared more towards company culture and lighthearted fun rather than sales and informational pieces. #SMTLive pic.twitter.com/jtQMy0Xz4P
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
Judging by that gif, it looks like they're already getting started.
A2. You have to be ready to scale up/down over the holiday. Lots of posts & customer service while people are shopping; then a calmer phase over the holiday week itself, with a less salesy focus. AND you need to factor in holiday time for your team. #SMTLive
— Corinna Keefe (@corinna_keefe) November 26, 2019
The holidays provide a change of pace for many, including @corinna_keefe.
Q3 - What is the most annoying thing a brand can do over the holidays on social? #SMTLive pic.twitter.com/BB6dCaL9VJ
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) November 26, 2019
This time of year provides a multitude of content creation opportunities, which sounds like a good thing. And it is... until you accidentally go overboard and overwhelm your audience. Here's what #SMTLive thinks you should avoid specifically:
A3 - POST TOO MUCH. I am more than likely going to unfollow a brand if I see multiple posts in my feed on the same day. (This does not apply for Black Friday sales deals) ????️ #SMTLive
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
With so many different holidays and, especially for B2C brands, shopping opportunities, it's easy to overshare.
This is why it's a good idea to only follow the brands you're super interested in seeing! Weed out the ones you don't care about ????
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
@5FoldMarketing's tip is great for the average user and marketer alike. If you only follow brands you're really into, you probably won't be annoyed by their posts. And, if you're a marketer, you'll get more inspiration from the brands you love than the ones you feel lukewarm about.
A3: Probably be too salesy. It’s a delicate balance and selling too much can turn people off. Also the sudden mass emails from companies on #BlackFriday can be pretty annoying. #SMTLive
— Hannah Richards (@actPRHannah) November 26, 2019
But this begs the question: Would you care about three emails in a day from your favorite brand? Honestly... most likely. Anyone who checks email over the holidays has probably felt a little bogged down by all the noise.
A3 I appreciate the sales emails over the holidays IF they are in fact good deals/sales! Annoying: an email 'lookbook' of your products that are full price... No thanks :-) #SMTLive
— Robin Selvy Re (@RobinSelvyRe) November 26, 2019
But @RobinSelvyRe came back with a great point: If you see three useful emails about three separate deals, that probably wouldn't be so annoying, especially from your favorite brand.
Next question... Q4 - How can you take advantage of the holiday season to boost your social engagement and brand awareness? #SMTLive (Think of specific examples.) pic.twitter.com/5RejBoBTiJ
— Social Media Today (@socialmedia2day) November 26, 2019
While the holidays might not be an excuse to mindlessly overshare, they do provide a unique opportunity for social success. A few users during our chat summed up one of the most unique opportunities the season has to offer:
Showing thanks to your customers is huge. Thanks for sharing! #SMTLive
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
Agreed. It also stands out more than any product ever will. People want human connection out of social media. #SMTLive
— Hannah Richards (@actPRHannah) November 26, 2019
The next few months are a great time to show some authenticity, as ironic as that may be. Behind the scenes content and a few holidays in particular can really show what your brand values.
One brand whose values get brought up pretty often in discussions on social came up in our final question of the chat:
A5 - @Starbucks holiday cups. Genius. Simple. Timeless. It was an in-person deliverable that worked both in-store as well as online. We're big fans. pic.twitter.com/hLeEnjvR0S
— 5 Fold Marketing (@5FoldMarketing) November 26, 2019
Whether you're creating a content calendar by Christmas tree light or filming an Instagram Live at your office holiday party, we hope these tips from #SMTLive keep you merry and bright this holiday season!