The holiday season is a time when many people connect with friends and family they may not have seen in a while. It’s also a time when businesses see an increase in online traffic as people shop for gifts. If you’re one of the many business owners wanting to take advantage of the spike in traffic, make sure you’re using social media marketing to its full potential! 

Here are five tips to help you get the most out of social media during the holidays. 

1. Identify Your Objectives and Plan Your Content in Advance

One of the best ways to ensure that your social media posts are successful during the holidays is to plan your content in advance. This will allow you to create a content calendar that outlines what you will post and when you will post it. Planning your content in advance will also help you to avoid last-minute scrambling and ensure that your posts are high-quality and engaging. On top of planning in advance, it’s vital to have both quantitative and qualitative objectives set up prior to content development. Quantitative goals can be measured by using the following metrics:

• Base – How many consumers are following your brand 
• Reach – How many consumers your product or service can reach within and outside of your base
• Engagement – How many of your ideal customers engage with your brand through various channels such as social media, email, events, etc.
• Conversion – How many of your target customers purchase your product or service.

Qualitative goals hone in on how successfully the campaign meets its objectives in terms of quality. Metrics like that can be more subjective, but are still important and can include things such as reviews, brand trust, brand awareness, feedback and engagement.

Businesses can sometimes forget about the various metrics and types of goals involved with social media marketing. By balancing both types of goals when developing your social media content, you can be sure that your holiday social media marketing campaign is effective and achieving its intended results. 

2. Select a Target Audience and Use Holiday-Themed Hashtags

As you put together your holiday marketing campaigns, it’s important to think about your target market and what kind of message will resonate with them. If you’re not sure who your target market is, do some research to figure out who you should be targeting. Once you know who you’re trying to reach, you can start creating content and planning strategies to engage them with your holiday marketing ideas. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer excellent opportunities to reach your target market with engaging content. 

Another great way to boost the reach and engagement of your holiday social media posts is to use holiday-themed hashtags alongside your content. Hashtags are a great way to connect with users who are interested in the same topics as you. For example, if you’re a clothing retailer, you could use hashtags such as #christmasshopping or #holidaygifts when posting about your holiday sales or promotions. 

By taking the time to target the right people with the right message, you’ll be sure to have a successful holiday marketing campaign.

3. Create Engaging Videos for Social Media Marketing

The holiday season is a busy time for businesses, with everyone vying for a share of the consumer pie. If you want your business to stand out during this busy time, video is a great solution. Videos are a great way to capture attention and boost engagement on social media. A well-produced video can be used across multiple social media platforms, and it’s an effective way to grab attention and deliver your marketing message.

Consider creating videos that showcase your products, highlight special deals or promotions, or simply wish your followers a happy holiday season. With so much noise during the holidays, a video allows you to cut through the clutter and reach your target audience. Whether it’s a festive holiday greeting or a promotional video for your latest product, video is a powerful tool that can make your brand more memorable and, as a result, help you boost your holiday sales.

4. Take Advantage of User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is any type of content that has been created by someone other than your brand. UGC can be extremely valuable for businesses during the holidays, as it helps to build trust and credibility with potential customers. To encourage UGC, you can run social media contests or campaigns that ask users to submit photos or videos related to your brand or product

5. Monitor Your Analytics

People are spending more time on social media during the holidays, which provides businesses with an opportunity to reach their target market. However, it is essential to remember that rigidity is the enemy once the holiday campaign is launched. The holiday season is dynamic, and what works today might not work tomorrow. That’s why it’s crucial to stay vigilant in analyzing data to ensure your target market is being reached. This data can help you to understand what types of content are performing well and which ones are not. If you see that your holiday marketing efforts and ideas are not yielding the desired results, don’t be afraid to adjust your strategy. Try shifting your paid advertising to different platforms or tweaking the language in your content to see if that makes a difference.

By staying flexible and adaptable, you can ensure that your social media marketing efforts are successful this holiday season.

Need extra hands on deck? Let me help you with your social media marketing. Let’s get in touch.