5 Social Media Tips for Holiday 2020 – Holiday 2020 Marketing Guide
It’s officialy the time to start planning for the holiday season and get your holiday 2020 social media strategy ready.
During 2020 we have seen spending habits change drastically so we can say that holiday season will be different this year. People are spending more time on their mobile devices and they have already started looking for perfect gifts for their loved ones.
It’s up to businesses to make sure their products and services get noticed and one effective way to do this is by preparing a social media strategy for this special season.
Even though there are a lot of uncertainities for the upcoming months, it’s a critical time for brands of all industries to make sure they have their holiday strategy right.
So here are a few strategies for brands to use for their social media during these challenging and very special times:
1. Stay Authentic and Genuine
One of the very first things to keep in mind is to stay true to your brand identity and be genuine with your communication. This year, more than ever, consumers are looking for authenticity from the brands they follow. Holidays season brings the perfect opportunity to tell your brand story and enhance it with your holiday message.
Put the holiday season at the forefront of your messages and interact with your followers by asking their holiday plans. Remember to not make it about sales and try to build an emotional connection with your audience.
2. Prepare for Last-minute Changes
This year especially, brands have mastered pivoting strategies and changing up content calendars to stay relevant and avoid being tone-deaf about sensititive issues. Brands need to stay flexible in case they need to change narratives and integrate new messaging to stay relevant and thoughtful.
So it’s crucial for brands to leave room for flexibility if they have to adjust their strategy as the season goes on. Identify a few key messages and important posts you definitely want to share and incorporate new ones later. Make sure to leverage the holiday season as it’s an ideal time for brands to reinforce their brand story and make connections with their followers.
3. Create a Holiday Content Calendar
Be mindful about integrating your sales & promotion posts into your content calendar during this season. Carefully create a calendar where your campaign posts will be in coordination with holiday messages across all platforms.
Keep in mind that consumers use different platforms for different reasons so plan for each platform separately. Curate your holiday strategy based on consumer behaviour on each channel and what they are looking for. While Pinterest may be used for planning gift purchases, Instagram might be ideal for inspiration and discovery.
4. Increase Your Budget for Social Ads
Advertising costs typically go up during this time of year because there is more competition for ads space online. More businesses are willing to pay more for high-value placements and as a result, CPC costs will go up on almost all platforms.
Make sure to use the right online advertising method for your brand and set out an effective ads strategy that will speak to your audience. If you have a specific holiday promotion, social ads can be a great way to promote your campaign. Also, it will be critical to keeping your bids and CPC are at profitable levels throughout and making optimizations where necessary.
5. Allocate Time and Budget for Community Management
During this time of the year, be ready to answer questions of your followers about the shipping dates, order status and information on products or promotions. There will be an influx of incoming messages to your inbox on any channel you’re active on as usually happens during this time of the year. Take time to get your answers ready as a template ahead of time to make sure you answer these questions as quickly as possible.
Make sure to stay agile in your community management as it will have a positive effect on your overall brand experience and creating loyalty among your customers. Involve key people from your sales or supply chain team if needed to create generic information replies and make sure you respond to all messages.
In Conclusion
The holiday season is one of the key points throughout the year for brands to stand out, get their messages across and make real connections with their communities. It’s also an ideal time to nurture their relationships with their customers to increase loyalty while also reaching out to new audiences.
One of the key issues to keep in mind during this time will be to forget pushing for sales and focus on gratitude, positivity and celebration. So make sure to use social media in your advantage by carefully carving out a strategy that will help your brand stay relevant while also emphasizing your brand messages.
If you need help creating a holiday 2020 social media strategy and making the most out of this holiday season, contact us today for a no-obligation chat.