As we mentioned in last week’s blog post, ‘tis the holiday season, making it the ideal time to incorporate a festive angle into your social media strategy and get in on the fun. However, while you should capture the magic and merriment of this time of year, brands should also be cautious of not excluding or isolating audiences with over-the-top holiday themes. Below are some basic do’s and don’ts for striking the right balance this holiday season.
Update your page assets
DO incorporate a simple design refresh for Facebook page profile pictures, photo strips and promotional landing pages as a way to keep your content looking fresh and festive. While you’re at it, update your Twitter skin and your Google+ photo strip and profile picture to help capture the look and feel of the season.
DON’T go crazy with the reds and greens. Instead use traditional holiday colors as accents and incorporate seasonal whites, blues and browns.
Run a holiday-themed promotion
DO capitalize on the most wonderful time of the year by running giveaways or contests with subtle holiday themes that tie-in with your product/service. Make sure if you do highlight holiday traditions that everyone has the opportunity to share (and thus embrace the diversity of your community!). Bonus points if your promotion has a charitable aspect that includes a generous donation.
DON’T isolate audiences by only promoting specific holidays or traditions – remember, you have a broad audience that wants to feel included. Run a promotion that ties in typical holiday activities (shopping, eating, spending time with family) that all audiences relate to.
Incorporate holiday fun into your content
DO use holiday themes and wording for your content strategy – it’s the perfect time for cute play on words and helping spread the holiday cheer through everyday posts. Feel free to incorporate multimedia (i.e., photos, videos) playing off the idea of gift-giving, shopping and winter activities (content featuring multimedia always receives higher engagement!). Also, be sure to customize holiday responses to your fans and followers to make a personal connection.
DON’T use generic holiday messaging or post holiday content that isn’t relevant to your brand. Make sure that if you do holiday-themed content that the message stays consistent with your brand voice, remains authentic and true to your brand and is something your audience will relate to and engage with.
What are your do’s and don’ts as a brand for the holiday season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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