The Do's And Don't's of Posting for Holidays

There are holidays and national days for just about anything - National Name Your Car Day, National Noodle Day, National Doorbell Day; not to mention the traditional Hallmark holidays and government holidays that fill our calendar.

Of course, we see all these holidays posted all across social media from companies and individuals, and most of the time there are social media managers and business owners are the ones behind those! However, holidays have become quite the topic of conversation over the years on socials. Leaving all the social media managers, strategists, and marketers thinking about how in the world to handle holiday posting in a way that won't leave anyone feeling uncomfortable.

Let's take a look at some common do's and don't's when it comes to social media posts and holidays -

Do's:

• Consider what's important to your audience

Our audience is always at the heart of everything we do on social media! So, if a certain holiday doesn't fit in with their demographics, it probably wouldn't help to post for this. For example, if you are a hotel, you probably shouldn't be posting for National Name Your Car Day, because that's likely (a) what your audience expects from you and (b) probably not what they care about seeing on their feed.

• Plan Ahead

We love our procrastinating queens, but now is not the time. If you are creating a holiday campaign, special offer, or even a general post, you don't want to be scrabbling around at the last second to throw something together. Always, always, always plan ahead!

• Consider the tone.

Some commemorative days are sensitive topics, such as 9/11, Memorial Day, or even some National Days, such as National Mental Health Awareness Day for example. We need to approach these topics with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. Even if you intend to say something sincere, we know that not everyone will interpret everything in the same way. Additionally, some holidays have become more controversial in the past few years, such as Colombus Day. Make sure you are tuning in to the news and social conversations about these topics so you won't get caught in turmoil.

Don't's:

• Don't post just to post

Our feeds are flooded with boring stock images of "Happy Holidays!" Just like anything on socials, be different, be creative, and add value to the conversation! It should be something that fits within your branding guidelines when it comes to design.

• Post just for sales

I think we've all seen a "Memorial Day Sale" somewhere online...don't be that company. Well, there are some holidays built for sales and special discounts like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, or even the “holiday season” of November & December when it comes to gift shopping that is the exception, but not every holiday needs to involve a sale. Some holidays are just for celebrating, honoring, being thankful, and sharing those moments with your community. Make sure you draw the line and know the difference!

• Overthink it!

We know firsthand that the holiday season, in general, is stressful. So, don't overcomplicate your holiday marketing campaigns, don't overthink your posts, and don't overwhelm yourself during a time that is supposed to be fun. And that goes for any kind of holiday or national day marketing! Keep your head up and always remember that we are here for questions!

Need a second set of eyes to look over your holiday post? Post in our Facebook Group and our community is always happy to help!