With the start of November, the holiday season is on everyone’s minds. For some, this means increased engagement and customer service inquiries on the rise. In this week’s #SproutChat we talked about planning social content for the holiday (plan early, plan often), UGC and global recognition of holidays.
Start Planning Early
Try to get ahead of the hectic season and avoid planning holiday content as it comes. Even if the holiday season is not your brand’s busy time, it’s likely clients and team members will be out of the office, so allow yourself the freedom later on by tackling things early on.
A1: Two words: “in advance.” Clients go on holidays too – the sooner you deliver content to get their approval, the better! #SproutChat https://t.co/UKoPVCisU4
— Chatterkick (@Chatterkick) November 1, 2017
A1: Create a schedule in advance. Some social media posts for the holidays will be last minute, but most require planning. #sproutchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) November 1, 2017
A1: You have to plan in advance for holiday content. No one wants to scramble to put something together at the last minute. #SproutChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) November 1, 2017
A1: I first brainstorm ideas for holiday contests, videos, blogs, etc. #SproutChat
— Digital Addicts (@digitaladdicts_) November 1, 2017
A1: Our clients give us their goals for the holidays then we craft content we feel will support that goal. #SproutChat
— Dave Macdonald (@rdavemacdonald) November 1, 2017
A1: Think about all of the holidays. And how your content can naturally fit in with the season. #SproutChat
— Kevin Juliano (@KevinJJuliano) November 1, 2017
A1: We’re fortunate that we have the same recurring events in our destinations. A lot of our previous content can be re-dated.
#sproutchat— Brad Lovett (@Brad_Lovett) November 1, 2017
A1: Decide on holiday promotions at least 3 mos prior to plan out calendar, set up copy/image assets, create posts, ready promos #sproutchat
— Kari Embree (@KariLikeSafari) November 1, 2017
Engagement Will Vary
Depending on your brand and organization’s objectives overall, engagement may fluctuate. It’s likely if you have a commerce component that you’ll see an uptick in customer service inquiries, so make sure your customer care plan is buttoned up.
A2: Definitely an increase in interaction. Emotional tie to the holidays plus a tie to your brand are home runs! #SproutChat pic.twitter.com/82ldNdTOCJ
— Kevin Juliano (@KevinJJuliano) November 1, 2017
A2: It can vary by client. Our holiday content usually sees excellent engagement, since it’s so people-focused. #SproutChat [TK] pic.twitter.com/tscBub9cla
— ModSquad (@modsquad) November 1, 2017
A2: Level of engagement varies by client and campaign. E-commerce efforts tend to increase. Contests drive engagement too. #SproutChat
— Sortis Marketing (@SortisMarketing) November 1, 2017
A2: Always an increase surrounding compelling/adorable photos from events. People want to see photos that make their <3 feel good. Usually a dip in engagement surrounding advice/educational content. #SproutChat
— Kathleen Gormley (@KathGorm) November 1, 2017
A2: Expecting to see a boost in engagement with the launch of a holiday giving campaign – getting people excited about donating! #SproutChat
— Paige Doerner (@PaigeDoerner) November 1, 2017
A2: Increases, especially with retail clients. @instagram is a great place to do promotions and integrate shop features. 🎁 #SproutChat https://t.co/jtqZNr3E9U
— Chatterkick (@Chatterkick) November 1, 2017
Recognize Your Audience
If you handle a global brand’s social presence, be cognizant of how your holiday messages may come across. Avoid alienating portions of your audience by focusing on sales content that’ll drive those end-of-year numbers.
A3: Be inclusive! Explore different cultural traditions and highlight celebrations across the globe. #SproutChat [TK]
— ModSquad (@modsquad) November 1, 2017
A3: Do: be authentic, be responsive, be creative, be fluid, be true to your brand voice and guidelines, provide helpful information, plan far in advance but remain flexible. Don’t: lie, go silent, be afraid to take risks with creativity. #SproutChat
— Kathleen Gormley (@KathGorm) November 1, 2017
A3: Do: Be all-inclusive. Consider all religions and beliefs. Don’ts: Ignore your social even if engagement numbers are low. #sproutchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) November 1, 2017
A3: Do recognize the holidays, but don’t alienate those with different beliefs and religious affiliations. #SproutChat
— Sortis Marketing (@SortisMarketing) November 1, 2017
A3: Be respectful of religious and national observances in different countries. Use geotargeting wisely and carefully! #SproutChat https://t.co/464iq5E2HV
— Chatterkick (@Chatterkick) November 1, 2017
A3: Don’t be overly sales-focused! Create content that people will want to share to get the most mileage out of each post. #SproutChat https://t.co/y5jGhrtSZQ
— Houndstooth Media (@houndstoothmg) November 1, 2017
A3: Make sure you’re creating content that will resonate with your diverse audience. #SproutChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) November 1, 2017
A3 Stick to your content strategy rather than concentrating on the holiday #sproutchat
— Toby Metcalf (@Toby_Metcalf) November 1, 2017
Show off Company Culture
For B2B companies, the holidays are a great time to showcase your company culture. In a season where your overall engagement may be going down, take this opportunity to tap internal employee advocates to their share visuals of office outing and happenings.
A5: Showcase examples of staff who give back in their community and provide education on certain conditions and efforts to reduce stigma, and photos of the intense amount of decorations that adorn our units. #sproutchat
— Kathleen Gormley (@KathGorm) November 1, 2017
A5: Video and streaming is your new friend, but images and subtle words would leave long lasting impressions.#SproutChat https://t.co/87IoSVVpYh
— Dhaval Shah (@dhavalgshah) November 1, 2017
A5: Press releases/blog posts about any charity events/work is also a nice way to show how your brand cares. #SproutChat [TK]
— ModSquad (@modsquad) November 1, 2017
A5: Show the human side of things associated w/ these holidays – generosity & gratefulness – with the humans that we work with. #SproutChat https://t.co/H34INbLWoX
— Chatterkick (@Chatterkick) November 1, 2017
A5: Showcase the people that make your company special. @SproutSocial did a great job of that with their recent Halloween video. #SproutChat
— Dave Macdonald (@rdavemacdonald) November 1, 2017
A5: It’s a great time to show off what makes your company different! Have fun with it and add some personality to your posts. #SproutChat https://t.co/I5GOEeiSZN
— Houndstooth Media (@houndstoothmg) November 1, 2017
A5 We make sure we’re documenting our holiday festivities (ie: potluck lunch, volunteering, ugly sweater contest). #sproutchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) November 1, 2017
A5: We share pictures of our office decorations to show our holiday spirit & we have an album of our staff as kids on Christmas! #sproutchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) November 1, 2017
A5. Build your company with activities and festivities and use that as content. Be real!😀 Don’t just try to show off your brand #SproutChat pic.twitter.com/TPRC854o5r
— Venture Icon Media (@VentureIcon) November 1, 2017
Join #SproutChat next Wednesday to chat with Sprout All Star Elite, Kellen McGugan, of BigWing, about overcoming challenges in agencies. Until then be sure to join our Facebook community to connect with other brilliant folks in the industry.