Your Reliable Guide to Navigating Social Media Sites During the Holidays

Holiday shopping season is upon us. You’ve likely already been caught in the flood of holiday posts and ads from businesses promoting sales. If you are looking for ways your business can stand out on social media and be seen by new potential customers, this blog is right up your alley. We’re here with the guide you need to stand out and gain new customers, all while navigating the noisy internet.

We have answers to common questions about how to boost social media engagement during the holidays and how to best adjust expectations with digital ad spend.

How to create your social media content during the holidays

The holidays are a time to show who you really are, what your brand stands for, and make connections with potential customers while the warm and cozy feeling is in the air.  

As far as content creation goes, focus on using real, clear, well-lit photos — especially if you have a product to sell. Real-life photos as opposed to stock photos, combined with engaging copy can drive your audience to action.

If your business is more B2B, and you don’t have a physical product to sell, focus on sharing your company culture. People love to see behind the scenes photos, hear about community giving, and see all those ugly sweater contests! Keep it fun and light.

As the sayings go: Less is more! Quality over quantity! Don’t post just for the sake of posting, but rather, create impactful posts. During the holidays, daily stories, specials, or promotions give people something to look forward to. Creating content that’s funny or educational really stands out, and practical tips and tricks for the holidays never hurt.

Bonus points for using video animation where possible!

How to boost social post engagement during the holiday season

If you’re feeling like your social media engagement is low, know you’re not alone. But it doesn’t mean that your audience isn’t watching and listening. Spice up your content by creating social media posts and stories that ask questions. Rather than “How many of these shirts are you buying?” ask “Who on your list needs this shirt for Christmas?” instead. Or if you have two new holiday products, instead of simply saying “Check out our new holiday sweaters,” ask “Which color sweater do you like best? Red or green?” Being specific with your prompts will generate authentic responses from your audience.

We also recommend taking advantage of poll features on various social platforms. Instagram has a few different options for questions and yes/no stickers that can be used.

If your budget allows, consider boosting a Facebook or Instagram post that has performed well. Even $25 - $50 can go a long way when it comes to engagement.

Should digital ad spend budget increase or decrease?

This is really up to you! We recommend keeping your budget steady. Knowing that big box companies are also competing more than usual during this time of year, you’ll want to keep in mind that advertising costs will increase. If you don’t have extra room in your budget to increase your ad spend, consider drilling into your targeting. The more specific you are with your targeting, the more specific you are with where your money is spent.

Some companies have even paused their ads during the week of the holiday. Other companies tend to see an increase in sales, engagement, and brand visibility because more people are “sitting at home on their phones.” Regardless, we recommend looking at your historical trends and spend wisely. Don’t do the “set it and forget it” method — always be monitoring the performance of your ads.

What do consumers respond the best to?

Consumers respond the best to authentic, honest, and real content. Posts that include company culture, real photos and videos of staff, trending content with a funny, relatable, or educational tone are sure to perform well.

When in doubt, look at what the people you follow are sharing. How can you create something similar for your business? Overall, we are seeing that short, snappy videos with movement and sound are performing well. Our attention spans are shrinking so make sure you make your point and make it quick.

Work with what you’ve got.

You’ve got this! Stay true to your brand and work with what you’ve got. Take a step back and look at your content. Are you posting just to say you did? Or are you posing with the intention of moving the needle? Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content. It’s okay to share the raw footage — it doesn’t always have to be polished!

If you feel your content has been washed out in the sea of holiday content, let us throw you a lifeline.