During the holidays, brands try to get consumers' attention more than ever. As one of the biggest shopping times of the year, sending out the right message to the right people is key.
The tips below will help businesses make the most of social media marketing and advertising during the upcoming holiday season.
Highlight Popular Items
We're in an age of curated content and list posts. People are drawn to titles like "Top 15 Gifts Mom Will Love," so use that knowledge to your advantage.
Write blog posts or create social media posts that highlight popular items or bestsellers. Consumers trust what large groups of people like, and it becomes a type of social proof.
World Market has used this concept to its benefit, and on the front page of their website they display a list of the items most commonly pinned from their online shop.
Whether it's Pinterest or another platform, it's a great idea to show buyers in a hurry what the best of the best of your products and services are.
Host a Contest or Giveaway
Giving back during a time of mass consumption will definitely get attention. Everyone wants something free -- especially if it can potentially be re-gifted...
Look at Starbucks. Users who tag a photo of their red holiday Starbucks cup on Instagram with the designated hashtag are entered to win a limited edition Starbucks card.
The key words there are "limited edition." Status is a great motivator when it comes to giveaways, so keep that in mind when crafting holiday giveaways this season.
Schedule Blog Posts Early
Many businesses forget that the best place they can post content online is their own website or blog. By sharing one of those "top gift idea" posts on the blog weeks in advance, companies can help boost traffic by helping their posts pop up in search first.
There's no guarantee blog posts will make it on the first page of search results, but posting holiday-themed posts with frequently searched for titles (use Google's Keyword Planner) will definitely help boost traffic.
Tech Times posted a toys gift guide in September:
Plan to Have Backup
The season of giving doubles as the season of returns, so be prepared. Whether it's products or services, staff your holiday customer service teams appropriately.
People will have more questions and more complaints than normal during the holidays. Consider when the busy times may occur (Black Friday? Christmas Eve?) and discuss response protocol and standard messaging with staff.
JetBlue's level of service is what all businesses should aspire to. Claiming an average 10-minute response time, the airline dominates customer service on social media.
Be Respectful the Actual Day
In all the marketing and giveaways and advertising, on the day-of take a break from being promotional. It's about fun and family, so wishing fans and followers a simple "happy [specific] holiday" is perfect.
T-Mobile kept things short and sweet (pun intended) on Halloween:
For social media marketing tips and consulting, visit me at BeASocialClimber.com