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This is an update to a blog that appeared in December 2017.

This hectic time of year sometimes means our personal and professional calendars are full.  Shopping, family gatherings, office parties, meetings and big end of the year pushes to meet company goals can overload us. Things can fall off that list by mistake. If you haven’t been operating from a well-thought-out Marketing plan, your holiday social media marketing efforts might look a little weak right now.

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of the biggest periods for online sales. US retail sales are expected to climb 4.1%, while US retail ecommerce spending will rise 16.2%, marking some of the best growth rates in recent years, according to recent data.

We might be into November, but don’t worry. There is still time to finish (or start, if you are anything like us) your own holiday shopping AND create effective holiday content on both your website and social media. With a few key social media or blog posts, you can showcase your brand and keep your products and services top of mind. You will  earn your holiday social media marketing a spot on the Nice List in no time.  (Be sure to check out this helpful tool from HubSpot. You’ll never miss out on a chance to share trending holiday content again!)

Here’s what we suggest:

It’s the perfect time to show your gratitude

Thanksgiving is close, but there is still time to create a special sale or promotion for your customers to show them how much you have appreciated their business this year. This can launch on Black Friday, Thanksgiving Day – or be good for the rest of November. Use it as a way to show genuine gratitude for the successes of your business this year that wouldn’t have been possible without your customers.

Have fun sharing what you are thankful for

Let your customers and clients into your lives a bit, and share what you and your staff are thankful for this year. Building trust and establishing relationships can be easier when we let our customers see our personal side from time-to-time.

If your company is giving back this time of year by doing a toy-drive or helping at a local food bank, share that with your followers or write a blog post about why you believe in investing and giving back to the community.

Do a simple “12 Days of Christmas” holiday special or list

Take a cue from the popular Christmas song. Pick a product or service and feature it every day for the 12 days leading to Christmas day. This could be as simple as a different gift suggestion each day or choosing a daily item or service to offer at a discount (how about 12 percent off?).

Embrace the Nostalgia

Get into the Christmas-spirit by asking social media followers what their favorite Christmas movie, tradition or carol is. Try holding a quick contest – ask your followers to share their funniest childhood picture with Santa and offer a small prize for the winner. Voting can be as simple as awarding the prize to the photo with the most “likes.”

Create a Holiday Hashtag

Create a holiday hashtag specific to your brand and begin using it in all your social media posts this season. #MerryMarketing #TPAGivesThanks

Update your cover and profile photo

This is the easiest one. Add a dash of festiveness to your social media accounts by updating your cover and profile photos to include some holiday imagery. If you need help creating a company specific image that uses your logo, let us know. #TPAHereToSleigh

Don’t forget to wish your customers a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and more.

Recognize the specialness of the season. Your customers and clients will be logging on for the holidays they observe, to wish family and friends their best– and you should too. Keep it simple and heartfelt.

Offer an After-Christmas Special

Take advantage of the holiday returns and holiday shopping so many of us do in the days right after Christmas. Offer an After-Christmas Special or incentive for your followers who didn’t get everything they wanted from Santa this year.

Help customers achieve their New Year’s Resolutions

So many resolutions deal with health. We all want to lose weight, get more sleep, drink more water or even quit smoking. Some set goals like getting organzied, achieving a next step in our career, or making memories with family. If you have a product or service that ties into New Year’s Resolutions, create a blogpost around it. Showcase success stories of customers, clients or even your own employees who met goals using that specific product. Encourage your clients and customers to stay focused. This is a great time to be encouraging, inspirational and offer special New Year’s Resolution discounts.

Did you forget to plan for the holidays on Social Media this year?  Or just don’t think you will have the time to deploy the initiatives we mention above? Let us help. #SantasElvesGotNothingOnUS #HolidaySocialMediaMarketing