How To Make The Most of Social Media Holidays

There are as many Holidays as there are days on the Calendar. Similarly, there are just as many Holiday themed hashtags on social media to go with all of these Holidays. On some platforms, there’s even an accompanying emoji. Participating in Holiday hashtags on social media can be rewarding, but so too can there be pitfalls that might harm your brand as well. So how do you make the most of this? We’ll tell you how!

Social Media Holidays Have Specific Hashtags

“No duh,” right? Wrong. The key to using holiday-related hashtags is to establish a connection to the event (and of course, to the wider moment of the hashtag being used), and removing that hashtag, ultimately, results in any relevance in your post being lost. Sure, you might get the odd engagement from your followers, but its engagement is ultimately hollow.

Consumers Want Genuine.

For as much as you want your account to be about your business, and your followers are there because of that, so too are social media followers seeking a degree of casual, genuine, accessibility from the brands they’re following. Social Media Holidays are a vital opportunity for demonstrating the personality and voice behind your account. Utilizing these hashtags helps to convey a shared interest, establishing a common ground for followers that presents even more opportunities to engage with you. When participating, don’t make it about business, make it personal.

Keep it Relevant: Sometimes is better than all the time.

Just because there’s a hashtag for every holiday doesn’t mean you have to use all of them. As noted in point 3, consumers want genuine, and a business hopping on every single daily hashtag can feel everything but. It removes whatever connection there may have been and can come across as extremely superficial. As such, it’s important to select and choose these Holidays as they come up. Is it relevant to your business? Is it something with a bit more universal appeal (i.e. #maythe4thbewithyou) or is it something one of your employees celebrates? Reacting to every hashtag as it comes along, whether they be relevant or not, removes the opportunity your post may have had of connecting with your audience. Don’t inadvertently deaden your appeal.

Do Your Research

Is it a Holiday celebrated by an underrepresented or minority group? If it is, DO SOME RESEARCH. We can’t stress this enough. No matter how good your intentions may be, if you wind up marginalizing, appropriating, or alienating the group celebrating that holiday, all of your goodwill will have been trivial. The court of public opinion is a fast one; having one large negative connotation with your brand will do a lot more than multiple good ones will.

Follow Through

Some holidays have an associated cause. Causes have related charities. In these cases, following through on your use of the hashtag with definitive action isn’t a bad idea. Donate to an environmental charity on Earth Day, or a women’s group on International Women’s day. Consider an LGBTQ+ charity on your region’s Pride day. Actions speak louder than words, and when your use of a hashtag amplifies those words, those actions can speak even louder. Just remember, be genuine. Make sure it’s a cause you actively believe in, and not one you’re just methodically supporting for social media clout. There’s a fine balance to strike, but we’re sure you’ll find it.   And there you have it. Participating in social media holidays can be a powerful tool for growing your audience. Just remember these tips, and we’re sure you’ll soon be seeing the rewards. If you’re still having difficulties, we can help you get started.