Are you making a list of holiday social media tactics and checking it twice?
If not, don’t fret; Vocus is here to help. Check out what Mark Schaefer, a marketing consultant, social media expert, and author of The Tao of Twitter, has to say about effective holiday social media marketing.
Vocus: What are some key things to keep in mind about holiday social media marketing?
MS: You can’t waltz into the holiday season expecting some greater traction all of a sudden. In fact, there will probably be less because of all the noise this time of year. The key to social media success is creating and sharing a consistent stream of excellent content. If you are doing that, you’ll have your audience over the holidays just as you had them before the holidays. But people are busy traveling and attending parties, so have realistic expectations.
Want more holiday social media tips? Check out our Holiday Marketing Guides here.
As a rule, what social media content should businesses avoid during the holidays?
Just stay steady and consistent. Share information that is smart, useful, helpful, and kind – the audience will follow.
Why is social media so important to a business’s holiday marketing plan?
For many people, the social web is a preferred way to be informed, to connect with friends, and to be entertained. So most businesses should have a thoughtful and appropriate plan to weave a social media strategy in with their other marketing activities. It just makes good sense.
How can a smaller business use social media to rise above the noise of their competitors during the holidays?
The only way any business – large or small – can rise above the noise is to create and share content that helps people save time, save money, have more fun, and lead a happier life. To the extent that you can do that, you have a chance to cut through the noise. But this is getting more and more difficult to do as the information density of the web increases day by day. You really need to bring your A-game to stand out.
What should a small business owner do if they’re stuck on what to write about on their social media channels?
Brainstorm every question customers and potential customers could have about your business and write on that. Go to a LinkedIn forum for your industry. Find a few interesting questions to address. Answering those questions is a good way to create content. Look at the keywords people are using to find your site. That can be a good clue as to what people want to read.
For more advice from Mark and other marketing experts in our Holiday Guides, click here.