What Hashtag Holidays Are Right For My Brand?

Thanks to social media, it seems like every day is a holiday – National Taco Day, S’mores Day, National Puppy Day...the list goes on. But, just because the list goes on and on doesn’t mean that a brand should post for every single holiday. 

Let’s quickly refresh our memories and remember what a hashtag holiday is: A day created to invite connection. These days allow brands to not only celebrate their favorite things and similar interests with their audiences, but also educate and engage consumers on various national and global issues. Read on for some dos and don’ts on planning your seasonal social media strategy. 

DO: Post on holidays that are relevant to your brand

It’s not uncommon for brands to post on every hashtag holiday, but is it really necessary? Nope. 

It is important to remember what makes a brand’s content resonate with its audience. Reactively posting on a hashtag holiday just to get a post on the feed is not a good strategy to follow. 

To avoid this practice and promote engagement that holds value, it’s essential to plan content around holidays that hold the most significance for your brand, or simply fall in line with your branding, its purpose and your audience. This will ensure the content you're posting will impact your followers positively, and your strategy (and posts) won’t look erratic. 

DO: Holiday posts should add value

While making sure you’re posting holidays that are relevant to your brand, it’s also critical that those holidays you do celebrate will add value to your audience’s feed. Remember, the goal is to get a user to stop scrolling and see your post! Crafting copy or designing a graphic that tells a story creates a space for establishing connections with your followers. This will invite them to engage not only with holiday content, but also future content. 

DON’T: Force your messaging

Hashtag holiday or not, it’s important every piece of content your brand posts is consistent with the style and tone your audience has come to recognize, as well as with your branding. Content that is random and not in line with your brand voice will stick out and feel inauthentic, which can lead audience members to tapping the unfollow button. 

DON’T: Be tone deaf

Finally, it’s important to keep your messaging respectful of communities that are underrepresented/marginalized. When thinking of what to post, consider certain days that can hold a deeper emotional meaning for followers. For those holidays, it’s imperative for brands to take a step back and reevaluate their messaging to decide if, when and how it’s a good time to enter the conversation.