I’m sure you’ve seen it in your feeds, companies jumping on National Ice Cream Day or Donut Day, sharing photos of company parties and enticing your taste buds. It may seem silly or like a ploy to be part of the trending topics, but if done correctly, it can drive engagement, build trust in a company, and even boost employee moral.
First things first, make sure you really understand the hashtag or holiday you’re going to use. Far too many companies have gotten into trouble when they’ve commented on something they didn’t fully understand. Also, try to make a real connection to the holiday, something that fits the company’s purpose. For instance, ice cream or donut shops can easily build a strong social media campaign around these food holidays, but it may be more difficult for a creative agency or bank to justify weighing in on the holiday. It’s possible, but you must be creative and thorough.
Take a look at sites like Days of the Year, Holiday Insights or download the app Skimm Ahead to see what popular and unusual holidays are coming up. Pay special attention to days that correspond with your industry. Celebrate birthdays of pioneers in a given field or awareness and safety months that correspond to your mission. These make it easier to build campaigns that are still relevant to your business goals and can help build awareness around a certain need or issue in the community.
One of our clients recently participated in Social Media Day on June 30th and National Dog Day on August 26th. They incentivized employees and followers to share or like photos throughout each day by offering a chance to win a gift card. In addition, they promised to donate to a local animal shelter on National Dog Day as a thank you to the followers who participated. As a result of these two campaigns, the company saw a 35% increase in followers in the two-month period. Engagement on each day, as well as for a few days after, was through the roof!
Back to those foodie-type holidays: if you don’t have a direct connection to the industry, use it to have a little fun in your office. Create a competition or invite the whole team in to enjoy milk shakes. (Chocolate Milkshake Day is September 12th!) Take photos and share on Facebook. Ask the staff to share their own photos and tag the company page. This will get eyes on your page as people search the trending hashtag, and it will illustrate how much fun everyone is having at work.
Boss Appreciation Day (October 17th) is the perfect occasion to celebrate the leaders of your company and put their skills in the spotlight on your social channels. Consider Book Lovers Day (November 5th) and host a book club. Invite employees to write about their favorite books and share on your social sites. Suggest recent or timeless books that pertain to your work, milestones in the industry, or something relevant to the community you serve.
There is a holiday or awareness week for everything. But if you struggle to find the perfect match for your company, make your own. Create a Name Your Car Day if you sell cars or car insurance. Invite staff and customers to share their car-naming stories or why they don’t like to name their cars. Build some momentum around it before the holiday hits, create a hashtag and encourage employees to join in the fun.
With the amount of silly, unique, and food-related holidays, the possibilities are endless. Use the opportunity to engage in the community, interact with your fans, and show your employees some appreciation. Have fun with it and be sure to thank those who participate.
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