There are a number of reasons why Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like are particularly active during holidays and other special occasions – bank holidays often mean people have time off work or a less busy schedule, so may spend extra time browsing their social feeds.
In contrast, other organisations run special offers or deals to their clients at these times. As such, social media is monitored particularly closely.
Whatever the reason, the holiday seasons are times when impressions, mentions and profile visits can skyrocket.
Here are some suggestions on how to utilise these opportunities to network, develop your brand, grow your business and increase your social stats. Let’s get started.
- Using relevant hashtags is one of the most obvious yet effective ways to spread your message and get your brand out there, to more than just your existing followers. Hashtags – whether that’s #SeasonsGreeting, #HappyEaster or #BooItsHalloween (ok, I made up that last one) – make your content searchable. Think of them as the index of Twitter or Instagram. You can also keep track of the hashtags you are using with tools such as Hootsuite. By tracking hashtags, you can like and share relevant content produced by others. A great way to network.
- Tagging other accounts in your posts or pictures is likewise a great way to increase the reach of your posts. I personally am a fan of tagging people in pictures, as this saves space and we all know how precious characters are on Twitter. For example, if you send a partner a Christmas hamper or Easter egg, post a picture of it and tag them in it, a few days later of course, to allow for postal time.
- Sending messages to your followers might seem old-fashioned (it is after all, the social media equivalent of posting a letter), but, from my experience, it’s actually a really nice way to show your followers (or people you’d like to follow you) that you’re thinking about them. To make this method worthwhile, try to personalise your messages to each individual. Tell them why you love what they’re posting on social, maybe how a recent post was really interesting to you.
- Getting personal with custom designed posts is another fantastic way to show your followers they really matter to you. There are plenty of free and easy design platforms nowadays (try Canva) that allow you to make simple text overlays, in order to creatively wish your partners a happy holiday. Check out the GWlegal Twitter feed for examples from this Easter.
- Theme your content around the occasion and create an aesthetic of the holiday on your social feed. Get a little creative and make your posts noticeable. This in itself will attract visits to your profile and encourage others to engage with you.
As ever, to increase your social engagement (and to indeed engage your followers), the key is customisation. Customise your content to match what is going on in the outside world. After all, the online world and the real one are not mutually exclusive – and watch as your interaction with followers becomes much more meaningful.
