Proceed With Caution: SM and the Holidays

Proceed With Caution: Social Media and the Holidays

With Black Friday behind us (hopefully, you survived), it’s time to focus on checking off the rest of your holiday shopping list. If you’re like most socially savvy consumers, you’re looking to Facebook, Twitter and bloggers to determine which products you should buy for the special people in your life and where to find good deals. However, if you’re like me and many others, you also tend to tune out companies that monopolize your newsfeeds, timelines and inboxes with holiday promotions.

One would think that it’s the perfect time of year for a brand to shift into overdrive to promote their products and specials. However, a new study finds that marketers need to focus on engaging in conversations that focus on what the holidays mean to their consumers versus just pushing their products. The study also suggests that brands limit holiday-themed promotions, and simply share content that gets their consumers into the holiday spirit.

What can a company do to engage consumers and encourage purchases that will increase sales this holiday season?

Here are our recommendations:

• Build relationships with individuals who advocate for your brand.

• Focus on sharing coupons, deals and tips for your consumers via social media.

• Know when to be online. Over half of individuals prefer to interact with brands between 6:00 PM and 2:00 AM.

• Focus on the holiday and what it means to those who buy your products. Perhaps they are looking forward to spending time with friends and family, winter vacations, or giving back to others.

• Pick one promotion for all products or services to minimize confusion.

• Have a contest. This is a great way to get the attention of savvy shoppers.

If you’d like some guidance on your social media strategy for the holidays and beyond, contact us. We’d be happy to develop a successful social media strategy for your brand that engages your customers and drives sales.