Christmas sales in the UK have a value of approximately £84.9bn… so it’s no wonder big organisations like John Lewis, Aldi and Coca Cola (to name a few) go all out on advertising. But, one thing that small, medium and large organisations have in common is the need to plan. Whether you’re aiming to take the market by storm or you just want a relaxing festive period, here are our top Christmas Social Media Planning Tips!
Whether we like it or not, the big day will be here before we know it… so getting your plan together sooner rather than later is a great place to start.
However you generate ideas and curate your plans, make sure you include the following:
At Naturally Social HQ we use a monthly content calendar which allows us to work a month in advance. We’re able to utilise the content calendar to record any important dates, promotions etc before pulling the copy together and creating the visuals.
Natalie’s Top Tip: If you’re feeling the pressure to be online during the holidays, it’s time to let that go! Be clear in your messaging about when you’ll be back online, answering messages, emails and calls.
While you’re in the content mind set… Don’t forget to refresh your list of hashtags. Seasonal hashtags could increase the visability of your content, so be sure to keep an eye on what’s trending within your industry and incorporate relevant hashtags across platforms like Instagram, TikTok and X.
TikTok suggests using it’s Ads Manager to find more detailed hashtags, and watching out for when platforms release their holiday guides is a good idea too. These guides are there to help you get the most out of your favourite platforms building up to, and during the holidays and often include a list of hashtags to use.
Natalie’s Top Tip: Hootsuite has a good hashtag generator for Instagram, and it’s free too! Marketing calendars, Google Alerts and each individual platform are the best places to find hashtags. You can always update scheduled content if something else starts trending closer to the holidays.
It’s also important to double check how many people are using your chosen hashtag, that they’re active and they’re not too niche or too large.
This is one of our top Christmas Social Media Planning Tips…
With many platforms having native scheduling tools, there is no excuse not to schedule your content in advance! With your month planned out, captions drafted, and visuals created, this is the next logical step.
To help, we’d suggest setting yourself deadlines, including one for having everything scheduled before the festive season kicks in. For example, our team will be aiming to have all our content, for December, scheduled by mid-November!
Scheduling isn’t just a great way to stay organised, it makes things easier when you return to work after the holidays – giving you one less thing on your to-do list!
Natalie’s Top Tip: If you find planning your content ahead of time simpler than leaving it to the last minute, why not take it one step further and start thinking about January. It may seem a little daunting, but it will allow you to really switch off and enjoy the festive period.
If you’re running paid advertising on Meta Platforms, and plan to continue during the holiday, it’s crucial to make sure you’ve set up the Meta Pixel on your website (if you haven’t already). This tool helps to track user actions on your website and will allow you to both optimise ads and retarget users more effectively.
If you’re yet to install your Pixel, speak to your web developer and they’ll be able to help. If you’re using a Shopify or Woo Commerce site, it’s quite simple and they have a handy guide to help you with installation.
Installing your Meta Pixel now will help it start gathering data straight away, so when you start running paid ads you won’t have to start from scratch!
Natalie’s Top Tip: If you want to run paid advertising but you’re not sure where to start, I’d recommend seeking some training or getting expert support. This will help to make sure your ads are running effectively and the knowledge you gain now is going to help you with future ads!
We’ve gone through our Christmas Social Media Planning Tips, but if you’re still struggling with content ideas, we’ll help you on your way!
Leveraging popular trends like advent-style posts could prove particularly engaging if you want to showcase daily product offers and/or discounts. This style of content allows you to really show off your creativity and using platforms like Canva will help you to get the visuals spot on!
Natalie’s Top Tip: If you don’t have a large social media audience, this might not be the best type of content for you. Without the large audience you may not get the engagement to make the time and effort worth it. If you’re set on this style of content, consider collaborating with another person who will create content with and for you. This could be a great way to extend the reach of the content too.
Giveaways are a great way to generate interest in your business as well as increase engagement and impressions. But, if you’re planning to run any festive giveaways, please remember that each platform has community guidelines that you need to adhere to. Make sure you do your research in advance!
Natalie’s Top Tip: Stick to the rules and consider how you’re going to structure your giveaways for maximum engagement. Holiday-themed prizes that resonate with your audience are a great place to start.
People love getting a behind-the-scenes look at how organisations prepare for the holidays. Use the Stories features on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to share the fun side of your festive preparations.
Don’t be afraid to film festive content ahead of time. Yes, it might feel odd getting into holiday gear in October, but planning early means you’re prepared to capture the festive spirit without the last-minute scramble.
Natalie’s Top Tip: Don’t forget that Meta’s Business Suite allows you to schedule stories! So, if you’re feeling proactive, why not get your behind the scenes content scheduled in too!
If you’re a charity, the festive season is an excellent time to ramp up your fundraising efforts! People who are able to donate may have already decided on their charities for the year, but for those who haven’t – this is your time to shine… Tell them why they should pick you!
Natalie’s Top Tip: Make sure your charity campaigns are well-timed, and don’t leave the ask too late. We’re in a cost of giving crisis right now, so it’s important to provide your audience with meaningful content. It’s also important to show your donors how their money will make a difference to your charity.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of the festive period, both inside and outside of work. So, make sure to take a break.
By starting now, you’re giving yourself 6 weeks to get ahead. This may seem overwhelming when you sit down to pull ideas together, but your future self is going to thank you when you get to mid-December and you’re ready for some down time!
We implement all of these tips ourselves every year. And while it does feel busier leading up to December, we feel the benefits of our planning when we’ve all completed our tasks ahead of time and we’re able to pick up some ‘nice to-dos’ in the final week before clocking off.
Natalie’s Top Tip: If you’ve got a team working with you, communication is key. Make sure everyone is on the same page and you’re all providing regular updates as deadlines approach… Then sit back and enjoy your time off!
The festive period is such a great opportunity for businesses and charities, but only if you’re prepared. By planning ahead, scheduling content, and engaging with your audience, you’ll ensure a successful and smooth holiday season.
If you’re looking to take your social media to the next level, now is a great time to get in touch with us to talk about 1-2-1 mentoring, in-house training, or outsourcing your social media marketing in the new year!
Until next time, stay social!
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