When it comes time for a holiday, brands have a decision to make before they take the day off — to post or not to post. For many organizations this is a question that comes up with each day of celebration or remembrance, with many posting simply because they feel like they need to (you don’t!). Or, worse yet, they end up posting a belated message when they get back to the office because they didn’t plan ahead. Let’s face it, many brands struggle with how to handle social media during holidays.
Before you take off for your Memorial Day break next week (or before any holiday that lies ahead), make sure your brand and your social media business objectives are covered with these key thoughts in mind.
Assist Customers First
Is there information that your audience needs to know for the day such as closings, special holiday hours, or emergency contact information? Make sure that you have this information updated where customers will look first, like your website and social channels, and continue to share this message before and during the holiday to clarify. Don’t assume your customers will know whether or not you’ll be closed.
If you don’t have to adhere to corporate guidelines, consider getting a little creative with your message, if that’s appropriate for your brand.
Maintain Your Brand Voice
Determining what your holiday greeting will look and sound like may be a challenge but it’s one that’s worth putting time into. Consider what your brand voice is during day-to-day communications. Try to find a way to share a holiday greeting that encompasses that personality, yet doesn’t seem inappropriate for the meaning of the holiday.
This can also be done easily with a personal touch by sharing a direct quote or story from someone at the organization, such as the CEO or founder, if the holiday is of importance.
Consider Your Audience
For many, taking the holiday off means spending even more time online. What is your audience doing on the holiday and how can you work that in? Rather than sharing a greeting, is there a way that you can help point them to an activity that they could participate in on the day off, or a way to focus on others for the day, such as a charity to donate to or an online cause to give some attention to.
Perhaps, if your audience will be away during the holiday, consider asking open-ended questions before the holiday to elicit responses on how they will spend their time off, or after the day to ask how it was spent.
Less Can Be More
The most important thing for any brand to be successful is to continue to meet the specific business objectives set forth for their online accounts. And if that doesn’t match with a message during a specific holiday, just take the day off. You deserve it.
How does your brand handle holiday messaging? Do you have a plan in place for your upcoming day off?
