The holidays are here, and it’s a great time to use social media to drive sales and user engagement. Instagram is one of the best platforms to show your holiday spirit because of its emphasis on creative visuals and community; here are some tips to make your feed feel festive:
Create Holiday Themed Product Posts
Feature your products in fun, festive, ways that exude holiday spirit! If you’re a fashion retailer, you may want to stage a fabulous New Year’s party where glamorous guests are wearing your apparel. If you’re a cosmetics brand, you could create holiday makeup looks and tell your users which products you used to achieve them. Take photos of your products spilling out of eye-catching gift boxes, or under a tree. If you offer a service, take a photo of a gift card displayed with a pretty envelope. This drops a subtle hint that your products and services make wonderful gifts!
Create a User Generated Content Campaign
Encourage your fans to share photos using your product or service during the holidays. If you offer a physical product, ask users to submit holiday-themed photos of your items. If you offer a service, ask customers to share holiday photos or action shots with captions that explain why they love what you have to offer. Create a branded hashtag to streamline all of your user generated content photos. This makes your photos easier for you and users to find. Consider offering a reward for the best photo entry; it could be a giveaway, gift card, or the chance to be featured by your brand.
Give Back, and Encourage Your Fans to Participate
The holidays are a time for giving back to your community and sharing. Show your fans that you are a company that cares by supporting an organization that embodies your company’s values. For example: if you are a beauty brand, you might donate products to a women’s shelter. Create posts that show your employees giving back to their community, or share photos from the organization you are supporting. Encourage your fans to participate by offering to donate a percent of their purchases to the charity you choose, or by creating a charitable campaign hashtag to create a sense of community.
Ask Your Users Questions
Ask your customers which one of your products they prefer in a this vs. that post. Feature two products side-by-side, and ask customers to comment on which one they prefer and why. You can also ask them short questions about common holiday topics. For example, you could ask: “What’s on your wishlist this year?” Use seasonal images that are visually appealing, integrate well with your feed, and are relevant to your demographic. Posing questions and asking users for their input drives engagement and also provides you with useful insight on your products.
Use In-Store Photos and Behind the Scenes Shots
Show your fan base that you are geared up and decked out for the holidays! Take behind-the-scenes pictures of festivities, or snap some photos of your holiday window displays. Take short videos of turning on your holiday lights, or get your team together to film a quick “Happy Holidays!” clip. Be mindful not to feature excessive merry-making (employees guzzling champagne, your insane after-hours party, etc.) but have fun! Users will feel like they are celebrating with you, making them feel more connected to your brand.
These tips should help you spruce up your Instagram feed during this special season. Happy Holidays!
