Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner. And you’re a small business owner. Your coin relies on a prosperous yuletide! 

Lucky for you, CNBC predicts “Sixty percent of Americans will do the majority of their shopping with local retailers this year.” Their advice for small businesses looking to make the most of this incredible opportunity? Focus on digital.

From custom content to effective customer engagement, get ready to optimize your social media presence with our tips for digital marketing during the holiday season.

Prepare custom holiday content

In advance of the holidays, you’re going to want to create some custom content. And I’m not just talking about planned promotional posts. Make sure you give all your platforms a holiday makeover, including:

• Profile pictures – If you have an in-house designer, a festive iteration of your logo is always fun, but you can also update your profile with a seasonal photograph or customize a cute holiday graphic. Just make sure you’re updating your profile pictures across all platforms to maintain brand cohesion. 

• Bios – Give your bios a burst of cheer with a favorite holiday quote, a special offer, or a few festive emojis.

• Links – Use the directive #linkinbio to send followers to a holiday-enhanced landing page. There you can display seasonal offers or promote an exclusive deal on a popular holiday product. 

Don’t hard sell

Look, the holiday spirit is a nice idea, but if we’re being honest I think we can agree much of that spirit is derived from consumerism. Your customers know this and thanks to “Christmas creep,” they’re often burned out by holiday marketing long before the holidays actually begin. So this year, don’t take your cues from the CVS candy aisle – instead, make your marketing approach personal. Draw customers in with relatable content and connect over shared experiences like your struggle to hide presents from the kids, or your unhealthy obsession with peppermint bark. Once you’ve used content to cultivate trust, then you can begin to pepper in promotional details. 

Connect with Stories

Printful reports over 500 million accounts use Instagram Stories daily thanks to the medium’s behind-the-scenes feel. 

“Stories work because they create a direct line of communication with followers. They’re the new shop window—you get to see the product as well as the person behind the counter. It’s more natural than seeing only polished marketing materials, and you get to see a more human side of the business.”

When it comes to holiday marketing on Instagram Stories, the possibilities are endless, but here are some of my highlights (no pun intended):

• Behind-the-scenes content – Share your holiday preparations with your followers by creating behind-the-scenes content, like unboxing that festive packaging you ordered or decorating your workspace. Extra points if you do this Live, or as an Instagram Reel. 

• Poll your followers – Start off with holiday-specific questions, then incorporate questions about your products and/or business to net valuable customer insight. 

• Offer deals – Reward your social media followers with exclusive opportunities like free shipping, limited products, or pre-sales. 

• Create countdowns – Get followers hyped with countdowns for the various holidays and any seasonal product launches you might have. Worried about missing a holiday? Check out Hubspot’s Ultimate Social Media Holiday Calendar.

Be sure you have your Instagram Stories linked with your Facebook to maximize your content’s potential!

Collaborate with local influencers

The success of influencer marketing comes down to trust and familiarity. Followers see a favorite influencer’s endorsement as a personal recommendation instead of a promotional plug, making it a highly effective method of marketing. According to PR Week, “The right influencer can often reach a target audience more effectively than a journalist, especially if their messages are targeted through social channels to followers who are highly likely to be interested in, and responsive to, the message.” 

Here are some tips for finding the right influencer for your holiday campaign:

• Know your audience – You can’t find a suitable influencer without first understanding who you’re marketing to. Make sure to segment your audience and understand your target customers before beginning your search.

• Know their audience – When it comes to an influencer’s following, the age-old adage is true: size is less important than the way you wield it. An influencer with ten-thousand followers, 60% of which were paid for, will have lower engagement than one with five-hundred loyal, connected fans. For best results, collaborate with local influencers your community knows, loves, and trusts. 

• Stay relevant – Don’t align yourself with a food blogger if you’re selling candles. A good influencer should not only have an engaged following, but that following must be relevant to your brand. Need help finding the right influencer to market your product? Quiet Corner Communications is happy to curate a list of relevant influencers from our extensive network.

Holiday plate already full? Quiet Corner Communications would love to create engaging holiday content for your small business – drop me a note to schedule your complimentary consultation today!