For most of us today is just Wednesday, referred to by some as ‘humpday’ meaning we’re half way to the weekend. Not to mention, it’s May the 4th or National Star Wars Day if that’s your thing. But did you know today is also International Fire Fighters Day, Petite and Proud Day, and National Candied Orange Peel Day? Yes, these things really exist. There is a National Day for just about everything and believe it or not, you should be utilising them as part of your business’ social media strategy.
Creating posts tailored to National Days allows you to reach a brand new audience, make a more personal connection with your existing audience, and, most importantly, keep your brand relevant. So how do you choose which days to get involved in, and how do you go about it?
Plan Ahead
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail-bla bla bla. The truth is your business probably won’t fail if you don’t do a post about National Frozen Yoghurt Day (2nd Feb) but if you don’t plan ahead, you may miss out on a really great marketing opportunity. Sit down once every few months and see what fun dates are coming up that you could utilise. Write them down and think about how you can apply them to your business.
Think Outside the Box
We all know about Christmas, Halloween and April Fools. The key is to join in on more than just these generic holidays. Think about your target audience, create some unique content, and most of all just have some fun. For example, March the 15th is ‘National Everything you Think is Wrong Day’. You could use this day to debunk some myths surrounding your industry.
Keep it Relevant
As much as you want to think outside the box, try your best to choose days that you can relate to your brand, product and overall values. If you own a vegan restaurant then you may think it won’t make sense for your business to do a post about International Chicken Wing Day. However, you could use it to promote your vegan chicken wings. It’s important to engage with what’s appropriate and relevant to your brand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be creative.
Encourage Customer Involvement
These days are a great way to get to know your audience, and a great way to get them involved with your brand. For example, if you own a pet shop then National Dress up your Pet Day might be a great way to increase your reach online. Build up some anticipation and awareness in the weeks leading up to the day and get people to send you their pictures to share. Also, use hashtags! More people care about this stuff than you think…
Here are a few key dates that you may be able to incorporate into your social media strategy:
As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to celebrate and after the last few years, I think we all need that. Social media doesn’t have to be boring, and let’s face it, even if you can’t find a way to relate National Days to your business, at least you can stick International Gin and Tonic Day in your diary(19th October- thank me later).
To see the full list of National Days just click here.
