According to GE Capital Retail Bank, 81% of shoppers visit an online store or conduct research prior to purchasing. So, chances are, if you have a website, it will be getting some traction especially this holiday season. That means you need incredible content. You want content that informs your ideal customer on the things they need to know prior to making a purchase. Content that advises them on what to expect when buying from you is also important. Lastly, your content can shape their buying process when you tell them what’s important to look for.
But educational content is not the only kind of content you need to win over sales. You want to entertain and help them get to know you as well. That type of content shouldn’t just live on your website or blog but also on your social media profiles, groups, and/or pages.
Coming up with engaging content can be taxing at a time where you already feel pulled in 100 different directions. That’s why we came up with some simple ideas for your holiday posting needs. Use these topics to create engaging social media posts, blog posts, podcasts, videos, or go lives. The media format you use is up to you and what your audience enjoys.
25 Engaging Holiday Content Ideas
- Share a picture of your home or business Christmas décor.
- Dress up your pet in their holiday finest and share the pics. Invite others to share theirs.
- Ask “this or that” questions around the holidays such as “colored or white lights?”
- Ask people if there was a reindeer named after their favorite thing what its name would be?
- Inquire about favorites such as favorite holiday dessert, favorite beverage in town this time of season, favorite small business for taking a client, etc.
- Create a map to the quintessential holiday spots in your town.
- Ask people what they want for the big holiday season.
- Show off your holiday items or services.
- Promote your holiday discounts or specials. Flash sales, which last for a short time, can easily be promoted on social media. Notifications of these secret sales can be a great way to entice people to follow you or join your mailing/texting list if you promote them via e-mail or SMS.
- If you sell items that are difficult to wrap, provide a tutorial on the best way to do so. For instance, how do you wrap golf clubs?
- Create a video or photo montage of the smiles on people’s faces as they shop with you. Capture the essence of the experience. Make sure you have media releases.
- Create an end of the year thank you to your customers and supporters.
- Share pictures of special holiday celebrations in your community. Small businesses have a unique connection to the area. Showcase that.
- Tie what you do or sell into what people need this time of year. For instance, if you clean houses talk about getting the house ready for guests or offer gift cards so someone can help an aging or busy relative. Don’t expect people to think of these ideas for themselves. Suggest it to them instead.
- Suggest gift ideas based on individual tastes (like the tech wizard or “the busy mom”). There are always people on the list who are difficult to buy for. Your customers will appreciate your suggestions. Your suggestions don’t (all) have to be in things you sell. The more unique the suggestion the better. A lot of those gift lists look the same after a while.
- Post a countdown. Countdowns can be great drivers for purchases. Knowing that there are only 9 days until Christmas or Hanukkah can help people make gift purchases a priority. You can also run countdowns to your discounts. For example, “This sale lasts one more day. Get it before it’s gone.”
- Dress your staff up in funny holiday outfits or ugly Christmas sweaters. Post the image or video.
- Create a holiday card and post it online.
- Pull together a bloopers reel of your video bloopers from the year.
- Ask your audience the best place in town for _________________.
- Share a tip on how to get ready for the holidays. Pick a specific area or task and share something such as “a quick hack for a better holiday party.”
- Talk about your favorite wine (or another hostess gift). Even if you don’t sell wine, providing your audience with the video on one of your favorites can help people connect to you. They will appreciate the suggestion. You could even partner with a business in town and share each other’s posts.
- Talk about a special holiday event in your town. You can even answer questions about the event. A post about the best place to park for the Christmas parade could be a big hit if it’s a question that’s often asked.
- Share stories that make people smile. Have you ever noticed how popular Hallmark movies are around this time of year? That’s because people want to feel good and escape from the stress in their lives. Compiling and sharing feel-good stories can put a smile on the faces of your audience members.
- Host a photo contest and encourage people to share their favorite holiday shots. If you want extra engagement, allow the audience to vote for the winners through likes, hearts, or comments.
Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?
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Twitter: @christinagsmith
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