Despite current economic turmoil and inflation anxiety, many Americans are still excited about the upcoming holiday season. In a recent survey conducted by McKinsey & Company, 55% of U.S. respondents say they are excited about holiday shopping this year, and most people have the savings to spend.
The average consumer is eager yet cautious as they navigate seasonal shopping this year, with almost half of holiday shoppers believing it’s better to purchase holiday items now, in case prices continue to rise. Due to this consumer demand, most brands have already begun holiday sale events and advertising.
With about 1/3 of consumers planning to utilize social media for holiday shopping, it’s a crucial tactic in diversifying the seasonal marketing mix, amplifying messaging, and driving consideration and conversion.
Below you’ll find past and present tactics being utilized on social media to support holiday messaging. *cue the cheesy holiday music*
Livestream Shopping + Holiday Events
YouTube found that search terms like “gift guides” and “gift ideas” reach their peak this time of year, which is why livestream shopping events and digital gift guides are an important strategy in bringing the holiday in-store experience into the comfort of consumers’ homes. Platforms like YouTube recognize the opportunity to create these moments, and this year they’ve launched “From YouTube to You” in support of their findings. This is a series of videos, livestreams, and YouTube Shorts that will feature creators, their gift recommendations, and exclusive product drops and deals.
In addition to shopping, livestreams are an incredible way to get your community into the holiday spirit. Brands are no strangers to this tactic — last year, Likeable client Great Wolf Lodge hosted a New Year’s Eve Dance Party, which received incredible viewership at 16K views and an over 10% engagement rate. Based on prior success, Great Wolf Lodge will be hosting a very special holiday Facebook Live to kick off their Snowland season — stay tuned. 👀
Brand Partnerships
In the spirit of gift-guide roundups, brand partnerships are a strategic tactic in aligning your audience with another brand’s community on social media. From small-scale activations, like partnered giveaways to larger ones like new product launches exclusive to the holiday season, these quirky partnerships make a consistent splash on social media.
A great example of two brands coming together for holiday fun is Auntie Anne’s and Freefrom’s partnership last year. The two brands kicked off Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas by relaunching its Snowball Nuggets and Peppermint Chocolate Frost drink. This was announced and supported on social media through a number of short-form video and photo posts on both the 25 Days and Auntie Anne’s accounts.
Influencer Activations
In the same partnership spirit, influencer activations are a true force during the holidays.
While factors driving purchase decisions on social media have remained relatively the same year over year, there has been a large growth in the importance of short-form video, and influencer-led content. 25% of holiday shoppers consider reviews and unboxing videos by influencers, which is up from 9% last year, and 27% say they are influenced by short-form videos, up from 10% from last year (Deloitte).
While an evergreen influencer strategy is crucial in creating ongoing brand awareness, seasonal activations are just as important in supporting holiday sales and events and taking part in holiday conversations on social media.
A creative example of this is Ocean Spray’s recently launched Wiggle Wiggle Jiggle Jiggle campaign, asking the TikTok community to #JiggleWithUs into the holiday season. This included a release of an original song, and a partnership with influencers like JoJo Siwa. Influencers are tasked with using TikTok’s native duet feature as they show their best holiday jiggle on top of a can of cranberry sauce — yes, you read that right.
To recap 👇
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year on social media. Tapping into the season through livestreams, brand partnerships and influencer activations are just a few of the many ways to join in on the holiday fun.
As you continue to implement this year’s holiday strategy, remember to report on any key insights, trends, or findings to then use for next year.
Until then, enjoy the magic of the season and subscribe to our newsletter to make it rein this season.
