3 digital trends you should tap into this holiday season
Every year, the holidays seem to sneak up on us sooner than we’d like. Case in point: did you realize there are already less than 100 days until Christmas? 😬
Not only is the holiday season fast approaching, what that means for the average consumer continues to evolve — and with it, the impact on your organizations’ digital marketing plans.
While the focus is typically on Christmas and its importance in the retail sector, there are several digital engagement and content opportunities during this time. Holidays or events like Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Hannukah, and more regional or local celebrations as well as charitable causes that gain in popularly each year, such as Giving Tuesday and Small Business Saturday.
Yup, the “holidays” are a busy time. That’s why we’re sharing some key areas to focus on during this time and strategies to help your organization take advantage of the opportunities.
Consumers adopting digital habits at an accelerated rate
Due to the unprecedented effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a transformational year for digital habits. One of the biggest shifts came during the holidays, where we saw a massive spike in online shopping — a 47% rise in ecommerce sales, with 11% of those sales coming directly through social media apps (representing $474 billion, according to Adweek.)
Along with increased online sales, shopping behaviour started earlier than in years past. In fact, Sitecore reports that in 2021, 34% of shoppers were planning to begin holiday shopping by Labour Day. 🤯
So what does this mean for digital marketers?
The shift toward digital has impacted most organizations, a trend that will continue because of the pandemic. As we look ahead to the final quarter of 2021, there’s more than ecommerce sales for digital marketers to consider, including these themes:
- Consumers are spending more time online than ever before
While your organization might not necessarily be selling something, it is important to recognize that this is where your audience is likely spending most of its time during the winter months. - Digital savviness is at an all-time high
The shift toward digital has been forced on consumers, but it’s now something that is expected. This is a great time to assess and audit your content and offers to make sure they will meet your audience’s expectations. - People are busy and distracted
On top of the additional energy that people spend online during the holiday season, digital campaigns spike, making it even harder to get your audience’s attention. It’s important to make sure your digital presence is streamlined and strategic so you don’t get lost in the shuffle.
3 digital trends to tap into this holiday season
While the holiday season is getting longer, and busier, there are ways you can tap into the role digital plays during this important time. Let’s look at how your organization can leverage digital trends during the holidays.
Trend #1: Social media discovery
Solution: Develop custom, curated content
Even if you’re not selling something online, consumers are looking to social apps for gift-giving ideas during the holidays. In fact, Adweek reports that nearly 8 in 10 people used Facebook or Instagram at least once for discovery during the holidays.
Engage your audience with content that will help them during the holidays. While your organization may not have products to sell, you can engage your audience with curated lists like:
- Gift ideas based on your industry. For example, this gift guide was created by the Perimeter Institute and would make for a great carousel post on Instagram.
- Food & beverage recipes and ideas. The food and drink industry also sees a swell of interest over the holidays. Tap into the trend by sharing your favourite recipes or businesses.
- Local shops to support. Where appropriate, share your organization's favourite places to find holiday items or gifts.
For this type of content to show up in people’s feeds organically, it’s important to use hashtags, particularly on Instagram, so that your content is discoverable and properly indexed by Instagram’s algorithm.
Tip: Make sure your account’s contact info and general details are up-to-date and easy to find. With more users heading to social channels during the holidays, you want to make a great first impression.
Trend #2: Making charitable donations online
Solution: Raise awareness and support
While CanadaHelps.org reports that online donations increased over 86% last year, the amount that was given declined by 10%, likely due to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.
As many not-for-profits rely on donations during the holiday period, this can be a smart way for organizations to build content during the holiday season. There are many options, depending on your organization’s comfort level with public endorsements of various causes or not-for-profits.
Simply promoting the fact that people can make donations online is an easy way to acknowledge the trend during the holidays, or put it on people’s radars as a gift option for friends and families.
A more direct approach can be sharing links to donate on your website, social media or newsletter. Additionally, leverage shareable content directly from CanadaHelps, for example, or take advantage of Facebook’s built-in tools to support charitable donations.
Tip: Consider aligning your donation strategy with Giving Tuesday, this year set for Tuesday, November 30.
Trend #3: Virtual events and live video
Solution: Plan and promote events that give your audience a reason to participate
As Forbes put it, “Virtual events started out of necessity, but are here to stay because of ROI and accessibility.” While hybrid events continue to roll out, virtual events continue to make an impact simply because they are easy for users to attend.
Even more effective than virtual events? Events that give the attendee something tangible and helpful. When planning content for the holiday season, consider developing virtual events that cater to your audience.
To get started, try using one of our favourite questions: “What problem am I solving?”
Think about what your organization can offer to a busy, distracted audience who are coming to digital platforms looking for solutions. This could be as extensive as a hosted webinar or as streamlined as live Facebook or Instagram sessions that include Q&As, product demonstrations, fundraising challenges, or other content that would help break through the noise.
We also love this advice from Forbes about the potential impact of offering live versus pre-recorded event content:
“Virtual events have great power but not if there is only one-way communication. There is a mistake among many associations and companies that virtual events should be broadcast versus being live. Yes, there are complications that can happen with live events, but the reward is so much greater than the risk. This is what attendees are looking for, something that can substitute, even in part, for a live event.”
’Tis the season to go digital
The countdown is officially on — the end of 2021 is fast approaching, and it’s beginning to look a lot like a digital season. Have questions about where to get started? Reach out anytime.
