7 tips to plan a winning holiday social media campaign across your social channels

As the holiday season approaches, businesses everywhere are gearing up for one of the busiest and most competitive times of the year. To stand out from the crowd, it’s crucial to design a social media campaign that not only catches attention but also builds meaningful engagement. Here are some strategic tips to help you plan a winning holiday campaign across social media channels, plus real-time examples to illustrate these points.

 1. Start with a clear objective 

Whether you’re aiming for brand awareness, boosting website traffic, or driving holiday sales, define your objective first. This helps you craft a campaign tailored to achieving measurable results. For instance, Amazon India’s #DeliveringSmiles campaign encourages people to share their holiday moments with a hashtag, increasing engagement and visibility.

Tip: Make sure each post, story, or ad serves a specific purpose toward your end goal. Platforms like Zoho Social can streamline your planning by allowing you to outline, schedule, and track your campaign objectives in one place.

 2. Create a holiday content calendar 

The holidays are a whirlwind of activity, so having a structured content calendar is essential. Schedule posts that align with key dates like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. By planning in advance, you’ll ensure consistent posting and engagement.

A great example is Starbucks’ annual "Red Cup" campaign. They create a calendar of themed posts and user-generated content to celebrate the holiday season. Every post, from Instagram to X, reminds fans of the joy and nostalgia associated with the brand’s red cups.

Tip: Use a social media management tool to organize and automate your content. Zoho Social’s revamped publishing calendar makes it easy to visualize and adjust your holiday campaigns on the fly.

 3. Incorporate user-generated content (UGC) 

Holiday shoppers trust the opinions of other consumers. Encourage your audience to share photos or videos of your product in holiday settings. Brands like Airbnb effectively use UGC by sharing users' festive travel experiences on their platforms, making their audience feel part of the brand.

Tip: Host a holiday-themed contest and feature customer stories on your social media pages. This not only builds engagement but fosters brand loyalty. Zoho Social’s monitoring tools allow you to track and respond to user-generated content across channels.

 4. Engage with holiday-themed hashtags and trends 

Every holiday season brings a fresh set of trending hashtags, from #BlackFridayDeals to #ChristmasGifts. Participating in these conversations will expand your reach and connect you with people interested in holiday shopping.

During Diwali 2023, Cadbury India ran a campaign using the hashtag #NotJustACadburyAd, encouraging users to support local shops while gifting Cadbury chocolates. They also leveraged #DiwaliGifting to join the larger conversation around Diwali shopping, making their posts more visible to those following holiday hashtags. By creating shareable content that resonated with a widely celebrated theme, Cadbury generated high engagement and positioned itself as a meaningful, festive choice.

Tip: Create a branded holiday hashtag and use it consistently across all channels. Hashtags help keep the conversation going, while Zoho Social’s analytics help track performance to see what resonates with your audience.

 5. Get personal with holiday storytelling 

The holiday season is a great time to share stories that resonate emotionally with your audience. Coca-Cola’s "Share a Coke" campaign taps into the holiday spirit by encouraging customers to gift personalized Coke bottles, tying in with their theme of sharing and connection.

Tip: Tap into the power of stories and reels across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Personal stories build connections, and Zoho Social’s integrated publishing tools allow you to share across channels with ease.

 6. Run limited-time promotions and giveaways 

Creating a sense of urgency with limited-time offers can boost conversions. Nike, for instance, consistently offers flash holiday sales with countdown timers on Instagram Stories, urging customers to act fast before the deals expire.

Tip: Promote these offers in your Instagram and Facebook Stories or as pinned posts on Twitter. Zoho Social’s post scheduling can help time these promotions perfectly, ensuring they go live when your audience is most active.  

 7. Track and adapt in real time 

No campaign is complete without analysis. Monitor your campaign’s performance and make adjustments based on what’s working. For instance, if a particular type of post generates higher engagement, double down on it.

Tip: Zoho Social’s in-depth analytics provide real-time insights, enabling you to track your campaign’s success and make data-driven decisions throughout the season.

Wrapping up 

Planning a truly resonant holiday campaign requires a thoughtful approach, creativity, and a few strategic tools. By following these tips and using Zoho Social’s features to plan, monitor, and engage across channels, your brand can create a holiday experience that stands out in a crowded digital landscape. Make this season memorable for your audience, and see the results reflected in your campaign’s success!