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Do’s and don’ts for social media this holiday season

The holiday season is a busy time for businesses, so efforts like posting on social media sometimes fall to the backburner. But, you can leverage social media to boost customer relations and sales this holiday season if you navigate the social networks with care. Here are some do’s and don’ts that can help make sure your business’ social page shines like the tree in Rockefeller Center.

DO create social contests and giveaways.

It’s called the season of giving for a reason! Create giveaways for items that will dazzle your followers. If you have a particular item that seems to be flying off of the shelves (Hatchimals and drones, perhaps?), store one away and offer it as a giveaway for followers who share your social media post. This will help increase your page’s visibility and drive more traffic to your page, and eventually, your business. The revenue lost from one item being given away will be increased tenfold by the free marketing you receive when followers share your post.

DON’T over post on the day of a holiday.

During the holiday season, your followers likely want to see and share photos of their family and loved ones. Don’t fill up their newsfeed with promotions and discounts. On the days of actual holidays, be courteous and send well wishes, but leave it at that.

DO post about changes to your regular hours and openings.

Is your business opening an hour earlier to accommodate holiday shoppers? Are you closing for the first day of Hanukkah or closing early on Christmas Eve? Let your consumers know to save them a trip to your store, restaurant or business. Likewise, if you have hours that you find are slower or less crowded, share them with your followers! They will appreciate the tip and the shorter lines.

DON’T share photos of your wild office party.

We know that holiday parties are fun, and we want you to thoroughly enjoy yourself. But, when you’re about to click “post” on the photo of your employees at the bar, think about the way it could come across to your readers. If you own a brewery, then this photo may be great for you! But, if you work at a toy store or a doctor’s office, it may be best to take a photo in front of the festive decorations.

DO talk about your charity partners.

If you support or partner with a local charitable organization, share your work with your followers. This can inform customers about your corporate responsibility and help drive donations to the charity of your choice. Be sure to include a link to the charity’s donations page; their fundraising team will appreciate the mention!

DON’T forget to schedule your posts.

The holidays are busy for everyone, and you don’t want to forget to share the beautiful New Year’s Eve graphic that you spent hours developing. If you have the means, schedule your social media posts to ensure that you don’t miss an opportunity to wish your followers well. A great tool for scheduling posts in advance is Hootsuite.