August 1, 2019
Summer is traditionally the time many of us slow down – heck, we all slowed down in the very recent heatwave – as many of us go on our holidays or enjoy time at home.
And while many things go quiet over the summer, does social media? Well no, there are still products to sell and events to plan! Especially if you are a company that is built around selling swimwear, organising outdoor activities or selling chilled drinks, you will be all over it.
Of course, it is all ultimately about your audience. If they are still on social, you still need to be on social. But if you aren’t a seasonally summer-led brand or event, how can you best keep your customers and audience engaged through the sleepier summer months?
Tapping into real-time events
The news and topical stories don’t stop in the summer so responding and creating content around these will keep you timely and relevant. Think about the angles your audience would be interested in versus just repeating the story.
Making the most of campaign ###
There are tens of established social media campaigns – #MusicMondays, #WinningWednesdays #ThirstyThursdays – so you can theme your content around these. Making it a regular appearance on your content schedule means you can push for that extra engagement as your audience starts to see and appreciate the regularity of it.
Giveaways and competitions
Running a giveaway or competition is always a great way to generate some buzz and engage with your existing and new followers. It can be even more effective in the summer months when you may need to make that little bit of extra effort to cut through your audience’s holiday-mode mind and hook them in.
Roll out the games!
Summer is a time of fun and games and as many of us feel a little more light-hearted during the summer months, it is a perfect time to introduce a few games on your platforms to get your community engaged. Caption competitions and summer-themed fill-in-the-blank games invite people to extend their sunny fun-filled feeling and share it with you.
TOP TIP! – Think about how your audience will consume your content
Fun and games aside, remember that most of your content will be viewed via mobile devices while your customers are enjoying the summer so make sure your visuals and content are easy to see and read on the small screen. Also, keep your posts compelling in bite-sized formats; social media is still prevalent in people’s lives but so are other things they have going on like playing with the kids at the beach, riding a bike in stunning scenery or ordering another delicious cocktail.