Eight Ways to Market More Socially This Holiday Season

The holiday season is well upon us and, at this point, those naughty marketers who failed to integrate social media into their marketing mix will have to be better next year. The good marketers of 2011 who made social media an active component of their holiday campaigns, however, can adjust strategies throughout the season to maximize engagement and return on ad spend.

Some key dates during the peak of the holiday season still lie ahead and keeping a handy list of tips and reminders will help marketers get the most out of social media and Facebook ads during the holidays. Just be sure that once you make your list, you check it twice!

Check with your teams on the following:

Minimize Late Season Testing

Testing is critical in any online marketing campaign. However, it's pretty late in the game. The thick of the holiday season is not the most ideal time to test. At this point it's best to go with what you know.

Get Fans Now

Accumulating quality fans in social media remains an ongoing challenge for marketers, and growing your fan-base during the holiday season can be tricky. However, when the season really heats up, you can still gain a solid group of fans who are primed to receive your seasonal marketing messages and, hopefully, convert.

Engage Fans

With fans on board, spend time interacting with them. In addition to regular, engaging posts, consider some of the following ways to engage fans in December:

● Deals and promotions

● Flash sales that last for a short duration (1-3 hours is a good length that can generate some nice viral buzz)

● Promote Gift Cards for that "hard to buy for" person

Deadlines are a very powerful motivator for procrastinators. Here are a few time-sensitive things to keep in mind:

● Standard and express shipping cut-off dates

● Printable/email gift cards for last minute shoppers

● Order online/pick-up in store

Keep Brand Implications in Mind

Keep communication fun and light. Mix up your posts between more retail-focused communication (like the ideas mentioned above) and more interactive messages with a light holiday theme. The holiday season can be stressful for some people, so try to bring a little cheer to your posts.

Some posts engage fans better than others. "Story Triggers," for example, provide content that creates engagement (which can then be turned into Sponsored Stories). Here are a few ideas for good Story Triggers:

● Ask questions that inspire fans to respond. What was your favorite gift? Least favorite gift? Favorite family memory? Funny holiday story?

● Try a poll: Are you planning to spend more or less on gifts this year vs. last year? Do you buy gifts months in advance, during a sale or procrastinate until the last minute?

● Create a virtual event to which customers can RSVP. This can be a good way to remind people about your shipping cut-off date, for example.

● Use a "fill in the blank" question to drive comments. "All I want for Christmas is ______."

Keep posts short. Data repeatedly shows that longer posts generate fewer likes and comments.

Amplify User-Generated Content

Now that you have created some great triggers, it's time to amplify that new user-generated content with Facebook Sponsored Stories. With each Facebook fan having an average of 130 friends, you can expand your reach quickly and effectively when you leverage the power of social context.

Rotate Creative

Be ready to switch out your images when you see ads begin to fatigue. Invest in the strongest ads and use the most effective image attributes (background colors, frames, etc).

Targeting

Cast a wide net. Keep in mind that the customers you target most of the year may be the recipients but not the buyers during the holidays. For example, if your customers tend to be female, you may want to actually target males who are on the lookout for gifts for wives and girlfriends. This is also a great time to run Facebook Marketplace ads targeted to friends of connections. If someone likes a brand, that may inspire a friend or relative to buy a gift for them from that brand.

Drive Shoppers in Store

If you have brick and mortar stores, consider running geo-targeted campaigns after your shipping cut-off that will drive foot traffic into your retail locations. The days after December 25 can also be strong as some lucky gift recipients will be spending their holiday money before it burns a hole in their pocket.

It's not too late to boost your holiday marketing efforts and extend marketing results beyond the holiday season with social media.

Reid Spice is director of product strategy at Kenshoo.