Your Complete Guide: Social Media Hashtag Holiday Campaign Ideas
March 29, 2019
By
Danielle Read
As April rolls around, that’s one-quarter of the year gone – poof! If you missed March’s big days (think: International Women’s Day) or February’s loved-up highlights, it’s time to get serious about hashtag holiday campaigns over the next quarter. We’re bringing you
As April rolls around, that’s one-quarter of the year gone – poof!If you missed March’s big days (think: International Women’s Day) or February’s loved-up highlights, it’s time to get serious about hashtag holiday campaigns over the next quarter.We’re bringing you inspiration and ideas for how your brand or business can celebrate big holidays in the online space over the coming months. And if you’re a social media manager, here are some ideas for your client’s accounts, too.Dive into our vault of holiday campaign ideas to accelerate your business’s impact in April, May and June 2019.
April Holiday Campaign Ideas
April 3 – National Walking Day - Wednesday | #NationalWalkingDay
Kicking off our hashtag holiday campaign roundup and the first hump day of the month, a casual stroll to the office sounds alright to us (unless you’re an arduous commute away, and in that case, walking from the train stop seems like a more reasonable alternative). Here’s our top pick for campaign ideas to celebrate the walkers among us.
Giveaways for Health Brands
Giveaways are a great way to celebrate National Walking Day and can help to build hype in the days leading up.
Steps Counter Competition
Encourage your audience to use a branded hashtag on Instagram to share their step counts and enter your competition. May the best stepper win!
Walking to Work Captures
Try out a walking lunch break, or encourage your clients or customers to. This way videos and imagery can be shared to social media and used to promote the team environment of a brand.
Fashion Brand’s Footwear Showcase
Taking ‘footage’ to a whole new level, if you or your client’s brand is within the fashion industry, using National Walking Day to share footwear content. Whether in catwalk-style, moonwalking, swaggering or dancing – get creative!
April 11– National Pet Day – Thursday | #NationalPetDay
Pet lovers unite! Yes, there really is a hashtag holiday dedicated to all things pets and we’re all about it. No matter if your business has an office pet, your clients are in the eco-friendly space or you schedule content for an ethical business who appreciates a healthy dose of fur baby love. There’s a holiday campaign for every pooch or puss to celebrate.
Lookalike Posts
It’s no secret that owners begin looking like their furry friends after a while. And it can make for hilarious content too. Golden Pets Animals did a great job of this last year with owners posing with their fur babies.Do you manage social media accounts for fashion brands, photography or artistic businesses? This could be a great introduction to April’s content.
Animal-Friendly Brands Sharing Values
If your business doesn’t test on animals (or you manage animal-friendly accounts), share this insightful information with audiences. By connecting ‘no animal testing’ with the concept of pets, audiences may feel a closer connection with the brand. This day also acts as a clever way to connect with ideal clients who are passionate about animal rights by using this trending hashtag.
Creative Businesses Getting Artsy with Pets
National Pet Day is the perfect time to flex your creative brilliance. Think: drawings, flash pet portrait sales or pet shaped food specials. Try sharing video content of the artwork in creation mode, those dog face pancake imprints or simply pet photos with the artistic piece beside it.
April 16 – National Stress Awareness Day – Tuesday | #StressAwarenessDay
Business owners and social media managers are no strangers to stress. So it’s time we started conversations about it! Here are our top hashtag campaign ideas to melt those stressful feels into oblivion.
Permission to Take it Easy
We love Laura Jane Illustration’s take on National Stress Awareness Day. Giving audiences anti-stress ideas is a clever way to offer value, and if you’re smart about it, entertainment too.
Sked Social allows you to create Canva graphics straight from the content upload screen. This means you’re able to design branded infographics, inspirational quotes and more within a few clicks. Take inspiration from Laura Jane Illustration’s graphic and create your own with a unique twist.
‘You-Time’ Flat Lays
Businesses need time-out too. Capture content that celebrates the slow down. Flat lays are a beautiful way to showcase what downtime looks like for a business.Gather up books, coffee mugs, candles and a killer Spotify playlist, for example. Or include key relaxation elements in posts – such as tranquil getaways and beachside picnics.
April 16 – National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day – Tuesday | #PJDay
Who doesn’t love throwing on some jammies and getting all cozy? No one, that’s who! And National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day separates the brave from the rest! Here is our favourite way to celebrate this fun holiday for businesses and social media managers.
Humanise Brands with PJ Pics
Thorough social media strategies work to create a holistic representation of brands. So, of course, that includes showcasing a brand’s personality. No matter your industry, office situation or workplace. Follow in the footsteps of Teeth Talk Girl and ‘don your finest, daggiest or most ridiculous set of PJs to work for the day. Tuesday just got a whole lot comfier.
April 23 – National Picnic Day – Tuesday | #NationalPicnicDay
Sure, the teddy bears had their own picnic. But now businesses and brands can too. National Picnic Day celebrates the outdoors, snacks and midday lazing. What’s not to love? But on top of this (as if the day couldn’t get any better), we’ve rounded up our favourite holiday campaigns to celebrate with your basket in tow.
Bring Inside Businesses Outside
For businesses cooped up in offices, National Picnic Day gives good incentives to get out amongst the great outdoors. Better yet, brands are able to showcase products under the beautiful dappling of forest trees. Extend-it Hair took last year’s picnic campaign outdoors last year and we love it.
Share Complimentary Brands
Let’s say you’re an eco-friendly coffee brand. Try teaming your product with other complementary picnic businesses. For example, reusable Tupperware, thermoses and ethically-made picnic rugs.Tech brands can get in on the action too. For example, if you’re a web developer all about that #techlife – share the brand’s favourite portable speaker, designed to take picnics up a notch.Beauty brands could promote their favourite sunscreens and after-care treatments while sharing information about their own products. And fashionistas could hero particular pieces from their collections like hats, long sleeve shirts and linen wear.Get creative with your content to shine new light on how you fit into the lifestyle elements your ideal customers share.
April 30 – National Honesty Day – Tuesday | #NationalHonestyDay
We all like to think brands are pretty honest. And National Honesty Day, is your business’s chance to have a bit of fun, push boundaries and spark massive engagement.
Two Truths and a Lie
If you’ve ever published a ‘five facts about me’ post, you’ll know that all types of people love to get in on the conversation. But a clever way to celebrate National Honesty Day is to mix things up.Try sharing two truths and a lie, encourage the audience to guess which one is false and watch the conversation roll on. This can be an interesting engagement booster and a way to draw closer human connections between brands and audiences. Just don’t forget to check back in to reveal the correct answer!
Poke Fun at Your Brand to Celebrate National Honesty Day
Playfully boasting about a brand’s excellence can feel a little bit bleugh. But luckily for you, National Honesty Day gives one great excuse. We are all about Gino’s Eat’s take on getting honest with their audience. Something to consider for your own brand, or a brand you manage as well.
May Social Media Hashtags 2019
May 8 – National Receptionist Day – Wednesday | #NationalReceptionistDay
Answering phones, running your photocopies and in some cases – being the first point of contact with your brand. Here’s a day to showcase how much you appreciate your front-desk superheroes.
Celebrate your Staff
Share imagery that heroes your receptionist and give insights into their role in your company. This will help to humanise your brand while spreading feel-good vibes.
Photos of Staff Gifts
If your business is gifting to the team on this special day, take a few snaps and share this with your audience to emphasise the brand’s workplace culture.
May 9 – Europe Day – Thursday | #EuropeDay
Whether your brand calls Europe home, or you just really, really want to go. There are loads of creative ways to celebrate this inclusive holiday.
Bathe in blue for World Europe Day
In the lighting or tourism space? Follow in the footsteps of Discover Hong Kong and Financial Times by sharing content that celebrates landmarks to celebrate Europe Day.
European Lunch Breaks and Dressups
Who doesn’t love popping on a beret? Make a fuss about Europe’s day of celebration by bringing a little fun into your social strategy. Baguets, pasta and pizza lunch breaks with fun dress-ups make for beautiful content.
Wanderlust Dreaming of Your Product in European Destinations
Fashion brands, travel businesses and jet setting-inspired businesses can use Europe Day to post imagery of products in far-flung places. Or simply feed into #holidayvibes by sharing dreamy images on location.
Ah, mums. Don’t we just love them? Share interesting content with your audience to promote love, gifting and appreciation.
Celebrate Mums in the Business Space
Looking for a holiday campaign to celebrate the powerful mums in your business world? Then this one’s it. Share imagery or create graphics that give a shoutout to the #ladybosses in your biz.
Mother’s Day Giveaway
Pamper packs, bath indulgences and comfy nightwear. Use Mother’s Day to host thoughtful giveaways that make use of trending hashtags while giving back to your audience.
2 for 1 Mother-Daughter/Son Promotions
Chances are, the whole world is on the lookout for unique Mother’s Day gifts. Two for one offerings on social media will help to solve any present hunting dilemmas while gifting to the purchaser too - everyone wins!
May 15 – International Day of Families – Wednesday | #FamilyDay
And just when we all thought the world was being selfless celebrating mums, along comes Family Day! Here are some holiday campaigns for your brand to consider.
Capturing events Bringing Families Together
If connection and family-filled love are important to your brand, throw an event that brings loved ones together. In the weeks leading up to International Families Day, promote the event across social media and your content marketing strategy then capture imagery on the day to share in real-time.
Celebrate the Little Things That Make Us Family
Relatable content has a tendency to perform well on socials. And it’s the little things like toothbrush time that could strike a chord with your audience. Have a think about what family means to your ideal customer (or what it personally means to you) and share away.https://www.instagram.com/p/BizpmDkHT6r/
May 16 – Love a Tree Day – Thursday | #LoveATreeDay
Trees are pretty great. Because, you know, like, oxygen. And if they play a role in your brand, it’s time to celebrate!
Eco and Agricultural Brands Celebrate Origins
We love USA Pear’s fruitful (pun intended) post that heroes their produce. Choose to take your holiday campaign one step further by encouraging your audience to engage in the conversation and answer questions about your particular tree reference. I.e. “How long do you think our beautiful pears take to ripen? Happy #loveatreeday!”
Children’s Brands and the Great Outdoors
If you’re a children’s brand, try sharing content that captures moments in nature such as climbing trees, exploring rainforests or playing in the woods. Perfect for story time, children’s clothing and photography brands too.
Pressed Flowers and Foliage Bouquets
If your brand errs on the creative side (think: florists, wedding stylists and artists), share content that shows tree-loving in a new light. Creative project captures are a great way to share insight into your brand’s passions.
May 17 – National Bike to Work Day – Friday | #BTWD
Dust off the two-wheeler and scoot on down to the office. Here are our top holiday campaign ideas for National Bike to Work Day.
Live Captures of Your Experience
Now, we don’t condone riding and videoing! But pulling up and capturing the serenity on your way to work is a nice way to include your audience in the journey. This adds personality, charm and new content types to a business account’s repertoire. And if you're more into sketching them, than riding them, live captures of art in progress is a fun idea too.
Pedal Posing
If your brand’s in the footwear fashion space, snapping a few pics on the pedals is a cute way to share new and different content. All while leveraging a wider audience with the day’s trending hashtag.
Comparisons: Bikes VS Cars VS Buses
We all know green energy is better for the environment than other vehicles. Use today as a way to communicate your brand’s core values and compare things like:
Statistics about carbon emissions vs choosing to bike it
The good that comes from bike riding (like endorphins) vs driving
May 24 – National Scavenger Hunt Day – Friday | #NationalScavengerHuntDay
Bring out your brand’s inner child with a holiday campaign that celebrates scavenger hunts. Because everyone loves it when businesses bring out their kooky side!
Giveaways and Challenges Based on Scavenger
Run Eat Repeat’s runner scavenger hunt gained a lot of traction last year with their cheeky challenge for their audience. Brainstorm how scavengers can work with your brand.
June Social Media Hashtags 2019
June 3 – Leave The Office Early Day – Monday | #LeaveTheOfficeEarlyDay
Working is fun, but not working is more fun! Get creative with your social media content to celebrate all things knock-off time.
Promote your Adventure Options
Sure, your brand’s audience may be taking a sneaky early mark. But what will they do with that extra time? If you’re in the entertainment space, give them inspiration for what types of mischief they can get up to.
Knock Off ’o’ Clock Graphic
Use Leave Work Early Day to start a conversation. Ask your audience how they’ll be spending their time, with a shameless self-plug in the mix too.
From Where You’d Rather Be
Sweeping landscapes, vast beaches and sprawling meadows. Capture how your team is spending their early end to the day with some serious inspiration.
June 7 – National Donut Day – Friday | #NationalDonutDay
Homer Simpson’s not the only one who’s mouth waters at the thought of deliciously indulgent donuts. We’re claiming this one as the best national holiday going!
Brand Collaborations
Want to know what goes great with donuts? Everything! No matter if you’re a fashion, beauty, social media, hospitality or corporate brand, add a couple of donuts to a picture and you’re basically set. This can be a great day to launch brand collaborations too.
June 16 – Father’s Day – Sunday | #FathersDay
Dads are pretty easy to please – or are they? Share content that inspires and involves your brand’s audience this Father’s Day.
Creative Father’s Day Gifts
Dads can be quite hard to buy for. But if your product or service is the perfect gift, shout about it! And if you’re in the DIY space, share how you’ll be creating gifts to celebrate Dads.https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt4jdDaF-VM/
Celebrating Fathers in Business and Life
Similarly to our suggestion for Mother’s Day, use Father’s Day to hero fathers, father-figures and dads within your business’s team.
June 21 – National Selfie Day – Friday | #NationalSelfieDay
Yep, there really is a National Selfie Day – and we’re all about it. Here are our top social media holiday campaign ideas for this one.
Group Office Selfies
Whether you’re an in-person team or remote group (hello, ZOOM video calls!) getting the gang together for a cute picture. Better yet, add a little product placement of your brand.
Share Selfie Tips
Everyone loves knowing how to up their selfie game. So whether you’re in the photography, tech or beauty space, share a few tips, like:
Best selfie angles
Good selfie tools (i.e. lightring, selfie stick brands, lenses and editing apps)
Selfie backdrop ideas
Snap an Outfit of the Day
Solo selfie-ing? No worries! Show off an outfit, new work look or style you're all about.
June 21 – Take Your Dog to Work Day – Friday | #TakeYourDogToWorkDay
They’re your best friend, your favourite fluff ball and they’re coming to work with you! Brands can use Take Your Dog to Work Day to add personality and pizazz to their socials.
Dogs on the Job
This one speaks for itself, snap a pic of your pooch on the job and wait for the love to roll on in.https://www.instagram.com/p/BkbRHfynBaQ/
June 27 – National Sunglasses Day – Thursday | #NationalSunglassesDay
Do you wear your sunglasses at night? Is your future so bright you have to wear shades? Get creative on National Sunglasses Day and build a head-turning holiday campaign.
Product Placement and Accessory Showcases
Basically, if people are a part of your brand (hopefully yes!), pop on a pair of sunnies or share imagery of others wearing shades and you're set. We love Drag Con’s inclusion of eye health information – not just a pretty face!https://www.instagram.com/p/BV3Qki_l6v5/
June 30 – Social Media Day – Sunday | #SMDay
Being in the social media space, of course we’re big fans of Social Media Day here at Sked. Ideas for this holiday campaign are endless, but here are a few of our favourites.
Showcase your Brand’s Influence, Knowledge or Stance on Socials
Last year UN Women shared an insightful post about how to use social media for good. It was raw, honest and thought-provoking. Think about how your brand can comment on social media topics that resonate with brand values.https://www.instagram.com/p/BkoK7gbA9tK/
Insights into How Your Brand uses Socials
We all like a peek behind the curtain, so don’t be shy! Consider sharing how your brand uses social media to connect, entertain and inspire your audience. Some ideas are:
Your content planning process
How you capture and organise imagery
What your caption writing process looks like
How you engage with your audience
Top Tips on Standing out on Socials
If you’re a social media manager or specialist, use #SocialMediaDay to share insightful information that offers value to your audience. By using this trending hashtag, your most useful information is more likely to reach a wider audience and gain more traction!Want to carve 5+ hours out of your week's social media planning time? Ready to have social media content scheduled, tagged and ready to go as far in advance as you choose? Try out Sked Social's free 7-day trial to discover Instagram and Twitter scheduling – with all the bells and whistles.
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