As soon as the ‘-ber’ months commence that means it is acceptable to talk about the C-word - Christmas. Autumn time is not just a great opportunity to showcase your autumn offerings but it is also vital for businesses, especially in hospitality, to ramp up their social media strategies for the upcoming festive season.
The festive season presents a golden opportunity for brands to engage with audiences, drive bookings, and build long-term loyalty. If you’re managing social media for a hotel or any business, the question isn’t just about when to post – it’s also about where to focus your efforts and how to do it most effectively.
In this guide, Izzy, our social media expert, shares her top recommendations for which platforms to prioritise, how to use them effectively, and a few must-dos and don’ts to maximise your Christmas campaigns across social media platforms.
1. Instagram: The Visual Wonderland
Instagram should be at the top of your Christmas social media checklist, especially for hotels and visually-driven industries. With its focus on imagery and short videos, it’s perfect for showcasing your festive offerings.
How to Use Instagram for Christmas:
- Showcase festive décor: Post Stories or Reels that highlight your hotel’s Christmas decorations. This visual content can evoke that cosy, festive feel that draws people in. Who doesn’t want to see a cosy fireplace and an aesthetically decorated Christmas tree?
- User-generated content (UGC): Encourage guests to share their own festive experiences at your hotel using a branded hashtag e.g. #ChristmasAtHilton, #MarriottMerrySeason. You can repost their content (with permission) to boost authenticity and engagement and also work with UGC creators who will create content specifically for your social media campaigns.
- Countdown to Christmas: Create a sense of anticipation by using the Stories countdown sticker for special promotions or events happening on Christmas Eve or Day. Most importantly stay consistent with creating that festive stay desire!
- Run Festive Giveaways: Promote a competition where participants share your content or tag friends for a chance to win a stay or festive experience at your hotel. Great way to tap into the wider audiences of your current followers and reward your loyal followers.
✅ Do:
- Keep your grid cohesive by sticking to a consistent festive aesthetic. Use similar tones, filters, and approaches to the festive season in your posts. It takes 3 seconds for someone to judge your Instagram presence through your profile, so make those 3 seconds worthwhile through an aesthetic grid.
- Create your own hashtag and tap into the popular festive hashtags on the platform such as #ChristmasSeason #ChristmasStay #Christmas2024 etc.
- Start your campaign today! Don’t wait to start talking about Christmas in December, it is not an impulse decision. People pre-plan most of their festive season so give your audience enough time to consider you or sadly you will have to hope they remember you for next year.
❌ Don’t:
- Overload your feed with sales-heavy content. Keep a balance between promotions and engaging, festive storytelling. 95% of your audience will not be ready to make a decision, so you will want to WOW them with your content and present them with a perfect festive fairytale.
- Forget about the power of Instagram Stories Highlights. Save your best Christmas Stories for visitors to discover at any time.
2. Facebook: Your Christmas Community Hub
Facebook remains a powerful platform, especially for running ads and creating community-driven campaigns. With a large, diverse user base, it’s ideal for reaching a broad demographic, including families planning their Christmas getaways.
How to Use Facebook for Christmas:
- Event Promotion: Use Facebook Events to promote special Christmas dinners, festive afternoon teas, or New Year’s Eve parties. Make sure to add engaging images and all the event details, so your followers can easily RSVP and share with friends.
- Targeted Ads: Christmas is a perfect time to utilise Facebook’s advanced ad targeting. You can run ads based on specific interests like travel or luxury and also make sure to promote festive offers or packages you might have like gift vouchers or festive stays.
- Facebook Groups: If your hotel has a loyal following, consider creating a community group where followers can share festive tips, travel plans, or reviews. It’s a great way to foster engagement and build a community feeling around your brand.
✅ Do:
- Make sure your Facebook page is fully updated with all festive hours, menus, and special packages.
- Use Facebook Messenger for instant customer service. Respond quickly to any Christmas booking enquiries to capture interest while it’s hot.
❌ Don’t:
- Neglect your Facebook ad visuals. Use high-quality, festive-themed images and clear CTAs (Calls to Action) to stand out.
- Spam your followers with too many ads. Facebook’s algorithm prioritises quality content, so make sure every post adds value. Check the frequency of your Meta Ads to ensure you don’t have creative fatigue during the festive season (meaning you are not presenting your audience with the same ads over and over again).
3. Pinterest: Inspiration for Festive Travellers
While Pinterest may not be top-of-mind for all marketers, it’s an underrated platform for the Christmas period, especially for inspiring travellers looking for winter getaways or Christmas gift shopping and decorations.
How to Use Pinterest for Christmas:
- Create Christmas Boards: Set up themed boards showcasing festive activities, local Christmas markets, and winter scenery around your hotel. Many Pinterest users search for holiday inspiration, so curate your boards to feature must-visit spots. Is your hotel or the places around your hotel a must-visit spot in your location? Tell your audiences, don’t assume they know!
- Seasonal Travel Guides: Pin visually appealing travel itineraries or festive guides that showcase your hotel as a key stop on a winter holiday. Maybe you can even curate your own Christmas travel itineraries or gift guides.
- Gift Ideas: Pinterest is a go-to platform for gift ideas. If your hotel offers gift vouchers, spa experiences, or festive dining packages, create Pins that link directly to purchase pages.
✅ Do:
- Optimise your Pins with keywords like “Christmas getaway”, “festive hotel stays”, and “winter travel inspiration”. Pinterest operates much like a search engine meaning SEO is necessary, so these will help you rank higher.
- Use vertical images that are high-quality and eye-catching. Canva is a great tool for creating Pinterest-friendly designs especially if you are working with a limited budget for creative.
❌ Don’t:
- Rely solely on organic traffic. Consider using Pinterest ads, especially for promoting gift vouchers or festive packages.
- Pin without a strategy. Make sure every board aligns with your hotel’s brand and the festive experience you want to convey.
4. TikTok: Capture Festive Fun in Short Clips
TikTok has skyrocketed in popularity, especially among younger audiences. For Christmas, TikTok’s short-form video format offers endless possibilities for fun and creative content.
How to Use TikTok for Christmas:
- Festive Challenges: Jump on or create a Christmas-themed challenge. For example, a ‘decorate the tree’ challenge at your hotel, where staff or guests participate in decorating a tree in a unique way.
- Behind-the-scenes content: Share fun clips of your team getting the hotel ready for the festive season. Show the baking of Christmas treats, setting up decorations, or even blooper moments.
- Influencer collaborations: Partner with TikTok influencers who can come to your hotel and create festive content. Their followers will get a sneak peek at your offering, driving curiosity and engagement. Be careful: pick the right influencers that align with your brand and will not jeopardise your reputation!
✅ Do:
- Use trending Christmas songs and hashtags to increase visibility. #ChristmasTok #FYP are a must to include in your Festive TikToks.
- Experiment with TikTok’s effects and filters. Holiday-themed effects are a great way to get noticed.
- Be relaxed! TikTok is a platform of entertainment to showcase the real character of your team, building, and business - the everyday processes, the ‘day in the lives’ with your employees, the fun personalities and the raw moments behind the scenes all in the Christmas spirit. Inspo: share your team’s favourite Christmas movie or what is on their Christmas Wishlist.
❌ Don’t:
- Post content that feels too polished or corporate. TikTok is all about authenticity and spontaneity, so let your festive spirit shine in a relaxed and playful way.
- Forget to engage with the comments. A viral video is great, but interaction builds relationships. You want to convert those viewers into followers ideally!
5. LinkedIn: Perfect for Corporate Festivities and Professional Gifting
Though LinkedIn is known as a professional networking site, it can be a valuable platform during the Christmas season for targeting corporate clients and business travellers.
How to Use LinkedIn for Christmas:
- Corporate Packages: Promote corporate Christmas parties or business travel packages tailored to companies winding down for the holidays.
- Gifting Ideas for Professionals: Share ideas for corporate gifting, including vouchers for spa treatments or fine dining experiences at your hotel.
- Holiday Message: Post a Christmas message from your hotel’s General Manager or team, thanking clients and wishing them well for the new year. A little personal touch goes a long way on LinkedIn.
✅ Do:
- Share articles and blog posts related to corporate travel during the holidays, or how businesses can benefit from team-building events at your venue.
- Encourage your employees to share your Christmas content to increase reach across their networks.
❌ Don’t:
- Push overly promotional content. LinkedIn is about building professional relationships, so ensure your posts add value and maintain a professional tone.
- Neglect to use LinkedIn’s ad targeting. Focus on industries that are more likely to book corporate events or business travel around Christmas. Have you learned about your corporate guests from previous years? If so use them!
FAQs
Here is what we frequently get asked when it comes to social media:
1. Which social media platform is best for hotel marketers during Christmas? Instagram and TikTok are ideal for visually showcasing your hotel’s festive offerings, while Facebook is perfect for promoting events and running targeted ads. LinkedIn is the platform of choice for corporate Christmas parties and dinners.
2. How can Pinterest help my hotel’s Christmas campaign? Pinterest can inspire festive travellers with curated boards featuring your hotel’s Christmas packages, local attractions, and holiday experiences.
3. Should I use TikTok for my hotel’s Christmas marketing? Yes, TikTok’s fun, short-form content is perfect for showcasing behind-the-scenes festive preparations and engaging with a younger audience. TikTok can help you reach global audiences too.
4. How do I avoid over-promotion during Christmas? Maintain a balance between promotional content and engaging, festive posts. Focus on storytelling and creating a festive atmosphere rather than just pushing sales.
5. Can LinkedIn be useful during the Christmas season? Absolutely. LinkedIn is great for promoting corporate events, business travel packages, and corporate gifting ideas.
6. How often should I post Christmas content? There’s no hard rule, but consistency is key. We advise you to see how your audience engages with you and find that balance yourself. Quality over quantity, if you have nothing to say with a post and you are doing it “just because”, we’d say don’t bother! Give your audience value rather than “waste their time”.
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