1. SPARKLERS
Sparklers are a simple, bright, and fun part of celebrating Independence Day. Just like social media posts, they are short-lived and meant to leave people needing more. Before posting on your business’ social media page, remember to be strategic with it. Since they don’t last long before being pushed further back in your audience’s news feeds, make sure to post during the most efficient time; you wouldn’t light sparklers during the day because you want the full long-lasting effect the light leaves in the dark space in front of you.
Social Media Takeaways:
- Pay attention to your posts. Did your post on Facebook this Monday evening get hundreds of likes? How about the one on Saturday morning? Each company is different, so play around strategically to see what times are best for you. If a certain time of day or day of the week is doing well, don’t be afraid to keep posting consistently at those times. We recommend keeping notes on the day, time, type of post, and how many likes/comments/shares so you can begin noticing trends.
- Do your research. There are so many articles and case studies online with the most active times to post based on each social media platform. This is typically a great place to start; then you can tweak your posts based on what works for you.
- Utilize your resources. If your own notes aren’t doing it for you, there are plenty of programs you can sign up for that will keep track of your post activity and tell you what is doing well and what isn’t.
2. TOGETHERNESS
Another pure and important factor of this holiday is the unity and togetherness that the celebration brings. Just as the whole neighborhood, family, or group of friends travels from wherever they are to be together and make the best of the holiday, it’s important to bring your audience together whenever you can. Developing an interactive, responsive, and welcoming environment online for your followers will not only create a community around your company, but it will increase brand loyalty. Customers who feel personally listened to and recognized by you will want to return the favor–by sharing your posts, telling their friends, and continuing to interact with your page.
Social Media Takeaways:
- Give them something to respond to. If you’re posting a picture of your new summer shipment, add a call-to-action at the end of your caption: “What’s your favorite summer song this year? Comment below!” The more creative and interesting the question, the better. After a while, you’ll start to notice that people will look forward to not only responding to your post, but reading other comments as well.
- Be present. Don’t be that company that posts and then disappears. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to respond to your followers in some way. “Like” their comments, respond to their questions, and give them a shout-out every once in a while. If someone leaves a negative review or comment, be sure to respond (with company values in mind). Perhaps you can even personally message them to see how their needs can be met next time. This is how you make them feel important, recognized, and listened to. This is what will keep them coming back!
3. FOOD
Generally, food is held to a higher standard on holidays. Everything from the snacks to the main event is well thought out, creative, and certainly a center of the celebration. When it comes to a more casual July 4th meal, it is common for individuals to volunteer to bring different parts of the meal. Most of the time, this decision can be made based on what foods they’re good at making–or which they enjoy most. The Fourth of July theme is commonly reflected in foods as well because of the freedom (see what we did there?) to be creative and the opportunity to impress.
Just as you would want your contribution to the meal to be festive, delicious, and reflective of your talent, your social media posts should be the same.
Social Media Takeaways:
- Plan ahead. Keep up with other brands in your industry, keep an eye out for other inspirations, and jot down any cool ideas for posts that will “wow” your audience. Document all your ideas and begin to draft out posts when you have the chance. Review them often and allow creativity to inspire you; you’ll get better at noticing things around you that could spark the idea for an impressive post! When you write ideas down in advance, you’ll be able to improve them until they are ready to go live.
- Ask for ideas. Chances are, your team members, customers, or followers online have an idea or two for you as well. Don’t be afraid to ask them! In fact, people love suggesting ideas and seeing them come to life. If a customer suggests something that turns into a post online, you better believe they’ll be sharing that post for their followers to “like” as well. Two birds, one stone.
4. PRIDE
As delicious the food, as vibrant the sparklers, and as cheerful the gathering, Independence Day is a celebration of pride. We wear, eat, and radiate the colors red, white, and blue because we are proud. Proud to be free, proud of what we believe in, proud of where we each came from, and proud of the celebration we are having. No matter the picture, caption, article, or video you post, be proud of it.
Social Media Takeaways:
- Stop and think. Before pressing “share,” ask yourself if it is truly reflecting your brand and your mission as a company. Is this what you stand for? Is this who you want to be? Know what you stand for as a company–no matter how hard times may be–and never let those values fade from your posts.
- Reflect often. Every so often, look at your social media from an outsider’s perspective as best as you can. If you knew nothing about the company, what would you think just by looking through their page? If its image aligns with the brand you know you want to project, keep doing what you’re doing. If not, make the changes necessary. The image you portray online can carry your brand where you want it to if you put effort into making it that way.
