Uh oh, the dreaded C word… when is it too early to use it? Probably now. You’re likely reading this thinking, we haven’t even had Halloween yet, calm down. Yes, you’re right, but the big day will be here before you know it, and fail to prepare, prepare to fail…
So, we’ve got past the awkward part of us speaking about Christmas right? Good, because we’re here to get down to business. Getting ahead of the game is important for anyone, no matter what industry or business you’re in. However, it’s more important for some than others. A content creator will need to start planning for Christmas well in advance.
You’ve got other important holidays first, Halloween and Thanksgiving (depending on where you live). There’s also multiple other religious holidays before the 25th December, so really, it does depend on your audience. However, a lot of businesses worldwide, will focus on the December holiday, despite their beliefs.
This isn’t due to them respecting another holiday above their own. Instead, it is because Christmas has become so large across the world, that many get together and celebrate whether they follow the belief or not. After all, it’s everywhere. So, as a content creator, you really should start preparing before December comes around.
When to start preparing Christmas content
As mentioned, it largely depends on your industry, and specific audience. However, typically, many creators follow the retail calendar. This typically means, the minute one holiday is over, the next comes around. However, with multiple holidays close to Christmas, you need to prepare before Thanksgiving is over.
If you look around stores now, you’ll likely find Christmas decor starting to appear. This is overlooking things like Halloween and Thanksgiving that come before this. This is because, the turnaround between the events is so short. One comes straight after another. So, you need to ideally have content planned months in advance.
A typical content creator’s holiday guideline
Early November
Start with subtle hints about Christmas coming. Bear in mind we have just had Halloween and Thanksgiving is on its way. You don’t want to fall into the trap of people complaining it’s too early, but you do want to be prepared. A large portion of your audience will have started their Christmas shopping already, so ensure you are making yourself known if you’re promoting any businesses.
Mid-November
As Thanksgiving approaches for those who celebrate it, you can tailor your content accordingly. Perhaps offer a nice split. Keep a few Christmas bits in there, while also heavily focusing on Thanksgiving before the day arrives. Don’t forget there’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday surrounding this, especially again if you’re a content creator working with brands.
Early December
Christmas is here. Shout about it, tell everyone. Make sure everyone is aware. This is your big chance to get involved in any way you can. Let the Christmas content start flowing. Every day you should be discussing it and driving sales towards any brands you’re working with. Remember how many events happen around this time, start posting daily if you can.
One week before Christmas
Become constant and frequent. Make sure you’re on social timelines wherever you can be. Remember how many other content creators are posting at this time. Why should people focus on your work over theirs? Think about ways to stand out. What do people want to see in December, especially your audience?
Remember this is just a guide. You know your social media pages best. As a content creator, you start to get a feel of who your audience are and what they interact with best. Avoid scaring them off by being too forward with things. Alternatively, if you have an audience that is Christmas obsessed, go for it! If you can, keep note of your statistics as these will help for next year.
