It’s summer — the season of rest and relaxation! Unless, of course, you’re a small-business owner.
I understand that summer can be a busy time of year for many of you with vacations, the potential to be short-staffed, and kids at home. But, even with all those things going on, don’t make the mistake of skimping on social media this season.
To make it easier for you, here are 5 Tips to Fill Your Summer Content Calendar with new content ideas that will keep people engaged all season long.
Here are five ways to fill your summer content calendar:
1. Make the most of national holidays!
Lacking inspiration for posts? Look no further than your calendar!
In addition to major holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day, there are some lesser-known holidays you can tap into for fun and creative content ideas.
Just make sure to choose days relevant to your business and that you think your audience will enjoy. Some of my personal favorites? National Junk Food Day (7/21), Book Lover’s Day (8/9), and Relaxation Day (8/15)!
2. Celebrate the best parts of the season!
Summer is packed with seasonal activities that make for great social media posts. Barbecues, beach vacations, pool time, baseball games, camping, back-to-school fun — you name it!
People want to learn about your business on social media, but they also want to learn about YOU and what you enjoy! Sharing an inside look into your summertime activities not only gives your audience the opportunity to get to know you better, but it provides them with content that’s easy to engage with and fun to watch.
3. Try something brand new!
If your business slows down in the summer, why not take advantage of the downtime and try something new on social media?
Maybe you’ve been putting off building your presence on a different social platform like LinkedIn or Pinterest. Or perhaps you’ve been thinking about creating an Instagram Reel or doing a Facebook Live.
Take the time this summer to try something new, whether that’s a tool or feature or just taking a closer look at your analytics. You may be surprised at what you learn and the traction you get!
4. Run a campaign or contest!
Running a summer-themed campaign, contest, or giveaway is a great way to generate attention to your business!
For example, you may already have an annual summer sale or an event at your store or office. Or maybe you have a product, service, or experience to give away to one of your followers. By asking people to participate by engaging with your posts, tagging a friend, or sharing their contact information, you’ll be promoting your business in a way that’s easy and organic.
Just remember: When creating these promotions, develop an overall content plan that incorporates your different marketing channels (think social media, email, web) to help get the word out!
5. Repurpose amazing content from the past!
If you’re tight on time this summer, have no fear! By repurposing assets you’ve already created, you can keep your audience engaged without having to start from scratch. #brilliant
Here are a few ideas to try:
- Feature a blog or post that got a lot of attention on social media in your next email newsletter. (Or use something from a newsletter as a social media post!)
- Share a collection of past tips as one social media post! Creating graphics in Canva and turning them into a carousel on Instagram will make the experience visual and interactive for your audience.
- Create a “Best Of” series where you can call out and re-feature your top-performing posts — an easy way to draw attention without the added work!
Whether you’ll be relaxing or hard at work this summer, use these easy ideas to add some extra creativity to your social media — or at least make it easier to fill your content calendar!
For help with your social media strategy this summer (or any time of year), reach out at any time.