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Should you still blog around the holidays?

Teodora Pirciu blogging, content marketing Leave a Comment

Should I blog around the holidays? It’s the top question many marketers ask once Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed.

When you’re low on holiday blog ideas, you might be tempted to put your content marketing on hold until January. After all, it’s eggnog season. Everyone around you seems to be procrastinating; dreaming about days off, presents, and Christmas family dinner. No one can blame you for thinking about letting your content strategy slip a little.

But there are risks to not getting your business in front of potential customers this month. Holiday shopping in the US will reach $65.5 billion in 2018. Retailers acquire between 29 and 59 percent more customers during holiday months than in any other month. It’s the time of the year when quality content could make your business…or lack of content could break it.

So, should you blog around the holidays? We’ll let the stats answer that for you.

People consume lots of holiday-related content

illustration of three men soaking themselves in a giant teacup holding some sugar cubes and tea bags

Nope, it’s not a marketing myth. A study by Outbrain has revealed that consumers want holiday-themed content around holidays—so much so that brands can barely keep up with the demand. This season-specific desire for content creates the perfect, natural opportunity for marketers to open conversations with existing customers, increase awareness, and draw in new prospects.

While it’s pretty easy for restaurants and e-commerce stores to know what to blog about in December, it can be challenging for businesses in other, less “giftable” industries. But just because it’s a little tricky to create a direct correlation between your products and Santa Claus doesn’t mean you should give up.

Look for topics that can generate emotions and solve holiday-related problems and challenges. Around Christmas, the three things that people need the most are more money, more time, and cost-effective solutions to overcome holiday stress. If you can find a way to relate your products or services to one of these three pain points (or all of them), you’re more likely to captivate your audience and generate new leads. Read on for a list of blog post ideas!

The average shopper spends $1,226 on holiday gifts

illustration of a man holding a wad of money and lets them fly from his hands

As you might guess, shoppers spend more during the holidays than in any other season—on average, each consumer allocates $1,226 for Christmas presents. But although everyone is spending like crazy, the shopping frenzy is arguably harder on consumers’ mental health than it is on their wallets. Research has shown that holiday shopping is one of the top five sources of holiday stress, with 46 percent of people feeling overwhelmed by the amount of shopping they have to do this month. That means if you can make shopping less stressful for them by advertising the right solutions at the right price points, you could be looking at major sales.

To make purchasing decisions easier for prospects, you should provide timely content that adds value. It doesn’t need to be sales-y, either. You might be better off pushing helpful content, like a holiday gift guide or product comparison. Yes, you’re providing shopping options, but it feels more like a helpful tip than a sales pitch.

Below is a full list of great content ideas for the holiday season:

  • Product reviews and product comparisons
  • Gift ideas and gift guides
  • Five-minute solutions for last minute Christmas challenges
  • Affordable tips and tricks for improving holiday events
  • Information about causes that you support
  • A review of the past year and insights for the coming year
  • Deals on products that aren’t giftable but that people might buy themselves

A festive website makeover could go a long way

illustration of a man with some shopping bags running behind a woman as banner, confetti and snow are falling

Your content strategy should focus on more than just blogs—your entire website should embrace the holiday spirit. A holiday website makeover reaches visitors on an emotional letter and can invoke a sense of seasonal urgency. Add snowflakes to your logo, header images, or social media avatars. Give your sales and promotions festive names. Make sure your landing pages are holiday-themed—they’ll convert better! Change up your usual newsletter template to one with recognizable holiday colors and other elements.

With some well-timed festive design elements and a solid content strategy that makes shopping less stressful, you’ll be well on your way to a fruitful holiday season.

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