Social media holidays are great opportunities to expand your reach and foster engagement. So, if you’re looking to up your social media marketing game, you need to know what these are and then plan your content around them. This is why a social media holiday content calendar is key.
A social media holiday content calendar doesn’t just keep you informed of these special days you can leverage in your content strategy. It also includes the types of content you plan to publish on your social platforms. It’s a key visualization and planning tool. It’s necessary for any brand that wants to build and maintain a dynamic social presence.
In this article, let’s talk about social media holidays and how a calendar that incorporates these can elevate your content marketing game in 2024.
Social media holiday calendar in 2024:
Importance of Incorporating Social Media Holidays into Content Strategy
Social media holidays provide a unique opportunity to connect with your audience in a more relaxed, personable, and engaging way. These special days are often byproducts of marketing campaigns or social media trends or were even declared by organizations like the United Nations. When these occasions are woven into your wider eCommerce or SaaS marketing strategies, they can help ensure your success.
How?
Social media holidays help to humanize your brand. Celebrating something as whimsical as National Pizza Day or as meaningful as World Environment Day shows your brand has character and shares common values with its audience.
Social media holidays can significantly boost engagement. People love to share content that's relatable and fun. By tapping into these holidays, you're creating shareable experiences that people want to be a part of.
Social media holidays can also inspire new and diverse content ideas, ensuring your feed never feels stale. This variety keeps your audience intrigued and coming back for more.
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List of major social media holidays in 2024
Now here’s a list of major social media holidays for 2024. We’ve omitted the obvious days, like Christmas and Halloween.
January
- Jan 1: New Year’s Day
- Jan 14: World Logic Day
- Jan 15: National Hat Day
- Jan 15: Blue Monday
- Jan 16: International Hot and Spicy Food Day
- Jan 17: Ditch New Year's Resolution Day
- Jan 18: #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay
- Jan 20: Cheese Lovers Day
- Jan 22: Community Manager Appreciation Day #CMAD
- Jan 24: International Education Day
- Jan 25: Opposite Day
- Jan 28: International Lego Day
- Jan 28: Data Privacy Day
- Jan 31: Inspire Your Heart With Art Day
February
- Black History Month
- Feb 4: World Cancer Day
- Feb 7: National Send a Card to a Friend Day
- Feb 7: Safer Internet Day
- Feb 9: National Pizza Day
- Feb 10: Chinese New Year
- Feb 11: Inventors Day
- Feb 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- Feb 13: World Radio Day
- Feb 14: Valentine’s Day
- Feb 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
- Feb 20: Love Your Pet Day
- Feb 21: International Mother Language Day
- Feb 22: World Thinking Day
March
- Women’s History Month
- Mar 1: National Employee Appreciation Day
- Mar 1: National Day of Unplugging
- Mar 1: World Compliment Day
- Mar 3: World Wildlife Day
- Mar 8: International Women's Day
- Mar 10: International Day of Awesomeness
- Mar 15: World Consumer Rights Day
- Mar 17: St. Patrick's Day
- Mar 18: Global Recycling Day
- Mar 20: International Day of Happiness
- Mar 20: World Storytelling Day
- Mar 23: National Puppy Day
- Mar 25: International Waffle Day
- Mar 31: Transgender Day of Visibility
- Mar 31: Easter
April
- Apr 1: April Fools Day
- Apr 2: World Autism Awareness Day
- Apr 3: Find a Rainbow Day
- Apr 3: World Party Day
- Apr 4: Hug a Newsperson Day
- Apr 7: World Health Day
- Apr 20: National Look-Alike Day
- Apr 21: World Creativity and Innovation Day
- Apr 22: Earth Day
- Apr 23: World Book Day
- Apr 28: National Superhero Day
- Apr 29: International Dance Day
May
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- May 1: International Workers Day
- May 4: Star Wars Day
- May 5: Cinco de May
- May 5: World Laughter Day
- May 6: No Diet Day
- May 9: Europe Day
- May 12: Mother’s Day
- May 17: International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
- May 17: National Bike to Work Day
- May 25: National Wine Day
- May 27: Sunscreen Day
- May 28: National Burger Day
June
- Jun 1: International Children’s Day
- Jun 2: National Leave the Office Early Day
- Jun 3: World Bicycle Day
- Jun 5: World Environment Day
- Jun 7: National Doughnut Day
- Jun 8: National Best Friends Day
- Jun 14: World Blood Donor Day
- Jun 16: Father’s Day
- Jun 20: First Day of Summer
- Jun 21: International Yoga Day
- Jun 21: National Selfie Day
- Jun 21: World Music Day
- Jun 27: National Sunglasses Day
- Jun 30: Social Media Day
July
- Jul 1: International Joke Day
- Jul 2: World UFO Day
- Jul 7: World Chocolate Day
- Jul 11: Cheer Up the Lonely Day
- Jul 14: Bastille Day
- Jul 15: Give Something Away Day
- Jul 17: World Emoji Day
- Jul 18: World Listening Day
- Jul 18: Nelson Mandela International Day
- Jul 21: National Ice Cream Day
- Jul 30: International Day of Friendship
August
- Aug 1: World Wide Web Day
- Aug 8: International Cat Day
- Aug 9: National Book Lovers Day
- Aug 10: National Lazy Day
- Aug 11: National Sons and Daughters Day
- Aug 13: International Lefthanders Day
- Aug 14: National Financial Awareness Day
- Aug 15: National Relaxation Day
- Aug 16: National Tell a Joke Day
- Aug 19: World Photography Day
- Aug 19: World Humanitarian Day
- Aug 20: National Lemonade Day
- Aug 26: National Women’s Equality Day
September
- Sep 1: World Letter Writing Day
- Sep 2: Labor Day
- Sep 5: International Day of Charity
- Sep 6: Read a Book Day
- Sep 6: National Lazy Mom’s Day
- Sep 12: National Video Games Day
- Sep 18: International Equal Pay Day
- Sep 21: International Day of Peace
- Sep 22: Hobbit Day
- Sep 22: First Day of Fall
- Sep 27: World Tourism Day
- Sep 30: International Podcast Day
October
- Global Diversity Awareness Month
- Oct 1: International Coffee Day
- Oct 1: World Vegetarian Day
- Oct 2: International Day of Nonviolence
- Oct 3: National Techies Day
- Oct 4: National Taco Day
- Oct 4: World Animal Day
- Oct 4: World Smile Day
- Oct 5: World Teachers Day
- Oct 8: World Octopus Day
- Oct 10: World Mental Health Day
- Oct 12: World Sight Day
- Oct 14: National Dessert Day
- Oct 15: Global Handwashing Day
- Oct 16: Bosses Day
- Oct 16: World Food Day
- Oct 30: Checklist Day
- Oct 31: Halloween
November
- Men’s Health Awareness Month
- Nov 1: World Vegan Day
- Nov 1: National Authors Day
- Nov 4: National Candy Day
- Nov 8: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine
- Nov 12: Deepavali/Diwali
- Nov 13: World Kindness Day
- Nov 15: America Recycles Day
- Nov 16: International Day for Tolerance
- Nov 17: International Students Day
- Nov 19: International Men’s Day
- Nov 19: National Entrepreneurs Day
- Nov 21: World Hello Day
- Nov 28: Thanksgiving Day
- Nov 29: Black Friday
- Nov 30: Computer Security Day
- Nov 30: Small Business Saturday
December
- Dec 1: World AIDS Day
- Dec 2: Cyber Monday
- Dec 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- Dec 4: National Cookie Day
- Dec 5: World Soil Day
- Dec 8: Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day
- Dec 10: International Human Rights Day
- Dec 10: International Animal Rights Day
- Dec 11: International Mountain Day
- Dec 21: First Day of Winter
- Dec 24: Christmas Eve
- Dec 25: Christmas Day
- Dec 31: New Year’s Eve
Tips on How to Leverage These Holidays for Social Media Content
Now, let’s delve into some tips on how you can leverage these holidays to create content. I’ll also share how brands have successfully woven these holidays into their social posts:
#1. Choose Social Media Holidays That Align with Your Brand Identity
You need to carefully pick social media holidays that align with your brand's ethos. If you’re a brand that promotes a healthy lifestyle, for instance, creating content about World Chocolate Day, may not be ideal. You’ll only end up confusing your audience about what you stand for. Check out this brand that makes it a point to pick social media holidays that align with its environmental advocacy:
It sells waste management products. So, it includes International E-waste Day in its social media holiday calendar.
#2. Create Engaging Content
Engagement is the heart of social media success. So, focus on content that encourages interaction and participation.
For instance, this brand celebrates National Burger Day by hosting a competition. It invites followers to share its post and tag their friends.
#3. Utilize Hashtags
Relevant hashtags can increase the visibility of your content. It's a simple yet effective way to reach a wider audience who are interested in specific topics.
This brand, for instance, uses the hashtag #NationalHatDay to showcase its latest hat collection.
#4. Partner with Influencers or Celebrities
Collaborating with influencers or celebrities can amplify your message and reach. It's a dynamic way to connect with new audiences and add credibility to your brand.
In its social media holiday calendar, for instance, Starbucks includes a post of singer Ed Sheeran announcing the launch of its pumpkin spice latte for Halloween.
#5. Offer Special Promotions or Giveaways
Special promotions or giveaways on social media holidays can drive sales. Plus, they can create excitement around your brand.
#6. Share Behind-the-Scenes or Personal Stories
Including behind-the-scenes content or personal stories in your social media holiday calendar can humanize your brand and foster a deeper connection with your audience.
Take your cue from Sandy’s Donuts. For National Donut Day, it shared a glimpse of one of its stockrooms usually only seen by employees.
#7. Leverage Nostalgia
When you evoke fond memories in your content, you can create a strong connection with your audience. The result is you make your brand even more memorable.
Assume you’re a tech company. Why not include in your social media holiday calendar pictures of old devices on National Technology Day? If Instagram is your choice then an Instagram grid can help you plan the layout for an engaging visual presentation.
Or have a post similar to the one above on the more general holiday, Throwback Thursday (#tbt)?
#8. Be Sensitive and Authentic
Authenticity and sensitivity are key, especially when you’re dealing with serious topics. This approach shows your brand's genuine concern.
So, on more serious days like #worldmentalhealthday, offer sincere support and resources. Don’t sell and use the hashtag just because. See how Mint People, a hospitality and events company based in the UK does it.
#9. Planning Ahead and Staying Organized with a Centralized Social Media Holiday Calendar
A social media calendar helps you better visualize holidays for an entire year so you can easily plan your content. Planning allows for better cooperation and efficient use of resources. Plus, it helps ensure your content isn’t repetitive.
With StoryChief you can manage all your content marketing from one place and see the big picture in one marketing calendar.
It also allows you to schedule your posts in advance. It gives you actionable insights on what content works and doesn’t. This way, you can refine your strategy and ensure content marketing success.
Perfecting creation, distribution, and analytics from a central platform
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Final Thoughts on Social Media Holidays
So, have you started plotting these holidays on your social media calendar yet? Don’t just limit yourself to these days, though. As you go along, you might find others that may resonate with your audience. Mark those in your StoryChief content calendar as well.
When planning your content around these special days, follow the tips I shared with you. With these best practices and your creativity, you’ll transform your social media channels into a more vibrant space.
