For those of you who celebrate, Merry Christmas!

I debated on if I was going to send a newsletter today or not, and ultimately decided to stick to the routine of sending on Wednesdays. I’ve gotten quite a few new subscribers the past few weeks, so I didn’t want to let you all down. So here we are.

Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you’re able to enjoy some downtime the next few days to end the year.

I didn’t want to get too heavy/in-depth today, so I’m sharing some quick tips about social media strategizing for the new year. I’ve found that these next few days around the holidays are actually pretty productive for me. Not as many outside interruptions while everyone is taking time off allows me to focus on some of my bigger projects that I’ve been pushing off. An in-depth look at our social strategies for our clients is always one of those things.

So let’s go ahead and jump into it!

The Holiday Social Media Strategy Sprint: Making 2025 Your Best Year Yet

Let's face it - between the sugar cookies and family gatherings, the holiday season can feel like the worst time to think about work. But here's a hot take: those quiet December days when your inbox finally stops exploding? They're actually social media strategy gold.

Think of it as your annual social media spa day. While everyone else is fighting over the last PlayStation 5, you'll be giving your digital presence the glow-up it deserves. And trust me, future you will be sending back thank-you notes when January hits.

First up: The Great Social Media Audit of 2024. I know, I know - "audit" sounds about as fun as doing your taxes. But think of it more like being Marie Kondo for your social channels. What sparked joy this year? Which posts made your audience hit that share button like their lives depended on it? And which ones flopped harder than that AI-generated holiday card you tried to send? (We've all been there.)

Break out those analytics tools and look for patterns. My favorite is Vista Social!

Maybe your Wednesday afternoon Instagram Reels were secret engagement magnets, or your LinkedIn thought pieces gained surprising traction during morning coffee hours. These aren't just numbers - they're breadcrumbs leading you to your 2025 success story.

Now comes the fun part: setting goals that actually mean something. Forget vague promises like "do better at social media." We're talking SMART goals with more specificity than your coffee order. Want 5,000 new followers by March? Great. Looking to boost engagement rates by 25%? Let's make it happen. The key is making these goals as measurable as your step count after Christmas dinner.

Building your Q1 content calendar might seem premature when you're still searching for New Year's Eve plans, but hear me out. January hits hard out of nowhere, and having your content framework ready means you can hit the ground running while your competitors are still nursing their holiday hangovers.

As for trends? Social media moves faster than kids opening their favorite presents, but some 2025 patterns are already emerging. Video content isn't just staying - it's becoming the main course. AI tools are getting smarter (and slightly less awkward). And authenticity? It's not just a buzzword anymore - it's your golden ticket to standing out in an increasingly crowded digital space.

Pro tip: Create a "content bank" during your downtime. Think of it as your social media emergency fund - a stash of evergreen posts, engaging questions, and brilliant ideas you can tap into when creativity runs dry.

The magic of holiday planning isn't just about checking boxes - it's about giving yourself the gift of clarity and direction. While the rest of the world is winding down, you're quietly laying the groundwork for a year that'll make 2024 look like a practice run.

Remember, the best strategy isn't always the fanciest one - it's the one you'll actually stick to. So pour yourself some hot chocolate, find a cozy corner, and start dreaming up your 2025 social media masterpiece. Your future self (and your engagement rates) will thank you.

And hey, if all else fails, at least you'll have those cookies to stress-eat while you're planning. Just maybe keep them out of your Instagram stories - we've all seen enough holiday baking content to last until 2026.

Need a final push to get started? Think of it this way: every minute you spend planning now is one less panic attack you'll have in January. Now that's what I call a holiday miracle.

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This Week’s Social Media Meme

Hope you didn’t receive coal this Christmas!

Breaking the Mold: Escaping the Holiday Social Media Cookie Cutter

Is it just me, or does your social media feed look like it was decorated by the same overly enthusiastic elf? Welcome to December, where every brand suddenly becomes your best friend who really, really wants you to feel the magic of the season.

Let's be honest – we've reached peak holiday social media saturation, especially with today being Christmas. It's like watching 500 variations of the same Hallmark movie, except instead of small-town bakery owners finding love, it's brands trying to convince us that their dish soap embodies the spirit of Christmas.

Remember when holiday campaigns actually surprised us? Now I can set my watch by them. November 1st hits, and suddenly every company's profile picture gets a Santa hat. By mid-November, we're drowning in carefully curated "behind-the-scenes" office holiday parties that look suspiciously like stock images.

But here's the thing – we're all starving for something real. We want the wobbly smartphone video of actual employees having an impromptu carol session in the break room. We want to see the slightly burnt cookies from the office bake-off. We want the candid shot of the CEO's dog destroying the carefully arranged holiday photoshoot.

Or have you seen the videos of the new pet/wrapping paper trend recently?

Some brands get it.

Like that small bookstore in Michigan that posted daily "Honest Holiday Updates" featuring their very confused cat knocking over every festive display they attempted. Their sales jumped 40% because guess what? People connect with real life, mess and all.

Or consider the local coffee shop that shared their failed attempts at latte art snowmen, which honestly looked more like caffeinated blob monsters. Their customers started requesting "ugly snowman lattes" by name. That's engagement you can't manufacture.

The solution isn't rocket science (or even cookie science, for that matter). Brands need to pull the tinsel back and get real. Share the office party photo where Dave from Accounting is wearing three party hats for no apparent reason. Show us the "expectation vs. reality" of your holiday decoration attempts.

Because here's what brands keep forgetting: the holidays aren't perfect. They're chaotic and messy and wonderful and sometimes slightly disappointing – and that's exactly what makes them special. Your social media should reflect that reality, not some AI-generated winter wonderland where everyone's teeth sparkle like freshly fallen snow.

So here's my holiday wish for brands everywhere: Please, for the love of all things merry and bright, drop the act. We don't need another slow-motion video of fake snow falling on your product while piano music plays softly in the background. Show us your humanity. Show us your mistakes. Show us something – anything – that wasn't focus-grouped to death.

And at the end of the day, HAVE FUN!

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