As warmer days approach, now is the perfect time to plan your summer content!
While you and your team might be preparing to take a well-deserved break over December and January, the need to connect with your audience never takes a holiday. In fact, summer is a prime opportunity to engage with clients and customers who have more free time and are more likely to be scrolling through their social media feeds.
“Summer offers a unique chance to reach your audience when they’re in a relaxed and receptive state of mind,” says Content Empire’s Creative Director, Cathy Wever. “By planning your summer content ahead of time, you can make sure your brand stays top of mind and sparks meaningful engagement.”
Capitalising on socials over summer
The summer months can be a time when many businesses experience a lull in social content creation and posting. This is where a well-organised summer content program comes into play. By pre-planning and scheduling your posts, you ensure that your brand remains active and visible, even when your team is enjoying some downtime.
“Pre-planned content not only saves you from the stress of last-minute scrambling but also allows you to strategically align your messaging with the season’s mood,” Cathy says. “A well-thought-out summer content strategy can turn casual scrollers into engaged followers and potential customers.”
How to get your summer social content moving
To set yourself up for a stress-free summer, start by mapping out your summer content calendar. Identify key themes that resonate with your audience. These could include holiday tips, seasonal promotions, or engaging visuals that capture the essence of summer. Consider ‘evergreen’ messaging and calls to action to capitalise on receptive holiday audiences. Drive customers to your website, or into your stores if you’re a ‘bricks and mortar’ business.
Planning and producing social content in advance means you can also leverage summer trends and holiday events to your advantage. Create and curate posts that are visually appealing and relevant to the season. For instance, posts that incorporate vibrant colours, outdoor activities, or light-hearted themes are likely to catch the eye of users who are enjoying the summer break. Produce and publish the blog or other website content that will support your summer social efforts.
Is summer content just for socials?
Absolutely not. Depending on your brand or business, your summer content program might extend to email marketing and other channels.
Building, testing and scheduling a summer eNewsletter or promotional campaign can be a great addition to your summer content program.
Set and forget!
Once your summer content is created and approved, you can use scheduling tools to automate the posting process. This ensures that your content is consistently shared without requiring constant attention from your team. By doing this, you keep your brand in the spotlight and maintain a steady flow of engagement. Monitoring and moderating will still be required, but if your your summer content program is well designed, the need here should be minimal.
“Another important point here is that social algorithms punish accounts that stop posting or post less frequently. Maintain your algorithmic credit by continuing to engage your audience over the December/January period.”
Summer content inspiration
Intergrain Trade & Industrial’s summer content program leveraged hot weather product benefits such as UV-resistance to keep audiences connected to the brand over the holiday months. Find out more about our work with Intergrain Trade & Industrial, which saw Content Empire named as a Finalist in the 2024 Content Marketing Institute Awards.
For BankVic, Content Empire designed a summer content program aimed at boosting financial well being over the holiday period. Find out more about our work with BankVic.
Summer content in a nutshell
In summary, a well-executed summer content program allows you to make the most of the season’s opportunities, keeping your audience engaged and your brand prominent.
“With a little preparation, you can enjoy a stress-free summer while making sure your brand continues to shine.”
So, get your summer content sorted now, and let your brand bask in the sunshine of effective social media engagement!