When it comes to social media and the holidays, it certainly feels like a year-round event. We originally posted a holiday guide back in September to help small businesses get ready for the season.
We’re here to give you a few updates and some other holiday tidbits happening across social media:
Tracking Santa Feels Easier Than Ever 🎅
No matter what social media platform you choose, you’ll be able to enjoy a countdown to Christmas and track Santa:
Twitter: Blue Gets Festive + Livestream Shopping
Twitter Blue – a new subscription service with extra features – has numerous holiday icons for users to use on their phones. Perhaps this makes the app easier for users to find?
As the holiday shopping season “officially” kicked off after Thanksgiving, Twitter and Walmart teamed up to debut a shoppable livestream. This comes as Twitter has been testing a shopping function since this past summer.
TikTok Focuses on New Discoveries
In a 16-page holiday guide released in November, TikTok revealed people are spending more than 90 minutes on the app every day. Their research also shows that the app is driving people to discover new products:
- 39% of users say they discovered a product on the app that they didn’t know about before
- 77% of users say the app is likely to inspire a gift idea this year
- 47% of users say they have bought something they saw on TikTok
Pinterest Urges Businesses to Be Clear in Messaging
In its holiday guide, Pinterest lays out to its users a month-by-month plan for a successful end to the year.
“At this point, people are searching for utility and convenience,” Pinterest says about users in December.
Businesses should have “clear, effective” calls to action, as well as stressing shipping cut-off dates.
If you’re in need of decor ideas, holiday cookie recipes, or looking for new ways to spread holiday kindness, Pinterest has shortcuts for you.
Meta Focuses on Personalization
Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) released a holiday guide in the summer. The social media giant remains THE giant this holiday season. Some key stats:
- 63% of global shoppers say they enjoy discovering items they’re not actively looking for
- 66% of weekly Facebook users say they discover new brands on the platform
Meta is also letting users explore customized holiday statistics to better understand how people are using the platforms. You can sort through categories such as Behaviors, Mega Sales Days, and Gift Giving trends.
“Connecting someone with the right gift at the right time requires the right information,” Meta says.
Navigating Social Media During the Holidays
Scary Mommy – a popular blog with parents – dives into the emotional roller coaster that can happen during the holidays and social media.
Dr. Paula Durlofsky, a clinical psychologist, has four tips for parents this holiday season for both their children and themselves:
- Remember that social media is only a small window into someone’s life. “No one’s life is as rosy as they make it appear.”
- Have regular check-ins and discuss what you’re actually seeing online.
- Talk about how the holidays may impact your children’s (and yours) mood. “If history teaches you that they’ll be in a foul mood after a quick morning check of their Insta, don’t do it.”
- Make sure face-to-face interactions happen. “Discuss with your kids the importance of maintaining relationships offline.”
“Our relationships with social media (and people) are evolving all of the time,” Scary Mommy says. “We can all take a social media cleanse over the holidays.”
Want to find out even more about what’s been happening across social media in 2021? Catch up on all of our Social Media in the News headlines HERE.
