How to Prepare Your Holiday Social Media Strategy for 2025
We know what you’re thinking: “Holiday marketing? Already?!”
But yes, it’s that time again. Even though it’s still warm outside and fall decorations haven’t fully hit the shelves, your holiday sales strategy needs to start taking shape now if you want November & December to be your biggest sales months of the year.
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on businesses. Between Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and all the other dates that demand attention, it can feel overwhelming. Add in the daily chaos of running your business, and it’s no surprise that many small businesses end up winging it in December.
But here’s the truth: the brands that win during the holidays aren’t the ones scrambling at the last minute. They are the ones who planned ahead with a clear strategy.
At Hello Media, we live by a strategy-first mindset. Because when you’ve got a plan, you’ve got focus. Strategy is what keeps you aligned, helps you prioritize the right things, and ensures nothing slips through the cracks (even when life gets busy). It also makes it much easier to pivot if you need to, since you already know your priorities and goals. Let’s break down exactly how you can prep now so that your holiday sales and social media strategy don’t just survive the season. They thrive.
Step 1: Lock in Your Holiday Strategy (Before You Post a Single Thing)
We know you want to jump straight into creating cute holiday graphics and brainstorming fun captions, but slow down. The very first step to winning the holidays is setting your strategy. Ask yourself:
What are my goals this holiday season? (for example: revenue targets, new customer acquisition, retention)
Who is my target audience? (for example: existing loyal customers, gift-givers who don’t know me yet, budget-conscious shoppers)
What do I want my brand message to be during the holidays?
Getting crystal-clear on your goals and messaging upfront will guide everything else. Without this step, you’ll end up chasing every trending reel sound and trying every promo idea you see online instead of focusing on what actually moves the needle for your business.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure where to start with strategy, our Content Strategy Builder Workbook walks you step-by-step through the exact framework we use with our own clients.
Step 2: Mark Your Calendar With the 2025 Holiday Dates That Matter
There are a lot of “holidays” floating around online, but let’s focus on the ones that actually matter for your sales and content strategy this year.
November 27 – Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving isn’t a sales holiday, and that’s the point. Keep your content light and personal here. Post something that connects to gratitude, community, or simply wishing your audience a happy holiday. Save the promos for the big weekend ahead.
November 28 – Black Friday
The king of all shopping days. Whether you offer a sitewide discount, bundle, or gift with purchase, your customers expect something from you here. Make sure your social posts and emails are ready in advance so you’re not trying to design graphics at midnight on Thanksgiving.
November 29 – Small Business Saturday
Created to spotlight small businesses, this day is made for you. Share your story, highlight the people behind your brand, and remind your followers that shopping small makes a real difference. If you already ran a Black Friday promo, this is a great day to double down on the message of why shopping local matters.
December 1 – Cyber Monday
This is all about digital deals. Perfect for service-based businesses, online shops, and digital products. Make it easy to buy by adding direct links in captions, stories, and bios. Think: limited-time discount codes, BOGOs, or online exclusives.
December 2 – Giving Tuesday
Not every post has to be sales-focused. Giving Tuesday is a chance to share your values. Whether you donate a portion of profits to charity, collect goods for a local cause, or volunteer your time. Use this day to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
December 15 – Green Monday
This is usually considered the shipping cut-off date to guarantee delivery by Christmas. Make this crystal clear in your content and your online store. “Order by December 15th for guaranteed Christmas delivery!” is a message you’ll want to repeat often.
Pro tip: Sweeten the deal by running a two or three-day “Free Shipping” promotion leading up to December 15th. It gives hesitant buyers a little extra push to check out before the deadline.
December 20 – Super Saturday
The last Saturday before Christmas, also known as panic-shopping day. Offer a “last chance” sale or highlight gift cards for those who need something fast and easy. Create urgency here. Countdown timers and “final day” posts work really well.
December 24–26 – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Day After Christmas
These aren’t necessarily sales days. They are brand-building days. Share something festive, personal, or community-oriented on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Then, if it fits your business, consider a December 26th sale to clear out end-of-year inventory.
Step 3: Build Your Campaign Themes Now
Instead of throwing random sales at your audience throughout November and December, plan two or three big campaign themes now.
For example:
“12 Days of Gifting” - highlight a different product daily leading up to Christmas.
“Shop Small, Gift Big” - focus on Small Business Saturday but carry the theme all season.
“The Holiday Edit” - create a gift guide and build all your content around it.
Campaigns keep your content cohesive and aligned with your goals. No more scrambling to figure out what to post the night before Black Friday.
Step 4: Batch and Schedule Your Content in Advance
Trust us. December is not the time to be fiddling with Canva or rewriting captions at 10 p.m. The holidays are busy enough without adding last-minute content creation to your to-do list.
Start batching now:
Graphics for each holiday promo.
Product photos styled for the season.
Reels and TikToks with trending sounds that you can post later.
Schedule as much as you can ahead of time. Then, when the season hits, you can spend your energy where it matters most: engaging with your audience and supporting customers.
Step 5: Optimize for Seamless Shopping
Your social content is only as strong as your shopping experience.
A few things to check right now:
Do all your social media bios link directly to your shop?
Are your products tagged appropriately on social media?
Is your mobile website easy to navigate and quick to load?
Are your shipping details and return policies crystal clear?
The easier it is to shop from you, the more likely your audience is to convert. Don’t let a clunky checkout process cost you holiday sales.
Step 6: Plan for Engagement and Retention
Holiday sales aren’t just about bringing in new customers. They are also your chance to build loyalty that lasts into the new year.
Ideas to build engagement and retention:
Encourage UGC by asking customers to tag you in unboxing or gift posts.
Reward reviews by offering a small discount code for anyone who leaves one.
Launch a loyalty program with points, perks, or exclusive deals for repeat customers.
The holidays might be the “big win,” but the brands who keep customers coming back in January are the ones that see real long-term growth.
Final Thoughts
The holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful, not when you’ve got a clear strategy. By mapping out your goals, aligning your campaigns, and prepping content in advance, you’ll be free to enjoy the season and hit your sales goals.
Remember: strategy is the difference between winging it and winning it. So start now, prep smart, and let your holiday content run smoothly while you sip your peppermint mocha.
And if you’d rather not go it alone, our social media management and strategy services are here to help. From building your holiday campaigns to managing your content calendar, we’ll make sure nothing slips through the cracks so your business can focus on sales, not stress.
Ready to make this holiday season your most successful one yet? Let’s chat about how Hello Media can build and manage your strategy.
Until next time,
The HM Team
