As the Christmas season approaches, many businesses take a well-deserved break to recharge for the new year. However, just because your business is on holiday doesn’t mean your digital presence should disappear! Whether you’re a small business or a larger organisation, it’s crucial to manage your digital marketing, PR, and SEO effectively during your Christmas closure.
Here’s a handy guide to ensure your business remains visible and responsive, even while you’re away.
Communicate Your Closure
One of the first steps you should take is to tell your customers and audience about your holiday closure or adjusted openings. This can be done through a simple update on your website, social media profiles, and Google My Business listing. Make sure your closure dates are clear and visible so that anyone visiting your digital platforms knows when to expect a response.
Providing this information in advance helps manage customer expectations and avoids any frustration caused by delayed replies or unavailability of services.
Automate Responses
While you’re enjoying your Christmas break, your customers may still need to reach out. Setting up automated responses is a great way to ensure no one feels ignored. This includes your email inbox as well as your social media messaging platforms.
In your automatic responses, be sure to clearly state the closure dates, when you’ll be back, and if there’s an alternative contact for urgent matters. This will help maintain and manage customer inquiries efficiently.
Schedule Social Media Posts
Even though your team is on holiday, your social media channels don’t have to be! Scheduling social media posts in advance will keep your audience engaged during the festive period without requiring daily input.
You can use platforms like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social to plan posts that wish customers a good festive season, festive promotions, or fun, seasonal content. Just make sure these posts align with the Christmas spirit while also subtly keeping your brand in mind.
Adjust Your PPC Campaigns
Your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns might need some adjustment if you’re shutting down for Christmas. Check your ongoing campaigns and adjust bids and budgets, or even pause certain ads during the closure period if they’re not likely to convert.
You don’t want to waste money on ads that aren’t being seen or clicked, so it’s important to be aware of how much you’re spending during this time. Once your business is back up and running, you can readjust your PPC strategy to capitalise on the post-holiday rush.
Don’t Neglect Your SEO
Even though you’re not actively working over the holidays, your SEO efforts should remain consistent. Ensure your website is optimised, mobile-friendly, and functioning properly throughout the closure. Perform any last-minute checks to prevent unexpected technical issues that could hurt your rankings or customer experience.
Additionally, consider creating holiday-specific content well in advance. This can be something as simple as a Christmas blog post, a festive landing page, or a special holiday offer that brings additional traffic to your website.
Monitor Mentions and Reviews
Even if you’re not physically present, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your brand’s mentions and reviews. Social media monitoring tools, such as Mention or Google Alerts, can help you track what’s being said about your business during the holiday period.
If there’s a negative review or urgent matter, address it promptly. You don’t want any unresolved customer issues hanging over your brand, as this can affect your reputation coming into the new year.
Plan for New Year Campaigns
Use the quieter holiday period as a time to prepare for your post-Christmas marketing campaigns. The new year is just around the corner, and it’s essential to be ready with fresh strategies, whether it’s for a January sale, a new product launch, or a brand refresh.
Take time to evaluate what worked well in the past year and use these insights to plan your 2024 marketing calendar. Having these campaigns ready to go will ease the post-holiday rush and give you a head start in the new year.
Provide Emergency Contact Information
Finally, if there’s a chance your business may need to handle urgent matters during the Christmas break, make sure you provide emergency contact details. Display this clearly on your website and social media so that any critical issues can be addressed.
This is particularly important for industries like IT, legal, or healthcare where customer needs might arise unexpectedly. Having a point of contact for emergencies ensures customer issues are managed swiftly without affecting your team’s overall break.
Thinking Ahead Will Prevent Problems Later!
By following these simple but effective steps, your business can enjoy the festive break while maintaining a strong and professional online presence. Digital marketing, PR, and SEO don’t stop just because your office is closed – with a bit of planning, your brand can stay connected and ready for the new year’s opportunities!
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