Best Social Media Practices for Black Friday

Black Friday is merely weeks away, and the anticipated countdown has already begun. The sales are set, the stocks are in, and the staff are mentally ready for a busy day ahead. But is your social media thoroughly prepared to fully advertise what your brand has to offer?

Here are the a few tried and true Black Friday social media campaign strategies to keep in mind:

Pep and Prepare

Hype up (and remind) your followers of what you’re offering this holiday season by inserting your black friday deals in your regular content while also counting down the days to Black Friday. Be sure to include the important details, such as the sale percentages and shipping costs (or lack thereof).

Make sure that your organization is able to handle the increase in online traffic. According to Adobe Analytics 58.3% of site visits are on mobile devices, with a 19.8% increase year over year. Direct shopping access on apps, such as Instagram Shop, make it easier for consumers to immediately make and finalize their purchases on the same platform.

Email Campaigns/Sign Ups for Exclusive Offers

Entice your followers with exclusive Black Friday deals such as a discount code or a free item with a purchase, in exchange for their email, creating a prime opportunity to increase your subscribers. Drip email campaigns can also cater to your current subscribers’ individual needs and interests, as well as automatically remind them of your offers and promotions.

Keep Followers on Their Toes

Break up your Black Friday campaign with your other campaigns, even intermingling the two and subtly putting your sale in your copy as a reminder and slow build up to the big day. You can also start Black Friday early with your own version of a flash sale, spotlighting any particular product or service as you wish. 

Think Outside of the Gift Box

Utilize your resources and connections to make your Black Friday sale stand out from the rest. Influencers can perform demonstrations to their audiences, showcasing your product or service on their social media, adding in a final reminder to check out more in their stories. Influencer endorsements can reassure potential buyers. Stories give brands an opportunity to post multiple times a day and utilize all of these things. Meanwhile, specially curated gift guides can help shoppers figure out what to buy for their loved ones. 

Go Against the Grain

Several companies made their statements by not partaking in Black Friday. REI has opted out of Black Friday; instead, paying their employees to #OptOutdoors on the holiday for the last five years. Patagonia encouraged buyers to #LoveOurPlanet and donated their Black Friday profits to grassroots environmental groups in the last five years. Thinx wrote a blog post two years ago on why they chose not to host a sale on Black Friday, instead encouraging people to participate in Giving Tuesday instead. This is an alternative option worth considering as well.