How to shift your brand’s social media strategy through the seasons

It’s official. Pumpkin spice latte season is in session. But so is that Indian summer we may have been hoping for. If you’re a social media manager, I bet you’re sat scratching your head right now on how to handle your brand’s strategy.

It’s no secret that your business needs to be agile and adaptable with its online presence. Sure, there’s a billion articles about the importance of it. And there’s millions on all the tips and tricks for setting up a social strategy. But how do you shift your social media strategy as the seasons change?

My goal in this blog is to equip you with actionable steps that’ll not only help your brand stay relevant but thrive in the digital marketing mix as the weather gets weirder – and in less time than it takes you to order that pumpkin spice.

Understanding the seasonal shift: Recognising the rhythms

Hold up — as the king of rock’n’roll once sang, ‘only fools go rushing in!’ Before teaching you how to adapt to the digital seasons, we need to recognise their social media rhythms.

The digital world has its own seasons, distinct from the traditional four seasons we experience here in reality. Just like popping on a VR headset and creating your ideal avatar, each season — autumn, winter, spring and summer — have eight shifting characteristics to consider:

User behaviour

Online user behaviour varies throughout the year. For example, during holidays or special events, people may spend more time on social media platforms, seeking entertainment or shopping deals. Recognising and catering to these shifts is essential for effective digital marketing.

Industry trends

Different industries witness fluctuations in demand and consumer interest at various times. For instance, the fashion industry often experiences surges in engagement during seasonal clothing launches. Adapting to these trends is crucial for staying competitive.

Cultural events

Societal and cultural events, such as major sporting fixtures, holidays and trending news stories, can significantly impact online conversations and content consumption. Brands that align their messaging with these events can capture broader attention.

Technological advances

These continually shape how people engage with digital content. New platforms, features, and formats emerge, offering fresh opportunities for brands to connect with their audience.

Economic factors

Think consumer spending patterns and market dynamics, influence online advertising and e-commerce. Brands need to be attuned to economic shifts to make informed marketing decisions.

Content consumption habits

The way people consume content online evolves over time. For example, video content might gain more prominence in one season, while long-form articles or interactive quizzes might be more popular in another.

Algorithm changes

Digital platforms often adjust their algorithms, affecting how content is distributed and discovered. Staying informed about these changes is essential for maintaining visibility.

Competitive landscape

The digital world is highly competitive, and seasonal shifts can present both challenges and opportunities. Brands that strategically adapt to these changes can gain an advantage over their competitors.

In essence, the digital world’s unique seasons reflect the complex interplay between human behaviour, technology, and cultural dynamics. Adapting to these shifts allows your brand to remain relevant and connect with their audience effectively.

Below, I take you on a 365-day tour in just four headings to help you better understand each season’s digital characteristics to better inform your seasonal social media strategy.

Autumn: harvesting opportunities

As the digital landscape changes like the colour of the leaves into autumn, it’s time to harvest the opportunities down during earlier seasons. In short: it’s the season your brand reaps the rewards of your strategic efforts.

The fall season is all about in-depth analysis. Dive into all your social media spreadsheets to evaluate your summer campaign’s performance. Take a magnifying glass to these three metrics — engagement, click-through, and conversion rates — and identify what worked well, and what didn’t.

Like Sherlock Holmes and Watson, take your data-driven clues (or insights) and fine-tune your social media strategies. This is where you amend your content calendar to catch any falling apples you may have missed, tighten your messaging, and freshen up your targeting to align with your goals.

It’s also the perfect time of year for changing up your creative approach. A/B testing your tactics is fool-proof social media work if you’re communicating sensitive subjects or targeting hard-to-reach audiences like minority groups and students.

Winter: reflection and planning

As Christmas crackers open, New Year’s Eve fireworks explode, and blankets become best friends, the digital winter is a contemplative one. Winter provides your business with a chance to reflect on past endeavours, analyse performance, and strategically plan for the year ahead.

Just like 1 December sees you stepping into Christmas, begin the winter season by conducting an annual review of your social media performance. Don’t be afraid to channel your inner critic and scrutinise KPIs like return on investment (ROI), engagement rates, conversion rates, and follower growth. Identify the standout campaigns, and the ones that underperformed like the United Kingdom at Eurovision.

The analytical deep dive into your matrix of metrics is essential in gauging the overall health of your digital presence. Using those insights, it’s time to set goals for the upcoming year. These objectives should be clear, measurable, and aligned with your brand’s overarching strategies. Whether you aim to increase brand awareness, boost sales, or foster deeper customer engagement, your goals will serve as guiding lights throughout the year.

Spring: renewal and growth

Spring cleaning your cupboards can be a breath of fresh air. It’s the same for your social media too. Like growing flowers in our garden, spring is a season of growth and renewal. It’s a unique opportunity for your brand’s social media strategy to shake things up.

Studies by the British Psychological Society say that the changing weather to warmer temperatures in spring find us being more open and creative. So, this is the season for experimenting with your social media approach, exploring diverse content formats such as videos, infographics, and live streams to capture (or recapture) your audiences’ attention. If you can merge engaging visuals with intriguing narratives, it’s a no-brainer for breathing new life into your brand’s online presence.

Spring’s spirit of renewal extends to user engagement, so get active with your audience. Respond to user comments and messages quicker than you answer the door to a Domino’s. Open the doors to your brand’s chocolate factory — host Q&A sessions, hold webinars and run polls to foster a sense of community – and encourage user-generated content and testimonials (even gamify it!) to build trust and authenticity.

Summer: vibrancy and activity

As soon as summer comes, we’re booking holidays, packing suitcases, and switching off one-by-one. Obviously, we’re still here levelling up your digital marketing, but we all need a vacation, right? The point is, summer is a time of vibrancy, mirroring the liveliness of the season in real life.

With more holidays taking place over summer, users are at their most active on social media. Unlike the weather, take your chance to shoot your shot and shine by running engaging organic and paid campaigns. This is where you can get creative with competitions, challenges and giveaways. Think viral challenges you found on TikTok or UGC-themed photo contests. You’re basically generating loads of extra free promo for your brand straight from your loyal customers.

But don’t forget to leverage that user-generated content during the summer. You sowed the seeds in spring, so start pruning the plants in summer by sharing testimonials and customer experiences, highlighting that you’re not the only poster who approves. This acts as social proof — the idea that people copy the actions of others to emulate their behaviour in certain situations. If your best friends are booking holidays to Napa, you’re booking one too, aren’t you?

With your users being more active than the bees in your garden, you can’t let your posting schedule slip. Keep your feeds consistent with frequent, high-quality content that’s engaging and keeping your business top-of-mind.

Shift your social media strategies

The digital world’s distinctive seasons mirror the ever-evolving landscape of user behaviour, technology and cultural influences. Recognising these shifts and adapting your social media strategies is paramount for your brand thriving in the dynamic online sphere.

From the renewal and growth of spring to the vibrant activity of summer, the opportunity for harvesting in fall, and the reflection and planning of winter, each season offers unique possibilities. By understanding and harnessing these digital seasons, your brand can maintain its relevance, engage its audience effectively, and navigate the complex digital terrain with confidence. Embracing the digital seasons is not merely a strategy; it’s a pathway to digital success.

Jack Press is a consultant at strategic marketing communications group Leopard Co.