Why Halloween Marketing Matters and 4 Ways You Can Use It
October is a month full of fun events, but Halloween is that special day that dominates the whole month. Halloween is the second most popular Holiday commercially, right after Christmas. Consumers start shopping early for the aesthetic and spooky décor that lines store shelves. The successful marketing of Halloween is what we can thank for the shopping consumers partake in months in advance.
Social media plays a massive role in promoting and creating excitement for Halloween, whether by posting pictures of a decorated house, exciting costumes, or using popular Halloween-related hashtags.
Pinterest remains the top social media channel when it comes to people planning out their Halloween dreams. The yearly rise in Halloween-themed content usually hits Pinterest starting in June. People are pinning and making boards of all the ideas they are looking forward to bringing to life – which, as mentioned earlier, encourages them to start shopping as soon as Halloween-themed items hit store shelves. This is why marketers must create Halloween-themed content and marketing campaigns before October. Social media is the perfect tool for that.
According to the NRF, 18% of adults turn to Pinterest for ideas and shopping, 19% to YouTube, 20% to Facebook, and 16% to Instagram.
So, what can you do to use Halloween in your marketing strategy? Below are four ways.
Use Social Media Intentionally
According to Statista, as many as an estimated 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide in 2020, which is set to increase to almost 4.41 billion in 2025. When using social media for your brand during Halloween and even before, all your campaigns and posts should have a spooky feel that puts people in the Halloween spirit. Don’t forget to have fun! Post pictures of your decorated office and use Halloween-themed colors and images/emojis when designing posts. Make sure your captions are creative and witty and that you are using appropriate and popular hashtags. You can even create your own spooky hashtag and encourage your audience to use it, therefore garnering exposure.
Offer Halloween-Related Products
There are many ways to get creative and in the Halloween spirit, even if you think it would be silly for your company. Halloween isn’t just about candy, dressing up and horror movies. It’s about making people feel immersed in the holiday. Any business can modify its products during this time, even if it is doing something as simple as adding a jack-o-lantern clipart or a Halloween-related quote to sales promotions and ad campaigns. If you want to get even more into the spirit, you can make spooky shirts, stickers, or anything else you think people would enjoy. Remember – Halloween is fun, so don’t be afraid to promote yourself outside your usual box.
Incorporate a Touch of Halloween in your Branding
Halloween creates popular and shareable trends each year. If your brand participates in that, it can get consumers excited and involved in your brand. Look at what Halloween-related figures are widespread. Of course, pumpkins, ghosts and skeletons aren’t going anywhere. Still, one of the most effective ways other businesses have incorporated Halloween themes in their branding is by seeing the most popular scary media. For example, in 2017, Lyft partnered with Netflix to let customers choose if they wanted to have a scary Stranger Things experience during their Lyft ride. Adding a little Halloween and popular spooky trends into your branding invites many people to like and share your social media channels.
Create an Appropriate Promotional Video
According to Brain Rules, people are more likely to remember information when paired with a visual component. This is why video remains one of the most effective ways to communicate with an audience. Even more so today, considering the popularity of TikTok. Video content also allows you to get even more creative during the Halloween season, which can attract a new audience.
Do you think you are ready to use Halloween to your advantage?
Thomas Griffin from Inc.com states, “For marketers, taking advantage of the holiday season is crucial. It’s a time when consumers are willing to spend more money and are looking for new businesses to invest in. When done correctly, it can lead to a spike in leads, subscribers and sales.”
If you are interested in setting your business up for success with the best social media and branding strategy, give us a call today to get started at 334-446-6149.
Posted: Oct 09, 2023