‘Tis the season … to rank high in the search engines.
The holiday season is a time for joy, laughter, and a chaotic dash to find the perfect gifts.
But while everyone else is busy fighting over the last toy on the shelf, savvy marketers know that the real magic happens online.
This is your chance to spruce up your search engine optimization (SEO) and make your brand shine like Rudolph’s nose. In other words, it’s the ideal time to start optimizing your content so that your brand stands out in a sea of search engine results.
In this guide, we’ll unwrap 7 holiday content and social media post ideas to boost your SEO and attract eager shoppers to your website.
7 holiday content ideas to give your SEO a much-needed boost
From eye-catching landing pages to engaging social media posts, we’ve listed top strategies to capture festive search traffic during the holiday season.
1. Build eye-catching holiday landing pages
The holidays are the perfect time to give your website a little extra sparkle. This includes your landing page.
This is where your customers can find holiday deals, see countdown timers that build excitement, and, most importantly, make shopping a breeze. So, deck out your landing pages with eye-catching visuals and imagery that reflect the current holiday.
Think warm holiday color palettes and holiday-specific copy that puts visitors in a festive mood.
You can add even more cheer with animations or themed graphics like Bath & Body Works does on its homepage.
Make sure you optimize every element of your landing page. This includes page titles, image alt tags, and page copy.
For example, you could use keywords like “last-minute Christmas gifts,” “best Christmas gift ideas,” or “Christmas decorations.”
You can also use long-tail keywords (a.k.a. specific SEO phrases that target a niche, high-intent audience). Holiday shoppers often have a high purchase intent and are in “quick-buy” mode.
So, you can increase your chances of getting sales and ranking high in the search engines since you’ll be using lower competition keywords.
2. Publish festive blog posts with trending keywords
Holidays are the season to go big and bold with blog posts. This festive season, get creative with topics that match your audience’s interests and needs.
Are DIY holiday crafts hot this season? Or maybe zero-waste gifts?
Whatever it is, take that trend, add a holiday twist, and run with it in your SEO blog post.
Popular keywords are your best friend here. Tools like Google Trends can help you uncover what holiday-related topics are trending in search.
Use these phrases naturally throughout your posts so search engines know your content is the holiday goldmine readers want.
And don’t just stop at text. Mix in seasonal images, videos, and even infographics to spice up your content.
3. Run a holiday-themed contest or giveaway
Who doesn’t love a good holiday contest? (Spoiler: everyone does!) A themed giveaway is an amazing way to engage your target audience, boost brand awareness, and get everyone in the holiday spirit.
For example, for Christmas, you can run “12 Days of Giveaways”, where each day has a unique prize.
Or, you could do a “Holiday Wishlist” contest where followers share what’s on their wishlist for a chance to win it.
If you go this route, make sure you create dedicated landing pages or holiday social media posts for your contests.
Spell out how to enter in easy steps (e.g., like, follow, share).
Throw in some festive visuals to catch everyone’s eye—like BottleRover, an alcohol delivery app, did here.
Get inspired by BottleRover to run a festive season competition
Now, you’re probably thinking, what does this have to do with SEO?
Contests often lead to organic backlinks as people share the page, which can help boost your rankings.
Optimize the page with keywords like “holiday giveaway,” “Christmas contest,” and “win holiday prizes so even those who miss the big announcement can stumble upon the joy.
4. Use holiday keywords in your product descriptions
Holiday shoppers are always on the hunt for the perfect gift. And you know what that means? They’re using very specific search terms.
So, make your product descriptions pop and attract the right audience with seasonal keywords.
Instead of “Cozy Sweater,” how about “Cozy Sweater – Perfect Christmas Gift for Her”?
Little tweaks like these add seasonal appeal and increase the chances of holiday shoppers discovering your website.
5. Share gift guides
Holiday shopping isn’t one-size-fits-all. People are buying for their dad, who has everything, their super picky sister, their friend who just had a baby…you get the point.
So, a lot of shoppers just don’t know what to get.
But if you share a helpful gift guide, you can turn a frustrating shopping experience into a less stressful one.
These festive gift guides can be blog posts, downloadable PDFs, or even dedicated landing pages for easy shopping.
Make sure you create a guide that is that is specific to your industry and what your customers are looking for. Some examples include:
- “Top 10 Gifts for Coffee Lovers”
- “Holiday Must-Haves for Travelers”
- “Budget-Friendly Christmas Gifts for Kids”
If it fits with your content, sprinkle in keywords like “last-minute holiday gifts,” “gifts under $25,” “Black Friday sales,” “New Year’s Eve deals,” or “best gifts for her” to catch the eye of shoppers who need a little help finding the perfect present.
6. Create “things to do” roundup articles
Create “things to do” articles around holiday activities to attract seasonal traffic and offer genuine value to readers looking for holiday plans.
Include a mix of activities, from holiday markets and parades to cozy at-home ideas like movie nights and holiday baking.
Cruise America, an RV rental company in Las Vegas, fills its blog with content about festive itineraries, family-friendly road trips, and must-see destinations.
By offering suggestions on where to go, how to enjoy quality family time, and practical tips for holiday travel, Cruise America boosts its SEO through relevant seasonal keywords and positions itself as a helpful resource.
This type of content attracts holiday travelers and builds brand trust by showing Cruise America’s dedication to making holiday memories unforgettable adventures.
7. Know your customers
Knowing your audience is key to creating irresistible content.
Are your customers busy parents looking for time-saving gift ideas?
Or maybe millennials are hunting for unique, sustainable gifts?
Tapping into what they need and leaving helps you deliver the perfect holiday experience.
Do some keyword research to understand what type of holiday-related content your audience is searching for.
You can also use a customer data platform (CDP) to get to know your customers.
These platforms collect data from multiple sources.
From this, you can discover patterns and trends in customer behavior.
This helps you craft holiday-specific content that resonates with your audience, whether through blog posts, product pages, or social media campaigns.
CDPs can also help you supercharge your keyword strategy by revealing what customers are searching for during the season.
As a result, you can create targeted content that ranks in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
By tracking which topics and channels lead to the most engagement, you can optimize your holiday marketing campaigns for better organic reach and higher conversion rates.
Ready to Plann the best holiday season ever?
Got some holiday content ideas in place? Make scheduling a breeze with Plann.
You’ll get done-for-you captions, monthly social media calendars, and curated high-performing hashtag – and so much more
Whether you’re crafting festive Instagram posts, launching a holiday sale, or repurposing content across platforms, Plann makes it easy.
You’ll never run out of social media post ideas again with our AI caption and content ideas generator, perfect for busy business owners to help you show up consistently on social media.
Start a 7-day free trial today with Plann for free, and let this holiday shopping season be your best yet.
