2022 Holiday Marketing Trends for Social Media

It’s that time of the year again – people across the globe will take out their coats, brew some hot chocolate, and plan their holiday season sitting by the fire. However, that’s not all there is to the holiday season. 

For businesses worldwide, the start of the holiday season signals the beginning of the most lucrative season of the year. Online holiday spending alone is expected to reach $910 billion – an 11% year-on-year increase!

The holidays might seem several weeks away, but marketers, like us here at Social Thrive, must prepare and plan their holiday marketing trends for social. With market studies revealing that 45% of consumers started shopping for the holidays in October, there is no time to waste.

Let’s look at the top marketing trends expected to shape the holiday spending season in 2022.

5 Holiday Marketing Trends For Social Media In 2022

Social media marketing is crucial in increasing conversions, with 58% of consumers agreeing that social media influences holiday purchases. 

Let’s take a look at the top trends in how you can optimize your social media marketing to maximize conversions for the holiday season in 2022:

1. Inflation-Driven Promotions Will Be Key

COVID-19 has left a lasting impact, reshaping the world as we knew it. The subsequent recession and inflationary pressure have further dwindled consumer budgets heading into the holiday season in 2022.

Marketers must appeal to consumer pockets by offering special pricing offers that help them convert quickly. For instance, B2C brands will have to host promotional strategies such as social media giveaways, contests, and coupons, all in an attempt to engage and convert customers.

For a B2B audience, this means focusing on ads offering subscription services. They can use their social media channels to inform their audience about incentives for subscription upgrades or give a referral bonus to current customers to increase sales.

2. Engage Your Audience Through USG (User-generated content)

There is nothing more credible than social proof. Instead of explaining how your offering can help your audience, why not let past customers speak from their experience?

84% of consumers trust recommendations from fellow buyers above all other advertising strategies. And for a good reason, UGC helps your audience ‘see’ how your product will actually look. And positive content further adds to the credibility of your brand. 

To take it up a notch – you can initiate a hashtag trend. Ask your audience to share your pictures with your products. Not only does it increase credibility and engagement, but it also gives you a plethora of social proof to share across your social media channels.

Announce a small gift or discount for the competition, which will be enough to gain traction.

3. Live Shopping On YouTube

Last year’s holiday season saw several live social shopping events on different platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. It is expected that live shopping will definitely make a comeback during the 2022 holiday season. 

This is because, in 2022, YouTube introduced new live shopping features and shoppable YouTube Shorts after teaming up with Glossier. 

Moreover, YouTube has been voted the most trusted platform for social commerce, suggesting that the network will offer social commerce features to different companies throughout this holiday season.

Meta and TikTok have put a short pause on their live shopping investments this year as they come up with a game plan that will redirect their spending. As TikTok goes through some restructuring and Meta prioritizes Reels content, holiday marketing will look different this year.

4. Social Media Influencers

In 2022, influencers will continue to help businesses drive purchases during the holiday season. Gift-giving is customary during these months, so consumers always look for shopping inspiration. What better place to visit to find inspiration than social media?

Social media has a mix of ads, branded content, and creators that provide insight into shopping behavior. People also love looking for product recommendations by clicking on their favorite social media creator’s profile. Research collected from Meta shows that 29% of consumers in the United States believe that influencers help them finalize gifts during the holiday season.

As TikTok becomes more popular and the hashtag #tiktokmademebuyit makes rounds on social media, we expect influencers and content creators to continue influencing consumers’ decision-making power. Social media users always look for recommendations and purchases, making the holiday season a great time to increase sales through creator marketing.

5. Checkouts On Instagram

One of the most important developments that have come about on Instagram is the introduction of in-app checkouts. This means that individuals can now buy products directly through Instagram DMs. 

Small businesses will primarily benefit from this, especially those that use Instagram Shop and see an influx of sales during the holiday season. Since Instagram is working to make the purchase process as seamless as possible, we expect a rise in sales on the platform. 

Hence, marketers need to tailor their marketing tools for social accordingly. It is important to leverage social commerce features, including in-app checkouts, shoppable video content, and live shopping.

Key Takeaway

As Thanksgiving approaches, businesses gear up to make the most of the holiday season sales. With COVID-19 drastically impacting the last two holiday cycles, marketers hope this year will finally help them reach their sales objectives.

However, as the competition increases, the adage of ‘the early bird gets the worm’ aptly fits this scenario. It is crucial to roll out your promotional strategies early and tailor your offerings to your target audience.

Use innovative features, use your social media channels to keep your audience posted about new offerings, and look to engage them as much as possible. 

Happy holidays!