Your guide to the dos and don’ts of social posting for Memorial Day

While we’re a Canadian-owned and operated company that’s based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, many of our clients that are situated in the U.S. rely on us to formulate a social media marketing strategy that caters to their American customers. While Memorial Day is celebrated differently across the country—a day to gather and enjoy the warmer weather, a day to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, and most importantly, a day to commemorate those whose lives were lost during their military service—many businesses use this holiday as a way to show their support and connect with their target audience. So, at the price of potentially posting something that can be misinterpreted as insensitive, here are the dos and don’ts of social posting for Memorial Day.

A basic approach to get you started

While your audience won’t remember you being silent on your social channels for Memorial Day, they will remember if you post something insensitive. So, to be sure your branding isn’t affected, here are some things to consider:

• Treat the holiday with care. Even though many celebrate the day differently, it’s meant to be a somber occasion for the remembrance of fallen military heroes. While the point of your social media marketing strategy is your brand’s messaging, make sure that there is a natural tie-in, such as showing your support for military veterans. 
• If you’re going to post something fun about kicking off the summer, be very careful about how you craft this message. 
• If your product availability is still affected due to COVID, be sure to only promote items that customers will have immediate access to. 

We hope these tips will help your business to better navigate Memorial Day. Continue reading to learn more about the dos and don’ts of this national holiday. 

Tips to ensure that you have excellent Memorial Day content

Do: Post something general that recognizes the holiday. 

Do: Recognize and thank members of the military. If you or one of the employees at your company have served or has a loved one currently serving, be sure to post a photo to add a human element to your content. 

Do: Mention the start of summer, outdoor activities, or spending quality time with your loved ones. Summer-related content that mentions your brand and not the military is still okay to post. 

Don’t: Post promotional content mixed with a message about the sacrifices of the military. It takes a poor approach to the holiday and may come across as insensitive. 

If you’re in doubt about the best practices to manage your social media marketing strategy, Trek Marketing would love to help?

What are your favorite types of social media posts? Drop a comment below to share with our readers.