We all love a good themed party. But the way holidays are set up means there are massive celebratory dry stretches throughout the year. (Boo!) No wonder we the people have taken things into their own hands by creating a ton of fun, festive National Days to get us through. So, come hop on the National Day bandwagon and see how it can boost YOUR engagement!
Thanks to the power of the little hashtag that could, National Lost Sock Day, National Tattoo Day and National Coffee Day now rub shoulders with the classics like Mother’s Day and the 4th (originally of July, but also now May). Any Star Wars fans in the crowd?
Some are silly, some are serious, and some are specific niches, but let’s face it: As fans of social media and chasers of engagement, we’re all about the National Day bandwagon.
National Days offer a ton of engagement bang for your buck
Are you a smallish brand with limited social media marketing spend and plenty of blank content space you need to fill? National Days are your friend. They’re a great way to easily populate content, for one. They’re also brilliant for joining part of a larger conversation. Plus, they’re ideal for showcasing what your brand stands for.
By participating in National Pet Day (with pics of pets, naturally) or International Women’s Day (a great day to celebrate the women employees who are absolutely killing it), you can expand your reach and engagement while highlighting what matters to your brand.
However, there’s a caveat here…
You MUST prioritize how you go about getting in on the action. It has to be intentional, it has to be RELEVANT to your business.
National Days can be great for building brand awareness and engagement, but you’ve gotta be smart about it. Planning ahead is key: smacking up a pic of your pooch at 11pm on National Dog Lover’s Day means missing the boat on most of those likes. Prioritizing also matters: spending a fortune on ad creative for National Margarita Day makes no sense for a construction company. (But it does for a bar!)
Before you leap on to the National Day bandwagon, scan the National Day calendar in advance, look for the days that align with what you and your brand are all about, then create something that will resonate – while being mindful of your time, budget and brand parameters.
For the days that are “big” for your brand, consider contests, giveaways, charitable donations, features or partnerships. For relevant but not-so-big days, customizing a Canva graphic will probably do the trick.
Don’t be afraid to stand on the sidelines
But what about those ultra-marginal days that people love but that don’t fit with what you do? Look, if you’re side-eyeing National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day or National Chicken Wing Day, it’s all good. Not every National Day is going to be your jam — and honestly, shouldn’t be!
It’s totally fine to leave May the 4th (5/4) or Pi Day (3/14) to the nerdy, playful brands. The rest of us can stand aside until something more fitting comes along (and it will). I swear you won’t lose fans of over it!
Our National Day Faves
There are thousands of national days on the calendar (yep, some days have more than one), but here are a few that we never miss:
March 8: International Women’s Day
June 30: Social Media Day (check out my interview with WJLA!)
April 29: International Dance Day
July 17: World Emoji Day
July 1: Oh Snap! Anniversary (We’ll be 3 this year!) Though it’s not an official national day for the rest of the world we celebrate it here annually – watch this space!
October 1: International Coffee Day
Are you a female business owner looking for a national day calendar bursting with clickable, shareable days that often fly under the radar? Download your copy here!