Whether you’re a one-person shop or a growing small business, having a clear, simple social media plan helps you stay visible, relevant, and ready to catch those year-end sales in the busiest—and most competitive—time of year. 

Use this quick to-do list to keep your marketing organized and effective without burning out this season!

1. Map Out Your Holiday Offers Early

Decide what you’re promoting NOW: special bundles, limited-time discounts, gift sets, loyalty rewards, or extended hours. 

Create a simple calendar that outlines when each offer goes live. This makes it easy to keep your messaging consistent and ensures you’re not scrambling to post at the last minute.

2. Refresh Your Seasonal Branding

A few small touches go a long way. Update your cover photos, pinned posts, and profile banners with holiday themes that match your brand. 

Think festive colors, warm imagery, or simple “Happy Holidays” messages. Just make sure it still feels like you, not like an over-decorated department store.

3. Plan Your Content Mix

Variety keeps audiences engaged. Mix promotional posts with value-driven content, like these:

• Gift guides featuring your products
  
• Behind-the-scenes holiday prep
  
• Customer spotlights or testimonials
  
• Holiday tips related to your industry
  
• Fun, lighthearted posts that invite interaction
  

Aim for a balanced blend of sales-driven and community-focused content.

4. Prep Holiday Visuals in Bulk

Holiday marketing is highly visual, and you want to be recognizable in the maelstrom of seasonal content. 

Batch-create your graphics, Reels, stories, carousels, and photos for the entire season. This saves time and helps you maintain a cohesive look and feel throughout December.

5. Schedule Posts & Automate Where You Can

Use scheduling tools to pre-load your content. 

Automation keeps your feed active—even on the days you’re too busy fulfilling orders, hosting events, or enjoying much-deserved time off.

6. Engage Daily (Even for 10 Minutes)

Respond to comments, answer messages, react to tags, and actively participate in conversations. 

Engagement boosts your visibility and makes customers feel valued during the busiest time of year.

7. Leverage User-Generated Content

Holiday shoppers love seeing real people enjoy your products. Encourage customers to tag you, share their holiday experiences, or post unboxings. 

Reposting customer content also builds trust and saves you time creating everything from scratch!

8. Track What’s Working—and Pivot Fast

Check your analytics weekly. Which posts are getting the most clicks, saves, shares, or conversions? 

Keep doing more of what’s working, and tweak anything that’s not resonating. The season is short, so you want every post to pull its weight.

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The holidays can feel overwhelming, but a simple, organized plan helps your small business show up with confidence and consistency. Start now, stay flexible, and let your brand’s personality shine through. Your ROI (and your customers!) will thank you.

Do you have your holiday marketing planned? How are you planning to share your special promotions this year? Share in the comments!

Recommended Reading:
9 Ways to Attract Last-Minute Holiday Shoppers Online