Should Your Brand Leverage Weekly Hashtags and Social Media Holidays?
Trending hashtags like #MondayMotivation or #SundayFunday have become staples on social media. The theory is simple: hopping onto these weekly trends will increase visibility and boost engagement metrics without requiring much effort. After all, who wouldn’t want to increase reach with minimal lift? But does the data back up this theory? Let’s take a closer look at both weekly hashtags and social media holidays to see how they truly perform.
The Power (or Lack Thereof) of Weekly Hashtags
The data reveals an interesting insight: not all weekly hashtags are created equal. For example, while #MondayMotivation boasts a whopping 53,000 tweets, #WednesdayWisdom lags far behind at just 13,000. Surprisingly, Tuesday doesn’t even have a designated hashtag, leaving the day hashtag-free in the social media landscape.
If you’re considering using these hashtags, the choice isn’t clear-cut. If your goal is to increase visibility, some of these trends might help, but they’re certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution. Hashtags like #Caturday and #FridayFeeling may work for some brands, but they’re not always a surefire way to stand out. Given the sheer volume of posts tied to these trends, your content could easily get lost in the crowd.
Should You Incorporate Weekly Trends?
The answer is: it depends. If you already have a large audience, incorporating weekly hashtags occasionally can be beneficial. But using these trends too often could overwhelm your followers, leading to unfollows and decreased engagement.
The key here is to focus on quality over quantity. While bots may flood these hashtags with irrelevant content, your brand should prioritize meaningful, visually engaging content. Posts that resonate with your audience will always outperform those that simply hop on a trending bandwagon without much thought.
The Bot Problem: Beware of Corny Content
A major downside to participating in weekly hashtag trends is the risk of attracting bots. These automated accounts often post spammy, irrelevant, or obscene (corn) content, with “corn” being a common euphemism for obscene content that is prevalent on X. For many brands, this can lead to awkward or even damaging situations. Imagine your carefully crafted post being sandwiched between two inappropriate tweets—definitely not a good look!
For some brands, this could be played off as humorous. For others, it could lead to a brand safety crisis. Either way, it’s important to consider the risks before diving into trending hashtags headfirst.
The Power of Social Media Holidays in September: A Data-Driven Approach
In addition to weekly trending hashtags, many brands capitalize on social media holidays to boost their engagement. These holidays—like #NationalBeerLoversDay or #NationalCheesePizzaDay—offer unique opportunities for timely content creation. But how do these holidays perform in terms of social media engagement, particularly on Twitter?
The data from the ListenFirst Listening tool offers valuable insights into the performance of these social media holidays during September:
- #LaborDay and #LaborDayWeekend generated significant attention, with a peak of 37,039 mentions on Twitter on September 3, tapering down in the days that followed.
- #NationalBeerLoversDay saw a gradual rise, peaking at 1,158 mentions on September 7, showing a strong response to this quirky holiday.
- #NationalCheesePizzaDay reached a high of 1,648 mentions on September 5, underscoring the popularity of fun, food-related social media holidays.
- On the other hand, #NationalChocolateMilkshakeDay and #NationalDayOfEncouragement barely registered any engagement, highlighting the variance in popularity across different holidays.
- #NationalReadABookDay showed a surprising surge, peaking at 7,248 mentions on September 6, indicating the strong appeal of holidays related to education or literature.
Key Takeaways: Choosing the Right Strategy
While social media holidays and weekly hashtags can drive engagement, their success varies widely. Weekly hashtags may not always be the best way to stand out, while food, leisure, and widely celebrated holidays (like Labor Day) tend to perform better. Niche holidays and lesser-known hashtags can struggle to gain traction unless they align closely with your brand’s message.
If you do want to hop on a trend or holiday, going weird may be your best bet. Brands using humor, irony, or quirky content often stand out more in a crowded hashtag. So, incorporating an offbeat approach could help you make a more memorable impact.
Incorporating social media holidays and weekly trends into your content calendar can be a smart move—but, as with everything in social media, it’s essential to be selective. Choose the holidays and hashtags that resonate most with your audience, and always prioritize quality and relevance over quantity.
Don’t forget, ListenFirst is here to help you stay ahead of the curve by tracking emerging trends and customizing your content strategy. Plus, we share weekly social media holidays your brand can engage with in our Pool Party newsletter.
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