Memorial Day and Fourth of July are both patriotic holidays and both included three-day weekends this year. Yet we found drastic differences in content consumption and social engagement for the holidays. We took a look at the differences, and have some useful tips for you––about when, where, and what to post for Memorial Day and Fourth of July––to inform your content strategy.
When to Post
We looked at the twenty days leading up to Memorial Day (May 6-May 26) and a twenty day period leading up to the Fourth of July (June 8-June 28). Even though the Fourth of July is still two days away, we saw strong engagement starting three weeks ago. Memorial Day content engagement didn’t pick up until the few days leading up to the holiday.
What to Post
The Memorial Day content that garnered the strongest engagement included sales (especially jewelry, summer attire, and home and garden supplies), content honoring the armed forces, and information on the holiday’s history.
For the Fourth of July, the top content includes fireworks, places to celebrate, and recipes.
Where to Post
Just as the types of content for each of the holidays differed, the services used to engage with Memorial Day content and Fourth of July content also differed. Memorial Day content was shared most on Twitter and LinkedIn. Fourth of July content is frequently shared privately (Email and Print). Pinterest is also a popular spot to share those recipes!
Compared to Memorial Day, users are planning more for the Fourth of July. For weeks now, they’ve been planning picnics, fireworks shows, and destinations for the long weekend. Keep this in mind as you engage your users this week. Track your progress and see how your users engage by first signing into your AddThis dashboard!