National Awareness Days on social media: waste of time gimmick or potential marketing opportunity? 

In the fast-paced world of social media marketing, and with algorithms that favour regular posting, brands are always on the lookout for ways to engage their audience and stay relevant. National awareness days, whether celebrating mental health, sustainability, or more quirky themes like National Doughnut Day, offer ready-made opportunities for content creation. But are they always the right fit? 

While jumping on these trending topics can boost visibility and help build personality around your brand, misusing them can come across as inauthentic or opportunistic. In this blog, we’ll explore the pros and cons of incorporating national awareness days into your brand’s social media strategy, helping you decide when and how to join the conversation.

Rule number one: Relevancy

There is one way to get the use of national awareness days on your social media wrong, and that's by shoehorning a topic that doesn't fit with your brand. To make the most of these opportunities and drive the best engagement, consider this: is the theme of the day relevant to my brand values? For example, there are many days throughout the year that focus on sustainability, which is a great opportunity for businesses to showcase the steps they're taking to reduce their carbon footprint, or to push their environmentally friendly products. However, if you can't actively demonstrate your efforts in this area, it's best to steer clear from talking about it.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. That's to say, you don't need to be Papa John to celebrate National Pizza Day, as this could simply be about showing your business behind the scenes and adding some personality to your brand, but it still needs to fit with your overall tone. I.e. Going for a well-polished, corporate tone? Pizza Day might not be for you (by all means, indulge off camera). 

Rule number two: Variety

Rule number three: Authenticity

Finally, make sure the content you post is unique and authentic. Simply posting 'Happy XXX Day' will likely get lost in the crowd and could pull your relevancy into question. Find a unique angle that will resonate with your audience and, finally, have fun with it! Be creative, be authentic and be relevant - that's the trio that will help you drive engagement and build your audience. Need some help getting started? Here are some examples of how we've used National Days within our client's social media plans: