I've always loved Halloween. Ever since I was a kid it was always my favorite day of the year, although Christmas is probably a tie for my favorite days now. You see, today is my birthday! Yup, I have the BEST birthday ever!

Growing up as a kid, we all got dressed up in costumes - I mean, really, how much fun is it to get dressed up as your favorite character or super hero on your birthday every year? It's pretty awesome. And then at school we got candy because it was Halloween. But I also got a cake, because it was my birthday. Then I'd get home from school, and I'd get cake for my birthday at home. And then we'd still get to out and collect candy trick-or-treating! Tell me this isn't the best day ever for a kid! 😉

My parents on the other hand.... I have no idea how they handled me on a hyped-up sugar rush for 2-3 weeks straight!

But even as an adult, I still have an excuse to dress up in whatever silly costume I like. And there's always a party - whether at work or with friends or at a bar. It doesn't matter what day of the week Halloween falls on, there's always something going on. And, yes, I still get cake and candy 🙂

So, you can see why I love this day. And if you know me at all by now, you know I love social media. It was inevitable that I would combine these two topics for a blog post!

Here are my social media lessons from Halloween.

The Pumpkin Patch

If you've ever visited a pumpkin patch you know what it looks like. A vast field with rows upon rows of pumpkins. There are thousands to choose from. Some bigger than others, some a little brighter orange that others. Some are short and fat, while others are tall and skinny. So how do you find the perfect pumpkin in all that chaos?

Your social media page is a lot like a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. It's just one of many. And some other pages might be more popular or share more posts. But your page is perfect for someone. Don't try to look like the other pages out there. Be yourself. Reflect you and your brand. If you're sassy, be sassy on your page. You don't need to be the perfect page, you just need to be you and let the audience come find you - because, yes, they are looking for you!

The Witch's Cauldron

Slaving over that hot fire, the witch is constantly trying out new concoctions and potions. Add a little of this, add a splash of that. Experimenting and mixing until the perfect brew is ready.

Content creation and curation is just like the witch's cauldron. It takes trial and error, mixing and matching, playing with new ideas, and even a little "abra-cadabra" to get the perfect recipe for social media success. Don't be afraid to try new things and introduce new content to your pages. It's an ongoing experiment with a constantly evolving audience.

Bobbing for Apples

I might be aging myself with this example - does anyone actually bob for apples anymore? Oh well, I still like the analogy so I'm gonna use it. If you remember bobbing for apples when you were a kid, you remember how much work it took to get that dang apple out of the barrel. But wasn't it all worth it in the end?

Social media takes work. Sometimes it's messy, sometimes it's exhausting. But it's always worth it in the end. The sweet reward of success is worth everything we go through to connect, engage, share, and cultivate a community.

Costume Fun

Even as an adult, how much do you love dressing up in a costume on Halloween? Out comes your inner child and it's pretty hard to take anyone, including yourself, too seriously when you're walking around dressed up like a fictional character.

While you should always be you and be real on social media, you also need to learn to kick back and have fun. Don't be too serious or too stuffy. Learn to relax and engage with your audience in a way that's entertaining for both of you. And don't be afraid to laugh at yourself!

Trick or Treat

Do houses even make you do tricks anymore? Or is it just an instant handout of candy upon opening the door? I think it's probably the latter. But every now and then you might encounter that house that makes you sing the national anthem or something silly to get your treat.

Social media is usually all about the treats. We share photos, tips, articles, resources, and other fun "treats" with our audience. It's like an endless Halloween treat all year long. But every now and then, it's ok to make them work for it. Use a "trick" to get their "treat". One of the best ways to grow your list is to get people to opt-in through contests or to download an e-book or whitepaper. Using these methods occasionally can help you grow your list so you can get back to handing out more treats.

Well, those are my social media lessons from Halloween for you. I hope you like them and that every time you hear "trick or treat" today you think about how you can improve your social media strategy. I know, I probably just ruined Halloween for you. But don't worry, with all the candy and costumes coming your way, you'll still have a great day!