You may not have a crystal ball to predict what kind of content will be popular tomorrow, but you can bank on certain recurring events piquing the interest of audiences and publishers year after year.
Creating content around popular annual events can lead to an uptick in traffic, SEO, brand awareness, and sales. But if you publish about an event before it's on anyone's radar or too long after it's passed, you'll struggle to attract interest. The key to success with seasonal content is timing publication and promotion to occur while the event is top of mind for your audience.
We've pinpointed the optimal times to publish and promote seasonal content based on which date ranges saw the largest volume of content published about major events during 2015. Using this data, we've created a 2016 editorial content calendar that includes recommendations for when to produce, publish, and promote seasonal content.
Read on to learn more about the best times to publish and promote seasonal content, and get seasonal marketing ideas based on the most popular posts last year. Be sure to check out our interactive calendar below and download a free editorial calendar to help personalize your approach to content production and promotion.
Key Takeaways
- If your main goal is getting a story picked up by publishers, focus your PR outreach efforts on events that have a longer life cycle in the media.
- Get more mileage out of events with short publishing cycles, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Memorial Day, by creating evergreen content that can be updated and repurposed year after year (examples: video tutorials, how-to articles, gift guides).
- Live events, such as the Super Bowl, Summer Olympics, and Academy Awards, also present opportunities for newsjacking and real-time publication (such as releasing content during the event when interest is highest).
- Be sure your content is optimized for Facebook. When it comes to generating social shares, Facebook is king; it produced the majority of social shares for content around every event.
- Video content is highly shareable. YouTube is among the top 10 sites with the most social shares for almost every event.
January
From an editorial perspective, January is best spent preparing for an event-packed February. You can begin publishing content related to the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, and the Academy Awards toward the end of the month.
February
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Stereotypes: Super Bowl Party
Example: 16 Things Katy Perry Looked Like During Her Halftime Performance
Example: The Patriots Should Be Disqualified From the Super Bowl
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
- Facebook Top 50: Articles (lists) and videos (commercials)
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (how to)
- Twitter Top 50: Videos (commercials, halftime clips)
Average Social Shares: 3,540
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, BuzzFeed, GodVine, Bored Panda, Huffington Post, GMA Network, Mirror, Inquisitr, Daily Mail, The Guardian
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Lady Gaga's Comeback Plan: Remind Everyone She Can Really, Really Sing
Example: Sean Penn's Green Card Comment May Have Ruined the Entire Oscars
Example: Fake Oscar Prank: Pretending to Be a Celebrity
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 1,367
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: Oscar.com, Huffington Post, Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, ET Online, EW.com, BuzzFeed, YouTube, Time, Variety
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 5 Reasons Why Beck Beat Beyoncé
Example: Heatless Soft Curls Inspired by the Grammys
Example: 2015 Grammys: The Best, the Worst, and the Weirdest Moments
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 1,151
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, Billboard, Huffington Post, Hollywood Life, Rolling Stone, US Magazine, E! Online, ET Online, Grammy.com, Hollywood Reporter
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 23 Easy Valentine's Day Crafts That Require no Special Skills Whatsoever
Example: Drugstore Valentine Makeup Tutorial
Example: How to: Make a DIY Scratch-off Valentine
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
- Facebook Top 50: Articles (lists, how to, news) and video (comedy, news)
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (lists, how to, gift guides) and graphics (how to)
- Twitter Top 50: Articles (lists), video (comedy, how to), and giveaways
Average Social Shares: 1,728
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, BuzzFeed, YAN, Huffington Post, PlayBuzz, Cosmopolitan, DramaFever, 123Greetings, Time, E! Online
March
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Everyone's Bracket Right Now
Example: 23 Reasons the Wisconsin Badgers Still Won the NCAA Tournament
Example: Tom Izzo is The Best Coach In Modern NCAA Tournament History -- By Far
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 419
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: ESPN, DramaFever, SI.com, Bleacher Report, BuzzFeed, Fox Sports, USA Today, YouTube, NCAA.com, Zimbio
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: For St. Patrick's Day, 16 Pictures That Transport You to Ireland
Example: To Eat Authentically Irish This St. Patrick's Day, Go For the Butter
Example: Solar Storm Could Dye Skies Green for St. Patrick's Day
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
Average Social Shares: 298
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: Huffington Post, IrishCentral.com, BuzzFeed, SoundCloud, NBC News, Time, YouTube, ABC.net.au, NJ.com, BroBible
April
With March Madness winding down, not many events happen during April. However, notable dates such as April Fool's Day, Tax Day, and Earth Day may be relevant to include in your editorial calendar. Toward the end of the month, you can begin publishing Mother's Day content and start production on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Father's Day, and graduation content.
May
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Happy Mother's Day From National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative
Example: How It Feels Not to Have a Mom on Mother's Day
Example: 25 Easy Steps to Wow Your Mom This Mother's Day
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
Average Social Shares: 760
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, USA Today, GMA Network, BuzzFeed, Time, 123Greetings.com, Today.com, ABC News, Elite Daily, ForEveryMom.com
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Meet the Valedictorian Who Turned Graduation Into a 'Shake It Off' Flash Mob
Example: 15 Hilarious Graduation Caps That Show Exactly the Status of Students
Example: These High School Seniors Just Blew Every Other Graduation Ceremony out of the Water
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
Average Social Shares: 1,459
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: MTV.com, BuzzFeed, ABS-CBN News, Fox News, ABC News, YouTube, Rare.us, Huffington Post, Today, GMA Network
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: I've Never Thought About Memorial Day Like This
Example: 6 Things Every American Should Know About Memorial Day
Example: How to Throw the Perfect Memorial Day Barbecue, According to Rappers
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 743
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: Right Wing News, Independent Journal, StarTribune.com, Conservative Post, Conservative Tribune, Top Right News, GOP the Daily Dose, YouTube, USA Today, ABC News
June
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Emotional New Ad Gives Props to Single Moms on Father's Day
Example: 21 DIY Ideas for Father's Day Cards
Example: 13 Truths Anyone Who's Lost Their Dad Understands About Father's Day
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
Average Social Shares: 564
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: Huffington Post, GMA Network, YouTube, E! Online, ESPN, EW.com, ET Online, TMZ, Daily Mail, ABS-CBN News
July
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Firefighter Suspended for Flying Confederate Flag in Fourth of July Parade Explains Why He Did It
Example: Celebrate American Values With These Inspiring 4th of July Quotes
Example: Winn-Dixie to Donate All Profits on 4th of July to Wounded Warrior Project
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
Average Social Shares: 877
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, Wounded American Warrior, WCTV.tv, Hollywood Life, BuzzPo, BuzzFeed, The Blaze, Breitbart, Huffington Post, Fox News
August
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Dear Teachers, You're not Fooling Me
Example: 34 Unforgettable Back-To-School Things all '90s Teenage Girls Did
Example: Teachers Sing 'One Day More' Before Students Return to School
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 863
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, BuzzFeed, WGNTV.com, ABC News, DramaFever, Money Saving Mom, ABS-CBN News, GMA Network, Teen Vogue, Huffington Post
Note: Social sharing data are not available for the Summer Olympics since it only happens every four years.
September
Since September is relatively quiet in terms of events, your best bet during this month may be getting started on content for the holiday season. The date has not been announced yet for the 2016 Emmys (at the time of publishing), but if you plan on incorporating this into your seasonal content strategy, leave space in your editorial calendar at the end of August and through September.
October
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: Dad's Awesome Nonprofit Builds Wheelchair-Based Halloween Costumes for Kids
Example: What It Means if You See a Teal Pumpkin This Halloween
Example: 53 Spooky and Creative Halloween Craft Projects
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
- Facebook Top 50: Articles (lists, how to)
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (how to, lists) and graphics (step-by-step tutorials)
- Twitter Top 50: Videos (mostly Vine videos)
Average Social Shares: 5,520
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: BuzzFeed, YouTube, Huffington Post, YAN, MTV.com, Diply, Pop Sugar, GMA Network, Today.com, Bored Panda
November
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 7 Perfect Outfit Ideas for Thanksgiving Break
Example: 'Watch Me Sip... My Chardonnay-nay': A Song Parody to Cure Thanksgiving Stress
Example: These 24 Chains Are Refusing to Open on Thanksgiving Day
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
- Facebook Top 50: Articles (news, how to) and videos (comedy)
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (how to, lists) and graphics (how to)
- Twitter Top 50: Articles (how to, lists) and videos (comedy, how to)
Average Social Shares: 2,085
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, New York Times, Distractify, Huffington Post, Today.com, BuzzFeed, RawStory, Washington Post, Upworthy, NPR
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 5 Facts Proving Black Friday 'Deals' Are Actually a Total Scam
Example: If Black Friday Were a Movie
Example: If You Pick Hiking Over Shopping on Black Friday, You May Get in Free to Some California State Parks
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
Average Social Shares: 1,215
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, USA Today, BlackFriday.fm, Uproxx, NBC Bay Area, Time, Huffington Post, CNN Money, SoundCloud, LA Times
December
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 37 Magical Ways to Use Mason Jars This Christmas
Example: 19 Reasons Why 'Elf' Will Always Be Your Favorite Christmas Movie
Example: We're Officially Declaring This the Most Powerful Holiday Commercial Ever
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Pinterest
- Facebook Top 50: Videos (comedy, music), articles (gift guides, lists), and quizzes
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (how to, lists) and graphics (how to)
- Twitter Top 50: (comedy and music)
Average Social Shares: 10,817
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, BuzzFeed, GodVine, Bored Panda, Huffington Post, GMA Network, Mirror, Inquisitr, Daily Mail, The Guardian
Content Formats With Highest Average Shares:
Example: 23 Things to Do to Improve Your Mental Health in 2016
Example: New Year's Eve Makeup Plus Outfit Ideas
Example: A New Year Resolution That's Good for You and the Planet: Stop Eating Meat
Social Networks With Highest Average Shares: Facebook and Twitter
- Facebook Top 50: Articles (lists)
- Twitter Top 50: Videos, articles (lists), and giveaways
- Pinterest Top 50: Articles (lists, how to)
Average Social Shares: 1,217
Top 10 Sites With the Most Social Shares: YouTube, Elite Daily, 123Greetings, Allkpop, Koreaboo, BrainFall, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, ABS-CBN News, 9GAG
2016 Interactive Content Calendar
Methodology
BuzzSumo was used to identify all content published around annual events and then pinpoint which time periods saw the highest publishing volume. The content analyzed was published between December 15, 2014 and December 15, 2015. Alexa's site comparison tool was used to analyze how event dates impacted the reach percentage and page view percentage for the top 10 sites with the most-shared content around each event.
*While your production timelines will vary based on the scope of your content, within the calendar we've designated production start dates that fall one week, one month, and two months before publication.
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