7 End-Of-Summer Social Media Ideas for Small Businesses
Summer is quickly coming to an end, but the charm is still in the air. While the fall season is no short of goodies (no, pumpkin spice not included!) for small businesses to create fun campaigns, it’s also extremely helpful if you can catch summer’s tail.
Well, enough said. Here are seven end-of-summer digital marketing campaign ideas for small businesses. Get ready to copy, save, or take screenshots, because we guarantee your audience will get a kick out of this!
“...fan sales have doubled in 2022 over 2021, refrigerator sales rose over 100% over 2021, AC sales rose by 3x, and room cooler sales have also witnessed a 2.5X jump.”
A Peek Into Your Consumer’s End of Summer Trends
Understanding what consumers look for between the two seasons is key to running successful end-of-summer campaigns. This past summer, electronics led consumer spending, followed by food & beverage, beauty & skincare, and grooming services. Meanwhile, fashion, travel (including hotels, resorts, seasonal attractions), and home services continue to boom through summer.
For any business under the consumer goods category, end-of-summer is a great time to run promotions to clear out inventory stashes. For home services or other businesses with seasonal restrictions (say, an ice cream shop), end-of-summer is their last chance of the year to make bank.
1. Beaches, Lakes, Bikinis
As a small business, we can’t pay to have a whole beach party set up or shoot a branded hot air balloon over the biggest lake in the state. However, we CAN create outdoor content capturing the final bit of summer warmth using what we already have.
Outdoor content is also perfect for showcasing products and seasonal success. Don’t feel cheap for taking off your shirt and showing your muscles by crystal blue water to promote your fitness training services. Meanwhile, summer flowers make every product shoot prettier. You cannot disagree with us on that one.
Suitable Industry: Consumer Goods, Travel, Fashion, Food & Bev, Fitness, Coaching
2. Back to School Campaigns For Parents
If you thought back to school is only good for promoting kids’ stuff, think twice. Parents are as easily convinced to buy for themselves as their kids in this unique timeframe. Especially after the pandemic, pandemics are ready to take a break.
That’s why an end-of-summer campaign focusing on the angel of giving parents some “me time” could do wonders for many businesses. Own a restaurant? Try to create a parent’s night out menu. Run a spa? Make a special package for moms during the first week of school!
Suitable Industry: Food & Bev, Fashion, Travel, Resorts'
3. Take Advantage of the Labor Day Weekend
The labor day weekend basically marks the official end of summer in many people’s mind. Meanwhile, too many businesses throw Labor Day sale around too easily.
Therefore, take a different approach this year. Break through the noise created by all the labor day promotions by running a secondary campaign capturing the end of the summer. Alternatively, tailor your labor day campaign copies to incorporate end of summer elements and insinuate a sense of urgency: better have your last bit of summer fun, or all is gone!
Suitable Industry: Consumer Goods, Food & Bev, Cosmetics, Personal Care
4. Dog Days of Summer
If your business has anything to do with the fur babies, you’re in luck. Summer is the best season for animals, especially dogs. Therefore, capture your last few weeks of summer weather and highlight human’s best friends!
The animal-loving vibe makes end-of-summer the perfect time to promote any animal-related service and products, may it be for profit or non profit! Reels and stories are great formats to use for this purpose, especially if you have a preplanned gird posting strategy. Using reels and stories allow you to add “wild card content” to your social media pages without disturbing the existing content roster.
Suitable Industry: pet food, pet services, adoption center, pet-friendly venus and establishments
5. Away From the Heat
Marketing is about building your business identity, not shoveling your services or products down people’s throats. That’s why small businesses must maintain a fine balance between business/sales and personal/lifestyle content.
If you’re a coach, this social media idea is specially made for you. However, showing your authentic self instead of holding up a positive, motivated entrpereneur’s profile on social media will benefit any business owner.
Plus, who couldn’t use a break before the last quarter of the year knocks on the door?
Suitable Industry: Everything
6. Halfway Through the Year
The end of summer is what really makes people realize how quickly time flies. We’re halfway through the year, officially! Therefore, now is a great time to look back at everything you’ve done throughout the year.
Create case studies, infographics, or summary videos to highlight your achievements over the year’s first half. Be sure to provide verified data and relevant examples in these posts.
If you have the bandwidth, create a full-funnel campaign surrounding the case studies and start generating leads for fall!
Suitable Industry: Non Profit, Business Services, Personal Services, Fitness
7. BTS Ramp Up For Fall
Summer to fall is a major business transition. Therefore, utilize all the work you put in behind-the-scene to get ready for the new season, and show your social media followers the real deal in your business.
This social media marketing idea is great for event planners, restaurants with seasonal menus, and creative services. Simply put, the more visuals you can provide, the better. Buried in a pile of pumpkins while redecorating your office? Ask your team to snap a photo!
Once again, reels, stories, and even livestreams are extremely effective for BTS content.
Suitable Industry: Event planners, food & bev, consumer goods, creative services
Why End-of-Summer is Gold For Small Businesses
You hear marketing consultants talk about running sales for Fall and even the holiday season once we step into August. Little did you know that you’re missing out on a golden marketing opportunity when you dive fully into preparing for the upcoming fall thinking summer is over at that point.
The thing is, most people aren’t ready for summer to be over — just like you were probably just going through your summer vacay pics last week. It’s more than the weather and the heat. Even if someone claims they hate summer, chances are they still enjoyed the vacation atmosphere created by everyone else.
Therefore, don’t let the impression of summer ending win. Use one of these end-of-summer digital marketing campaign ideas for small businesses while you still have time and capture the last wave of summer spending to boost your business into fall!