Organic reach is pretty hard to find for brands in 2021, with the exception of social media holidays. Coupled with the right hashtag, these holidays are an opportunity for businesses to reach out to a like-minded crowd.
Who is on social media vacation?
Some days are the by-products of marketing campaigns. Some have been declared by official organizations such as the United Nations. Others seem to have manifested themselves in the absurdity of the internet.
Some days have multiple holidays, such as May 7th, which happens to be National Beer Day in the US and World Health Day. Some days are about serious problems, other days about National Day just because (August 27th). Some are strictly social media holidays, while many are also non-social media holidays.
Not every social media vacation is worth celebrating. Find the holidays that suit your niche.
This approach increases the likelihood of engaging with people related to common values and interests, rather than gimmicks.
Bonus: Download our free, customizable social media calendar template to easily plan and schedule all your content in advance.
2021 Social Media Holiday Calendar
January
Financial wellness month
January 4th: National Trivia Day #NationalTriviaDay
January 15: National Hat Day #NationalHatDay
January 15: National Bagel Day #NationalBagelDay
January 17th: Leave your dissolution day behind you #DitchYourResolutionDay
January 25: Opposite day #OppositeDAy
Blue Monday: Third Monday in January
Community Manager Appreciation Day #CMAD: Fourth Monday of January
February
Black History Month (USA)
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 8: Safer Internet Day
February 9: National Pizza Day #NationalPizzaDay
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science #WomenInScience
February 13: Galentine’s Day
February 17th: #RandomActsOfKindnessDay
February 21: Family Day (Canada, excluding Quebec)
National Skip the Straw Day: Fourth Friday in February
March
Month of Women’s History
Endometriosis Awareness Month
March 1st: Zero Discrimination Day
March 3: World Wildlife Day #WorldWildlifeDay
March 4th: World Book Day #WorldBookDay
March 8: International Women’s Day #InternationalWomensDay #IWD[YEAR]
March 14th: Pi Day #PiDay
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 19: World Sleep Day
March 20: International Day of Happiness #InternationalDayofHappiness
March 22nd: World Water Day #WorldWaterDay # Water2me
March 24th: Same pay day
March 29: National Mom and Pop Store Owners Day
March 31: International Transgender Visibility Day #TransDayofVisibility #TDOV
National Unplugging Day #DayOfUnplugging: First Friday in March
April
Postpone more month
National Poetry Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
April 1st: Labor Day
April 6: National Carbonara Day
April 7: National Beer Day (USA)
April 7th: World Health Day
April 10: Sibling Day #NationalScriberDay
April 11: National Pet Day #NationalPetDay
April 20: 420
April 22nd: Earth Day
April 24th: World Vaccination Week
April 28: National Superhero Day
April 29th: International Dance Day #InternationalDanceDay
Can
Asian Heritage Month
Skin Cancer Awareness Month
National Teen Self Esteem Month (USA)
National Clean Air Month (USA)
Mental Health Awareness Month
May 3 to 7: Teacher Recognition Week
May 4th: Many thanks to a teachers day #ThankATeacher
May 4: Star Wars Day #StarWarsDay, # MayThe4thBeWithYou
May 12: International Nurses Day
May 17: Tax Day (USA)
May 17th: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
May 18: International Museum Day
May 28: World Hunger Day
June
LGBTQ Pride Month
June 1st: International Children’s Day
June 3: Global Running Day
June 3: World Bicycle Day
June 4th: National Cheese Day (USA)
June 4th: National Donut Day (USA) #NationalDonutDay
June 6: Higher Education Day #HigherEducationDay
June 8: Best Friends Day #BestFriendsDay
June 8: World Ocean Day #WorldOceansDay
June 19: June 19 (USA)
June 21: World Music Day
June 21: National Selfie Day #NationalSelfieDay
June 30th: Social Media Day #SMDay, #SocialMediaDay
July
July 3: International Day Without Plastic Bags
July 6th: International Kissing Day
July 7th: World Chocolate Day #WorldChocolateDay
July 15: Social Media Giving Day
July 15: National Clean Beauty Day (USA)
July 17: World Emoji Day #WorldEmojiDay
July 18: National Ice Cream Day
July 18: World Listeners Day
July 30th: International Friendship Day
August
Black business month
August 8: International Cat Day #InternationalCatDay
August 8: National CBD Day
August 9-16: Shark Week #SharkWeek
August 12: International Youth Day #YouthDay
August 13: Same Pay Day for Black Women #BlackWomensEqualPayDay
August 14: National Financial Awareness Day
August 19: World Photo Day #WorldPhotoDay
August 26: National Dog Day (USA) #NationalDogDay
September
World Alzheimer’s Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month (USA)
September 12: National Video Games Day #NationalVideoGamesDay
September 21: World Alzheimer’s Day
September 30: International Podcast Day #InternationalPodcastDay
October
Black History Month (UK)
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
October 1st: International Coffee Day #InternationalCoffeeDay
October 4th to 10th: Space Week
October 5th: International Teachers Day #WorldTeachersDay
October 10: World Mental Health Day #WorldMentalHeathDay
October 11th: Indigenous Peoples Day
October 11th: National Coming Out Day
October 29: National Cat Day (USA)
November
Health Awareness Month for Men (also known as No-Shave November and “Movember”)
November 8th: Social Media Kindness Day
November 8: STEM day #STEMDay
November 13: World Quality Day #WKD
November 13th to 19th: Transgender Awareness Week
Black Friday: Friday after Thanksgiving (USA)
Small Business Saturday: Saturday after Thanksgiving (USA)
Cyber Monday: Monday after Thanksgiving (USA)
Give Tuesday: Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day (USA)
December
AIDs Awareness Month
December 3: International Day of People with Disabilities
December 4th: National Cookie Day
8 Examples of Great Social Media Vacation Postings
Fenty Beauty: Black History Month
Fenty Beauty kicked off this year’s Black History Month with its own little history lesson, made available by its founder Rihanna.
Back in 2011, a Twitter user aggressively asked why Rihanna’s hair looked “so diapery” in the music video for her song “Man Down”. In response, the music and business mogul clapped back: “Because I’m a black slut !!!!” Seven years later, Fenty Beauty launched a liquid eyeliner with the iconic name: “Because I’m black.”
The non-apologetic, empowering line appeals to both the brand purpose and audience of Fenty Beauty. We kiss him with a clapback lipstick-wearing chef.
Knix: International Women’s Day
Joanna Griffiths, CEO of Knix, delivered a supportive message on International Women’s Day … amid the delivery of twin girls. There are really no more branded goods.
Heartily and urgently, the post reveals the intimate apparel founder’s priorities, including rejecting investors who frown when they raise funds during pregnancy.
Food for the soul: Carbonara Day
While we all want to celebrate Carbonara Day, it fits some organizations like Food for Soul more than others. Founded by Italian chefs Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, the nonprofit used their ingenuity to save food with a banana peel carbonara recipe. Followers were encouraged to donate and share with others.
The time is up: International Transgender Visibility Day
As a non-profit advocating for victims of sexual harassment, this contribution from Time’s Up is a significant expression of solidarity with the transgender community. The simple gesture received more than six times the engagement than the following post.
National Women’s Rights Center: Same Pay Day
In this TikTok video, the folks behind the National Women’s Law Center break down the importance of Equal Pay Day with cold, hard facts. The explainer made more than 47 times more views than in the account’s previous post.
@nationalwomenslawcenter
Are you ready to fight back after really getting it? Visit nwlc.org/wagegap to learn more about #equalpaynow‼ ️ #wagegap #equalpay #feminism
♬ Many colors – Bryan Rheude
Thrive Market: Teacher Appreciation Week
Thrive Market showed its appreciation for teachers with a giveaway. The competition also served as a reminder that the online grocery wholesale offers teachers free membership year round.
WWF #WorldWithoutNature: World Wildlife Day
Inspired by One Minute Briefs, the World Wildlife Fund urged brands to participate in World Wild Life Day by removing nature from their logos. The aim of the campaign was to create a powerful portrait of a world devoid of nature.
Today’s nature has disappeared from the logos of the world’s greatest brands. 📢 Here’s why: A #WorldWithoutNature is a world that is incomplete 🛑🌳 pic.twitter.com/cd8lSfLcAJ
– WWF (@WWF) March 3, 2021
As planned, #WorldWithoutNature generated plenty of social awareness and conversation, including an astute observation by climate activist Greta Thunberg:
We are discussing a #WorldWithoutNature today, as if it meant that “our children will no longer be able to see pandas in the future” or that “we cannot eat certain types of food”.
A world without nature is no world. Stop separating “people” and “nature”. Man is part of nature.
– Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg), March 3, 2021
B Corp: National Beer Day
B Corp used National Beer Day to highlight its community of certified brewers. These posts benefited from the strong number as they were able to get a signal boost by tagging relevant accounts. By promoting breweries by region, the B Corp National Beer Day celebrations divided the scope of their community’s tour de force.
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