The holiday season is just around the corner! It’s time to bring out your holiday lights and brighten up your content for magazines, newspapers and digital publications. Holiday content is a crucial element for publications as their special advertising sections are dependent on relevant content. Show your holiday cheer with these helpful tips.
Timing is everything: You might be thinking that it’s too early for holiday content, but it’s actually the perfect time! You want to stay on top of your project and give it enough lead time so it can be picked up by different types of publications. When it comes to magazines, the lead time should be 2-3 months. Newspapers only need a few days for filler material, several weeks for normal pickup and 2-3 months if you want to get coverage in special sections. For digital publications, timing is less critical—a couple days are fine. Planning ahead will help editors avoid rushing when finding holiday themed content.
Captivating imagery: Holiday photos are a great way to grab attention. Make your content stand out to publications with festive visual aids. Stay away from over the top and clutter filled imagery. Simple high resolution and attractive photos will do the trick!
Informative Copy: Providing quality copy is key for generating media placement. You want to hook readers and provide them with helpful tips or recipes for the holiday season. Generating subtle brand references can help connect the reader to the product. Create copy with “personality” to relate to the audience and keep them entertained and informed. Grab attention with a unique headline----make it clear, relevant and most of all, exciting!
Editor Requests: When you create your holiday content, you need to think about what editors are looking for! This year, editors are telling us they’re looking for holiday menu ideas, gift guides, entertainment tips, and themed décor and recipes. Holidays are a prime time for you to generate editorial placement for your products and services.
Caroline Maher
As the media and marketing intern, Caroline helps create market content, maintains existing campaigns and writes for the blog. She is a senior at Kansas State University, majoring in Mass Communications and Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising.