I think I made up a word, Christmasfying isn’t liked by spell check.  But I’m fine with that, after all, what was a ScLoHo before I coined that word?

Back to the main subject with this piece from MarketingProfs.com:

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Branding

Bored with the usual “Seasons Greetings” client postcard? Use a bit of holiday spirit to warm up your social campaigns! Meghan Gargan has made a list of do’s and don’ts for sending social holiday greetings with panache. “While you should capture the magic and merriment of this time of year, brands should also be cautious of not excluding or isolating audiences with over-the-top holiday themes,” she writes.

Here’s a sampling of her holiday advice:

DO refresh your profile imagery on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and promotional landing pages. You might give your Facebook photo strip a festive refurbish, or promote a holly-laced campaign on all platforms.

DON’T overdo the red and green. Use holiday accents, but also incorporate other seasonal colors (like white, blue, silver, gold).

DO seize the moment to play with your audience, using a holiday-themed game or giveaway that ties back to your service. This lovely Starbucks AR cup app comes to mind. The spirit of giving translates beautifully into sharing, so make your work as share-worthy as possible. If there’s a charitable aspect (such as donations made easy by mobile phone), all the better.

DON’T isolate your public by focusing too much on certain holidays or traditions. Highlight general fun activities like shopping, eating, family time.

DO feel free to theme your content with cheerful celebration. Play off notions of gift-giving, partying and winter activities with multimedia content, and customize responses to fans and followers.

DON’T use generic holiday messaging that isn’t brand-relevant. Keep your message consistent with your brand voice for maximum engagement value, and encourage customers to spread the message in partnership with you.

The Po!nt: Celebrate the joy of it all. The holidays are a prime opportunity to rally enthusiasm and engage users with an authentic sense of spirit. Spread cheer in your own unique way!

Looking for great social media marketing data? MarketingProfs reviewed hundreds of research sources to create our most recent Social Media Marketing Factbook (May 2010). With 140 pages and 102 charts, it is full of relevant social media marketing stats and trends. The Social Media Marketing Factbook is Part 5 of the complete Digital Marketing Factbook (our 296-page full report).