Feel like spending the rest of summer enjoying some well-earned relaxation time? We’ve planned out a list of ideas, video inspiration, and templates to take the work out of planning your August social media calendar.
Check out the list below for any holidays that you think will resonate with your audience and fit your business. Then, keep reading for week by week content ideas that you can use to keep your social presence fresh and engaging during the dog days of summer.
August Social Holidays
- All month: Black Business Month
- August 1: National Minority Donor Awareness Day
- August 7: Purple Heart Day
- August 7: Professional Speakers Day
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 9: International Coworking Day
- August 9: National Book Lovers Day
- August 12: International Youth Day
- August 15: Indian Independence Day
- August 15: National Back To School Prep Day
- August 17: National Nonprofit Day
- August 19: World Photography Day
- August 19: World Humanitarian Day
- August 26: Women’s Equality Day
- August 26: National Dog Day
- August 31: World Distance Learning Day
August Video Ideas & Examples
Between all the lighthearted sentimental holidays and the excitement of a new school year, there are plenty of opportunities to engage your audience with video. Each week this month, challenge yourself to share at least one video that helps tell your story, or the story of your business. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Week 1: Tell your business story
Kick off the month by telling the stories that have made your business what it is today. Consider this an opportunity to share the human side of your brand with your social following, and pull back the curtain on the daily goings-on of your operation. Here are a few ideas to help jog the imagination:
- A history of your business or nonprofit
- A day in the life for you or your employees
- Why you do what you do
Looking for inspiration? We've got a couple template suggestions you can use to create a video about yourself or your business. The first is our About Us template. Add photos of your product and yourself at work, paired with some text about what you do and the value you bring.
Sharing the story of your nonprofit? Try this template
Or check out our Self-Introduction template, designed to share a bit of your personal background, with a nod to your business at the end. This template works especially well if you're a freelancer looking to introduce yourself to new clients that you'll work with face-to-face.
Week 2: Celebrate your customers and community
As a small business, you are connected with your customers and community in ways that big brands are not. Use your social accounts to highlight the people that you serve with your business.
- Recap any local activities that your business sponsors
- Create a customer testimonial video
- Go in-depth and focus on one customer’s experience with your business
If you're thinking of creating a customer testimonial video, check out the following template. Update it with imagery related to your business, plus quotes from some of your happy customers. You can copy and paste reviews from TrustPilot, Amazon, Google, and more to make a video in minutes.
Use this agent testimonial video template to attract potential buyers and sellers!
If you have the time and relationship with your customers, you can even ask them to record you a video testimonial! By sharing your real customers and adding a face to your brand, it adds a new level of credibility in the minds of prospective customers. Try this Customer Testimonial template for a blend of video and written testimonials.
Finally, if you’re a nonprofit, you can share stories to showcase your impact! This template is a beautiful example of a transformative story and testament to the power of donations.
Week 3: Highlight a product or service
There will always be room for you to talk about the product or service at the core of your business in your marketing. The key though, is to keep your message customer-centric. It helps to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and create a more compelling video.
While a straight-up advertisement may turn heads with a targeted paid audience, your organic audience already has a good idea of what you offer. You are the expert on what you are selling. You know the little details and features and tips that no one else knows about. Shine a light on those not-so-obvious elements that will help your customers appreciate your business even more.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- A product demo
- New release announcements
- A sale or promotion
- Story behind a product
Looking to tell the story of a product? There are a number of templates you can choose from. Our Bite-sized Product Intro template can be updated to share some key selling points of a product.
Or, try our Product Demo template to show your product in action. Add footage of your product along with written instructions to showcase the power of your product.
Week 4: Share your expertise
You are an expert in your field. Turn the knowledge that you use day-in and day-out into an expertise-establishing explainer video or how-to guide.
In sharing your knowledge with your social following, you’re creating the exact sort of value that your customers and potential customers are looking for when they follow you in the first place. If it feels like giving something away for free, that’s ok! The trust you establish with your social followers now will pay off when they give you their business later on.
- Explainer videos
- Step-by-step guides
- Answer FAQs about your industry
The FAQ video template is also designed for sharing your expertise. Simply customize the info to fit your industry and answer your frequently asked questions.
Did we miss anything?
Depending on your business and how often you post to your social accounts, you could also stretch out one of these categories over multiple weeks, or try sharing each one on a day-by-day basis every week and see what works the best!
For more video inspiration, as well as feedback on your work from fellow video creators, join our private Facebook group, the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community.
