Mother’s Day marketing and social media trends

According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumer spending reached an all-time high for Mother’s Day last year at $23.6 billion. Celebrating moms is now a major marketing event, but what’s the best way to break through the noise?

Pulling heartstrings is a safe bet. For example, this post from One Direction’s Liam Payne was the top performer on Instagram last year:

Of course, you don’t have to be a heartthrob crooner or Kylie Jenner to make holiday marketing hay. Brand managers and publishers have ample opportunity to win over consumers with social media content that hits the right notes.

To help you do so, let’s look at data to determine which formats, topics and types of content drove the most Mother’s Day buzz last year:

Facebook keys on emotions.

The top Mother’s Day articles from 2017 included feel-good stories, politically charged content and pieces that tugged at readers’ heartstrings. All the top 10 Facebook stories had an emotional component, whether it was provoking outrage, empathy or chuckles.