Uncomfortable truth time. Your social media engagement is most likely going to dip over the next few months.
And it’s totally okay!
We're here to help you navigate the seasonal social media slump with grace, strategy, and maybe even a little fun.
Here’s how to handle the summer slowdown…
Step 1: Get Some Perspective
First things first: breathe. That sudden drop in likes, comments, and shares happens to EVERYONE, even those mega brands and influencers with seemingly perfect engagement rates.
Here's why your metrics are on vacation too:
⛱ Your audience is literally on vacation (and hopefully not doom-scrolling from the beach)
🌞 People are spending precious sunny days outdoors instead of on their phones
👀 Summer schedules are chaotic with kids home from school and weekend getaways
🥥 Even the most dedicated followers are in relaxation mode and engaging less
Remember it isn't a reflection of your content quality or strategy, it's just human nature! When the thermometer goes up, screen time often goes down. We've seen this pattern repeat year after year with all our clients, so you're in good company.
Step 2: Pivot to Strategies Beyond Social Media
Summer is the perfect time to nurture your audience through channels that don't rely on immediate engagement.
Email marketing becomes your summertime BFF for several reasons:
✉️ Emails wait patiently in inboxes until people are ready to check them (40% of people have at least 50 unread emails in their inbox - actually kind of helpful in this scenario!)
✨ It's a direct line to your audience that algorithms can't mess with
💻 You're collecting valuable first-party data (increasingly important as privacy changes continue)
Here's what we suggest:
🌞 Create a summer-themed email sequence highlighting your best content or products
📝 Build a simple lead magnet to grow your list (summer guides or checklists work beautifully!)
⏱ Experiment with different send times - maybe evenings work better when people are winding down
📢 Use this time to segment your email list for more targeted communications
Other non-social strategies to consider: optimising your website SEO, refreshing your blog content, or even testing SMS marketing if it makes sense for your brand.
Step 3: Use This Time to Plan Your Autumn/Winter Campaigns
Instead of fighting the summer slowdown, embrace it as valuable planning time! The most successful holiday campaigns are the ones thoughtfully developed months in advance, not thrown together in October.
Here's how to make the most of this strategic planning period:
📈 Conduct a content audit to see what performed best during last year's holiday season
🗓 Create a detailed promotional calendar for September through December
📸 Batch-create content while you have a lighter posting schedule
🧠 Brainstorm creative campaign concepts without the pressure of immediate execution
💻 Research trending hashtags and topics for the upcoming seasons
This advance planning will help you hit the ground running when engagement picks back up in September, while your competitors are still scrambling to pull together their holiday content.
Step 4. Double Down on Pinterest
While other platforms may experience the summer slump, Pinterest operates on a completely different timeline. It's the platform that keeps on giving, sometimes for years after you post!
Why Pinterest deserves extra summer love:
🗓 Pins have an incredibly long lifespan (we regularly see pins driving traffic years after posting!)
📝 85% of Pinterest users are actively planning future projects and purchases
🎁 Your efforts now can pay dividends during the festive shopping season
Our summer Pinterest game plan:
🌞 Create seasonal content that appeals to summer activities (but will also be relevant next year)
🎅 Start pinning Christmas and autumnal content (yes, already - Pinterest works months ahead!)
📌 Refresh and republish your best-performing pins with updated images or descriptions
📸 Experiment with different pin formats (standard pins, idea pins, video pins)
Even if immediate engagement seems low, trust us, those pins are working quietly in the background, building momentum for future traffic and conversions.
Step 5: Experiment and Break the Rules a Little
Lower stakes mean greater freedom to experiment! With engagement already expected to be lower, summer is the perfect time to try new content formats or approaches without risking your usual performance metrics.
Summer content experiments we love:
📸 Share more casual, behind-the-scenes glimpses into your business or life
👀 Test a completely different posting schedule (maybe less feed, more Stories?)
😉 Try that content format you've been curious about but nervous to attempt
📢 Play with a slightly different voice or aesthetic (while staying true to your brand)
Document what works and what doesn't. This data is golden for refining your strategy come autumn!
All in All - Don’t Stress!
Rather than viewing summer as a frustrating engagement drought, we invite you to see it as a valuable season of planting seeds.
Give yourself permission to ease up on performance pressure, reconnect with why you love your business, and maybe even take a social media day off occasionally to enjoy the sunshine yourself!
(We'll be doing the same, probs with an Aperol Spritz in hand).
Remember, the most sustainable social media strategies account for these natural ebbs and flows.
Still feel like you need some extra guidance? Get in touch with us here and let's chat!