As the leaves turn and the aroma of turkey fills the air, the Thanksgiving season offers much more than mashed potatoes—it’s a rich chance for creators and brands to lean into gratitude, storytelling, and shareable experiences.
1. Choose the right narrative tone
Thanksgiving content works best when it emphasises the themes of gratitude, togetherness and giving back—not just self‑promotion. According to a marketing piece, aligning your messaging with the holiday’s spirit (rather than using it purely as a sales hook) results in more authentic engagement.
For example:
- A podcast episode titled “What We’re Grateful For in 2025”
- A video short highlighting behind‑the‑scenes on your team’s favourite holiday traditions
- Social media mini‑clips where you ask followers: “What’s one thing your podcast/video taught you this year?”
2. Repurpose your content intelligently
Thanksgiving is also an excellent time to repurpose your existing audio/video content into fresh formats:
- Clip the top 3 moments of a long‑form episode, add a Thanksgiving‑style intro/outro, publish as a YouTube Shorts or TikTok video
- Create a blog post or newsletter that summarises key takeaways from a video, adds your “gratitude list”, and links back to your podcast
- Turn the text of your podcast into a “What we’re thankful for” Carousel on Instagram, using festive visuals
Retail marketers say planning content in advance—at least 4‑6 weeks before the holiday—boosts effectiveness.
3. Engage your audience with interactive formats
Thanksgiving content shines when it invites participation:
- Host a live Q&A or livestream where you talk holiday insights, ask viewers what they’re thankful for, and encourage comments
- Run a contest or user‑generated challenge: “Share your favourite podcast moment of the year using our hashtag & win a one‑on‑one call” (see similar promotional tactics for Thanksgiving‑season campaigns)
- Publish a “gratitude montage” video featuring short clips from your community or team sharing what they appreciate—makes for emotional connection and shareability
4. Align your content with scheduling & distribution
Because Thanksgiving ushers in heavy social‑media traffic and holiday shopping sentiment, you’ll want to map your content calendar accordingly:
- Early‑bird timing: Start dropping teasers or themed content a few weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, not just on the day. Experts say early engagement prepares your audience and improves performance.
- Platform strategy: Use video platforms (YouTube, LinkedIn, IGTV) for longer storytelling; use social shorts for quick, high‑engagement posts; distribute via your podcast feed for deeper‑dive episodes.
- Message cadence: Mix “gratitude” content (thank you’s, reflections) with actionable content (how‑to guides, repurposed tip pieces) so your audience both connects emotionally and receives value.
5. Don’t forget measurement & next‑steps
After publishing, track engagement: views, listener/drop‑off rates, comments, shares. Compare your themed content against your usual baseline to understand what resonated. Use that insight to carry into the holiday shopping wave (Black Friday, Cyber Monday) that follows Thanksgiving.
Final Take‑away
Thanksgiving isn’t just about a once‑a‑year episode—it’s a strategic window for creators and brands to build deeper relationships, experiment with formats, and set momentum for the season ahead.
By crafting content that blends gratitude with strong distribution, you’ll not only engage your audience in the moment, but also lay the groundwork for meaningful, high‑impact storytelling in the months to come.
