Black History Month: Creating Content The Right Way

by | Feb 9, 2023 | Social Media

Black History Month: Creating Content The Right Way

During Black History Month, brands often take the opportunity to honor the contributions and achievements of Black people. Unfortunately, many brands make a faux pas when trying to promote their business on social media. A recent survey of 1,300 Black Americans revealed that 73% of respondents believe large corporations lack good intentions when running Black History Month promotions. 32% of respondents said the same about businesses primarily running on social media platforms. Ensure that your social media strategy reinforces your company’s values and avoids potential pitfalls by adding these 5 essential tasks to your to-do list.
1. Identify your goal

When strategizing for Black History month, it’s important to ensure that your brand isn’t just jumping on the trend. Brands that intend to celebrate Black History Month should prioritize engaging, collaborating with, and amplifying Black voices. You can achieve this by celebrating the contributions and achievements of Black people while also highlighting other topics that are relevant to your audience.

If your brand isn’t sure how to approach diversifying its content in a way that is both authentic and resonates with your audience, it may be best to avoid posting anything altogether rather than risk appearing opportunistic.

2. Collaborate authentically

Collaborating with Black-owned brands during Black History Month is a key way to ensure that your organization or team is avoiding tokenism and has an authentic voice in its campaigns.

Content creator and small business owner, Tash Haynes, expressed that having Black voices represented at the decision-making table is essential for creating genuine, impactful messaging. In a recent interview with AspireIO, she said brands should start with transparency and accountability by stating, “We know we’ve missed the mark, but we value you. Why has it taken us so long? We’re not sure, but give us a chance to show you how we’re going to change.”

Think about who would be the best thought leader to help you reach your campaign goal. Once you’ve identified the right partners, it’s essential to give them the space to lead. Doing this allows you to build trust with your audience and increase the reach of your messaging. Finally, show your appreciation for their contributions by promoting their work with proper credit and making the effort to continue the partnership long-term.

3. Actively engage with Black voices
One of the biggest mistakes brands make during Black History Month is failing to engage with both their audience and the Black community in a meaningful way. Broadcasting empty messages without any meaningful, consistent outreach can be seen as insincere and can damage your brand’s reputation. Instead of simply broadcasting promotional messages, take this opportunity to listen to Black voices, and create meaningful conversations around the topics that matter most.
Black History Month is a great time to set your intentions on listening to Black voices, sharing content from Black creators, and reflecting on the contributions of people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
4. Recognize your bias
Although we cannot eliminate biases, it is important to be aware of them and take steps to mitigate their potential negative influence on your brand and social media strategy. Recognizing and addressing bias within your company shows your audience and employees that you are committed to creating an equitable and accepting environment.

A great way to demonstrate your commitment to an inclusive environment during Black History Month is to enable your team to integrate ways to celebrate the accomplishments and initiatives of African Americans’ past, present, and future.

5. Keep the celebration going
Use your platforms to spread awareness and appreciation of the Black experience throughout the year. For example, consider highlighting African American professionals and their success stories in your website’s blog, or share stories via short-form videos of inspiring individuals in the Black community. By doing this, you can create a lasting impact and show your commitment to honoring Black History year-round.

Adding these steps to your Black History Month strategy will ensure that your brand is reinforcing your company’s values and avoiding any potential pitfalls. By taking the time to create a thoughtful and meaningful social media strategy, you can ensure that your messaging is authentic and resonates with your audience.

If you need help creating a social media strategy that celebrates diversity and inclusion, reach out to Chatterkick and let us help you create a plan that puts your best foot forward.

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Chatterkick Team

The Chatterkick team is made up of envelope-pushers, big thinkers, brainstormers, and conversation starters. We live and breathe social media advertising and all its analytics and data. We love to create engaged, happy social media communities around businesses, and we are dedicated to creating a glowing brand reputation, culture, and voice for our clients. This blog was brought to you in collaboration with multiple Chatterkick team members.