It may feel like there is a holiday for everything these days—and there practically is! While some of the more outlandish celebrations might not fit your PR strategy, many national awareness holidays provide the perfect opportunity to humanize your business, gain new exposure, and attract media attention.

Read on to learn how national awareness holidays can be implemented in your PR strategy, plus some best practices and common pitfalls to avoid. 

What Are the Benefits of Using National Awareness Holidays for PR?

These special days often receive extra coverage, so they can help you get more eyes on your brand or services. Most of these events come with a slew of hashtags and keywords that will resurface annually, so it’s the ideal time to get your name trending, engage new viewers, and re-interest existing customers. Prior to a themed day, journalists will be looking for stories, events will need partners, and there will be an interested audience waiting to see what the buzz is about. Even better? Press is usually free.

What Are the Best National Awareness Holidays for PR?

The answer to this question fully depends on your niche. We recommend choosing a few topics from this calendar that naturally align with your business and could inspire a great, value-filled story. Customers are quickly turned off by content that feels forced, so if it isn’t the right fit, go back to the drawing board. That being said, do push the boundaries and get creative with your approach. See how these four vastly-different companies celebrated National Emoji Day to connect with their followers in a fun way, while also garnering press.

How Can I Ensure My Choices are Strategic?

The Google Trends tool is helpful for keeping your finger on the pulse of the topics people most want to see. Knowing these details will help you craft a timely pitch. If you’re having difficulty narrowing down your options, try researching prior media coverage. This 2022 article outlining promotions for National Coffee Day is a good sign that this holiday is popular—albeit competitive. If your search doesn’t bring up many results, the choice likely won’t yield opportunities for pitching or publicity.

How Do I Implement National Awareness Holidays into a PR Strategy? 

After you’ve chosen a few events that make sense, think about your timeline. What will you need to pitch or create, and how can you maximize your reach? National awareness holidays can be extremely competitive, so we suggest getting a head start on the planning process. Involve your team and consider how you can strengthen earned media with social postings that reinforce your brand and message. And, don’t forget to incorporate plenty of relevant keywords and hashtags!