Christmas and Hannukkah are almost here. Though the holiday season will be over before we know it, you still have time to do some significant promotion to give your business another boost during the busiest shopping period of the year.

But you’re not the only business pushing last-minute deals, so it’s essential to be strategic and thoughtful in your advertising. Placing Google and Facebook ads might help but, you need to engage your audience to stand out from the rest of your competition.

If you’re on Instagram, you can use this social media platform to your advantage by utilizing its heavy focus on photos and videos, which is perfect for catching the eyes of your target audience.

62% of folks on Instagram have become more interested in a brand or product after having seen it on its story feature. With more than 1 billion active users a month, it’s time to kick into high gear and use Instagram in these fun and exciting ways:

1. Holiday-themed “this or that” posts

To start a great conversation among your audience, and generate some brand awareness, use Layout from Instagram to post a “this or that” photo and ask your followers which one they prefer. For the best engagement, make sure the topic is relevant. In this case, make it holiday-themed. Examples are:

• • Fake tree or real tree
  • Wrapped present or gift card
  • Eggnog or hot chocolate
  • Shopping online or in-store

Don’t be afraid to plug some of your products in there. If you sell makeup, post a photo featuring two of your most popular lipsticks and ask your audience which one they prefer. This or that posts will get them thinking about your products and might even inspire them to buy one, or both!

2. Encourage customers to share your products

Another way to get your audience involved in your holiday-themed campaign is to ask your existing customers to share Instagram photos and videos using your products for the holidays. If you sell clothing, you can ask your customers to post videos or pictures of them wearing your products to holiday parties. Or if you sell cookware, they can post themselves using your bowls, pans, or other kitchen tools while cooking or baking. Select a common hashtag and ask them to use it so everyone can see the posts. Don’t forget to ask them to tag you and your business in the post so potential customers can find your store.

3. Partner with a local charity

Giving back to the community is a great way to not only enhance your brand reputation, but it’s just plain good for the community. There are a number of ways you can give back to your favorite charity while at the same time, gain some positive brand recognition. You can:

• • Donate a % of every sale
  • Start an online fundraiser using the Instagram donate sticker
  • Create a donations Instagram campaign asking your followers to collect much-needed items for your charity

It’s essential to post ongoing photos or videos during these campaigns to generate engagement from your audience.