January 31, 2018

Content marketing ideas for February 2018

content marketing - an illustration made to welcome february

February is the time to bid adieu to winter, to welcome spring and celebrate the season of love.
As some people are planning their holidays to celebrate their love, others are anxious thinking about the budget announcement and school exams around the corner. This month has a different meaning to different people, providing your brand with an opportunity to share mindful content to enlighten, educate or entertain them.
Here are 18 content marketing pegs to help you acquire your audience’s attention through powerful and engaging content:

 1. Union Budget, 2018, 1st February

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On this day, everybody in the nation keeps their eyes peeled and their ears tuned to the union budget announcement. The Union Budget, also known as the annual financial statement of India, is presented by the Union Finance Minister on the first day of February.
Brands like yours can use different content formats such as video, infographics, listicles, how-to articles and guides to join in the buzz. Some of the topics that you could use include, “Union Budget 2018: How it’s going to affect SMEs and start-ups”, “What gets cheaper and costlier after the Union Budget 2018”, “Union Budget 2018: highlights and analysis” and “10 Significant effects of the Union Budget on the common man”.
In case you’re wondering, the Union Budget causes quite a stir online since it’s of interest to many more people than other financial events and happenings, as can be seen below:

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To know which content formats work best for Union Budget, here’s a snapshot of the average share trends of different content types in the past two years:

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(As per past two-year data, Source: Buzzsumo)

2. Indian Coast Guard Raising Day, 1st February

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The 42nd anniversary of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be celebrated on this day. As the 4th largest Coast Guard force in the world, the ICG protects India’s maritime interests and has played a significant role in securing the maritime zones of India.
Some content marketing examples that brands like yours can work around: “What makes India’s coast one of the busiest traditional maritime trade routes”, “A day in the life of an Indian coast guard”, “Meet the people keeping you safe near beaches” and “How to pursue a career in the Indian Navy”.

3. The Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby, 4th February

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A trip to the derby is a flamboyant affair. In Mumbai, the annual Indian thoroughbred horse race is held on the first Sunday of every February. As one of the most prestigious events in the Indian racing calendar, attending this event is a thrilling experience.
Brands like yours can capitalise on the excitement and share content around topics such as, “5 Things to do at the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby”, “Here’s the artist line-up for the Kingfisher Ultra Indian Derby” and “Take a chance: Here are the past winners of the Ultra Indian Derby”.

4. World Cancer Day, 4th February

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World Cancer Day is an initiative to raise awareness about cancer in terms of its detection, prevention and treatment. It encourages people around the world to contribute and help people fight this critical illness.
In the healthcare sector, there is an increasing trend of online searches, shares and discussions about health and lifestyle-related topics. As a brand, you can take part in the conversation by publishing relevant content such as, “5 Ways to fight the stigma associated with cancer”, “10 Tips to provide care for a cancer patient”, “Inspiring stories on cancer survivors”, “Top 10 cancer-fighting foods you must include in your diet” and “10 Useful apps for families with cancer patients”.

5. Mahindra Blues Festival, 10-11th February

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For fans of the Blues, the 8th edition of Asia’s largest Blues festival will be held in Mumbai. Featuring internationally renowned Blues musicians, this festival promises to be a “guitar-ripping and soul-tripping” event.
Some content marketing ideas to get you started, “Here’s how you make the most at a Blues Festival”, “5 Ways to get the best deals on tickets for the Mahindra Blues Festival” and “Mark your calendar! Here’s the schedule of the Mahindra Blues Festival 2018”.

6. International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11th February

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This day is celebrated to encourage people to end gender bias and promote equal career opportunities for all. Established by the UN in 2015, the aim of this day is to inspire women and girls to pursue careers in science. Brands can use this day to pledge their support for gender-equality and promote their women-oriented initiatives.
Some of the relevant content around this topic include, “10 Most significant scientific discoveries made by women”, “Here’s why we need more women in science”, “Top 8 Jobs for women in the field of science” or “5 Signs your daughter is meant to be a scientist”.

7. Valentine’s Day, 14th February

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On this day, love is all around. Known as the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day is a time for lovers to celebrate their love for each other. People are searching for gifting ideas, places to have a romantic getaway and ways to communicate their love.
Brands can leverage this day by sharing content such as, “10 Unconventional gift ideas for this Valentine’s Day”, “8 Offbeat destinations to visit with your Valentine”, “15 Delectable dishes that your partner will love”, “12 DIY, pocket-friendly gift ideas for Valentine’s Day”, “10 Things you love more than your Valentine” and “Best gifts for your partner they wouldn’t want to return”.
But Valentine’s Day is one of 7 that make up something like a “Week of Love”, including everything from Kiss Day to Chocolate Day to Rose Day- all events that create quite a buzz on social media. A telling example is the sharp rise in the searches for “gifts for girlfriend” around Valentine’s Day!

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Want to receive a pre-packaged content marketing plan for your brand for Valentine’s Day 2018? Click here.

8. World Human Spirit Day, 17th February

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Observed worldwide, this day encourages people to reflect upon themselves, meditate and find the true spirit of freedom and peace that lives within all beings.
Brands can participate in conversations by creating content around topics such as, “Here’s what it means to be truly free”, “5 Ways to inculcate a stress-free environment for yourself” and “5 Stress-busting meditation techniques you must try”.

9. International Mother Language Day, 21st February

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Announced by UNESCO in 1999, this day is observed globally to promote cultural diversity and multilingualism. The day aims to spread awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions across the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, liberalism and dialogue.
Some content marketing ideas for brands like yours: “Some of the 10 Most difficult languages spoken globally”, “8 Things you will understand only if you are multilingual”, “5 Apps that can help you learn a new language easily” and “Find out which language suits your personality”.

10. National Science Day, 28th February

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Celebrating the discovery of the Raman effect by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman, this day aims to spread awareness about the importance of science and its application among Indians. It is a day that the greatest achievements of India in the field of science are recognised.
Brands can participate in the discussion by creating content around topics such as, “8 Signs your child is meant to be a scientist”, “Can you answer these simple science questions from 5th grade?” and “Sir C. V. Raman’s journey to receiving a Nobel Prize for his remarkable discovery”.

11. Heart Month

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Having originated in America, heart month is now celebrated worldwide to spread awareness about fatal heart diseases and encourage people to pay attention to their heart health.
There are more than 100 million searches about heart care as per Google. What matters here is the fact that in these health-conscious times, discussion on topics related to heart is trending not just for health brands, but any brand related to lifestyle products and services.
Brands can take this opportunity to publish posts such as, “10 Heart-healthy recipes that taste better than junk food”, “This is how much a heart surgery can cost you”, “15 Simple exercises to keep a healthy heart”, “Types of heart diseases, their symptoms and prevention” and “5 Apps that can help you monitor your heart health”.

12. Pre-Oscar Buzz

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With the Oscars around the corner, your readers will be actively talking about the best movies and performances of the year. They would be excited about their favourite actors, directors, sound tracks and more, excitedly predicting the winners.
This is a great opportunity for brands like yours to publish content such as, “Oscar-nominated movies you absolutely need to watch- and where”, “5 Best Oscar styles and dresses from the last year“, “Actors who won Oscars for their first movies” and “Does an Academy Award boost an actors’ earning potential?”.
Here’s a snapshot of the hike in Oscar-related searches and the best performing content formats on which to focus:

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(As per past two-year data, Source: Buzzsumo)

13. Fabulous Fashion

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New York Fashion Week, 8th- 16th February
London Fashion Week, 16th-20th February
Milan Fashion Week, 21st-27th February
Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018, 27th February– 6th March

February will witness some of the biggest fashion events of the year. Fans have already marked their calendars and are excited to experience the extravaganza of the fashion world.
They want to know everything about their favourite models. From what they eat, wear and where they shop, to their favourite travel destination or fragrance. Creating content around the lifestyle of these iconic models can help you get your desired readership and online presence.
Google suggests somewhere around 1 million to 10 million searches for ideas pertaining to Fashion Week happen monthly. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the global fashion scene and are searching for inspiration. There is an increase in searches online for not just the fashion industry, but searches related to the lifestyle and health and fitness of favourite personalities in fashion.
You can use content around topics such as, “10 Best outfits from the NYFS”, “Here’s what we learnt about fashion from the Paris Fashion Week” and “Best fashion statements from the LFS”.
If you’re wondering what your content marketing plan should look like, here’s a quick look at the best performing content formats w.r.t fashion week content:

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(As per past two-year data, Source: Buzzsumo)

14. Exam Season

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For school children, February is an anxious period. While there is tremendous pressure for them to do well in their exams, their parents are equally stressed about their performance.
Brands like yours can talk about tips to help children deal with the stress and anxiety, and encourage them to put their best foot forward. Parents can also be advised on how best to help their children prepare in terms of productivity tactics and setting up a relaxing environment at home that is conducive to study.
Some content marketing ideas to get you started: “10 Stress-busting exercises for children to do in under 5 minutes”, “8 Highly-effective time management tips for students”, “10 Exam memes that will take you back to your school days”, “6 Food items to include in your children’s diet to increase their concentration” and “10 Ways you may actually be distracting your child from exam preparation”.
Here’s a snapshot of averages shares and the best performing content formats for exam-related content in the past two years:

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(As per past two-year data, Source: Buzzsumo)

Want to receive a pre-packaged content marketing plan for your brand for Exam Season 2018? Click here.

15. Festival and fun days

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Maha Shivratri, celebrated on 13th February, is one of the biggest Hindu festivals commemorating the wedding anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Some content marketing ideas for your brand to take part in the conversation: “10 Traditional Maha Shivratri recipes you should try this year”, “10 Incredible life lessons to learn from Lord Shiva” or “Do you know why Maha Shivratri is celebrated?”

World Radio Day, celebrated on 13th February, is observed globally to celebrate radio as a medium of broadcasting your message. It encourages various networks to promote access to information and promote freedom of speech and expression.
Some of the topics you could use include, “Is Radio Jockeying the right profession for you?”, “The most-requested songs on radio through the years” and “Historical radio broadcasts of all time”.

Losar Festival, celebrated on 16th February, marks the Tibetan New Year. The most important Tibetan festival marks an opportunity for travellers to visit Tibet and experience local festivities and celebration.
Some content ideas for your brand include, “8 Places to get the best experience of the Tibetan New Year festivities”, “10 Interesting facts about the Losar festival” and “Inspiring styles from the costumes used in the Losar festival”.

International Tug-of-War Day, celebrated on 19th February, is dedicated to success and encourages people worldwide to support, organise and get involved in the competitive sport. Brands can create content on topics such as, “Facts about tug-of-war we bet you didn’t know”, “5 Tug-of-war strategies to learn from to become successful” and “4 Reasons why tug-of-war is more than a competitive sport”. You can also conduct contests on social media. Some of the ideas to get you started may include, “Success stories inspired by tug-of-war games” or “Send in your tug-of-war videos- the most hilarious one wins!

16. Movies

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The buzz around new movie releases provides brands like yours with an opportunity to talk about the lives of famous actors and actresses. Some of the buzz-worthy content includes epic scenes from popular movies, bloopers, unknown facts and inspiring posts about the dedication of actors and how to prepare for challenging roles.
Here are some of the most awaited releases that will create a stir:
Pad Man, 9th February- Featuring Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte in the lead roles, this Indian biographical film is inspired by the life of famous social activist, Arunachalam Muruganantham
Black Panther, 16th February – Directed by Ryan Coogler, is this super-hero film based on a Marvel Comic character, and is intended to be the 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Manto, 19th February- Written and directed by Nandita Das, and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, this is a period film set in the 1940s. It is based on the Indo-Pakistani author, writer Saadat Hasan Manto.

17. Sports

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4th February – Super Bowl, USA
9th- 25th February – 2018 Winter Olympics, South Korea
1st -28th February – Indian Super League (ISL), India
25th February – The Color Run India, Delhi NCR, India

In the sports industry, searches around players, game passes and broadcast schedules increase, creating a lot of online buzz. People are interested to know about the lifestyle of their favourite athletes, their fitness routines, and their most challenging tournaments.
You could create content around topics such as, “Inspiring stories from players who made a comeback”, “10 Unknown facts about the Indian cricket team” and “A fitness regime you can adopt from sportspersons”. Topics related to live updates, the best moments from a match and post-match analyses, would be trending and searched by millions of Indian sports fans.

18. Celebrity Birthdays

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Harry Styles, 1st February
Shakira, 2nd February
Cristiano Ronaldo, 5th February
Abhishek Bachchan, 5th February
Bob Marley, 6th February
Charles Dickens, 7th February
Mohammad Azharuddin, 8th February
Tom Hiddleston, 9th February
Jennifer Aniston, 11th February
Abraham Lincoln, 12th February
Madhubala, 14th February
Ed Sheeran, 17th February
Michael Jordan, 17th February
Rihanna, 20th February
George Washington, 22nd February
Jayalalitha Jayaram, 24th February
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 24th February
Steve Jobs, 24th February
Shahid Kapoor, 25th February
Johnny Cash, 26th February

Parting Words

February is eventful and has many content marketing opportunities for your brand. The content marketing pegs suggested will help you indulge in impactful conversations with your audience. You can take this opportunity, to plan, prepare and publish your upcoming content marketing strategies, to be audible in the online buzz.