This 2023 retail social media calendar features key retail dates for 2023, as well as events that every retailer should be aware of when creating a marketing calendar for the new year.
Ranging from national holidays to retail events and quirky holidays, choose those that are most relevant to your brand and use them to engage your audience!
Why use the 2023 retail social media calendar?
Social media has become a key marketing channel. With internet users worldwide spending an average of 147 minutes per day on social media and 82% of searchers clicking on the first familiar brand name that they know on Google, growing brand awareness on social media can help retail brands to overtake competitors online and offline. In fact, 74% of customers use social media networks to help them make purchasing decisions.
This 2023 retail social media calendar lists key dates and events that will help you to create templates and schedule posts for the year ahead.
2023 Retail Social Media Calendar:
January
January sees shoppers hunt for bargains in the January sales, spend Christmas money and redeem gift vouchers. Tap into popular social media events to capture the attention of new customers and remain at the forefront of consumers’ minds.
Key retail dates in January
- All month – Dry January
- All month – Veganuary
- All month – Ginuary
- 1st January – New Year’s Day
- 16th January – Blue Monday
- 20th January – National Cheese Lovers Day
- 22nd January – Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit)
- 25th January – Burns Night
- 27th January – Chocolate Cake Day
February
Valentine’s Day is one of the best-known occasions in February, as well as there being countless other opportunities to celebrate your customers and design inspirational content.
Key retail dates in February
- All month – LGBT+ History Month
- 5th February – British Yorkshire Pudding Day
- 5th February – World Nutella Day
- 5th-8th February – Spring Fair
- 9th February – National Pizza Day
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
- 20th February – Love Your Pet Day
- 21st February – Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday
March
March brings plenty of opportunities to get creative with your social media content. Whether you’re looking to celebrate women, the start of spring, or your own sustainability initiatives, here are some of the key dates to include in your social strategy for March.
Key retail dates in March
- 2nd March – World Book Day
- 3rd March – World Hearing Day
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
- 8th March – Holi
- 17th March – St. Patrick’s Day
- 17th March – Red Nose Day
- 18th March – Global Recycling Day
- 19th March – Mother’s Day
- 20th March – First day of spring
- 21st March – World Poetry Day
- 22nd March – Ramadan begins
- 26th March – BST begins
April
April brings opportunities for retailers to speak about mental health, autism awareness, exciting events around the world and of course, plenty of Easter promotions.
Key retail dates in April
- All month – Stress Awareness Month
- All month – National Pet Month
- All month – National Brunch Month
- 1st April – April Fool’s Day
- 2nd April – World Autism Awareness Day
- 7th April – Good Friday
- 9th April – Easter Sunday
- 10th April – Easter Monday
- 21st April – National Tea Day
- 22nd April – Earth Day
- 23rd April – London Marathon
- 23rd April – St. George’s Day
- 28th April – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
- 29th April – International Dance Day
May
May is packed with Star Wars puns and some of the most unique national days of the year. Don’t be afraid to get creative when finding links between your business and these events, as this will help you to create memorable content.
Key retail dates in May
- 1st May – May Day
- 4th May – Star Wars Day
- 2nd-8th May – National Gardening Week
- 13th May – World Cocktail Day
- 16th May – International Day of Light
- 17th May – World Baking Day
- 17th May – National Numeracy Day
- 20th May – World Bee Day
- 22nd – 27th May – Chelsea Flower Show
- 23rd May – World Turtle Day
- 29th May – Spring Bank Holiday
- 29th May – Gloucester Cheese Rolling day
- 29th May – National Biscuit Day
June
What better time to ramp up your social media content than the month that contains World Social Media Day? June sees an increase in gift buying, with many retailers benefiting from Father’s Day-themed social campaigns.
Key retail dates in June
- All month – Pride Month
- 3rd June – FA Cup Final
- 5th June – World Environment Day
- 10th June – World Gin Day
- 15th June – Clean Air Day
- 18th June – Father’s Day
- 18th June – International Picnic Day
- 24th June – Armed Forces Day
- 30th June – World Social Media Day
July
As the weather warms up in July, there are many social media events to tap into. Why not promote ‘Thank You Day’, encouraging people to buy a little gift for those they appreciate? You could even tie this into World Chocolate Day – after all, who doesn’t love a chocolate thank you present?
Key retail dates in July
- 2nd July – Thank You Day
- 7th July – World Chocolate Day
- 12th July – Battle of the Boyne
- 15th July – World Youth Skills Day
- 16th July – National Ice Cream Day
- 17th July – World Emoji Day
- 25th July – Cheese and Wine Day
- 30th July – International Day of Friendship
August
There are many different events and national days to make the most of in August. Whether you encourage employees to cycle to work on the 4th, update your social bio on the 10th, or share some of your favourite pictures from shoppers, use your social media channels to let your followers know!
Key retail dates in August
- 4th August – Cycle to Work Day
- 8th August – International Cat Day
- 10th August – International Update Your Bio Day
- 13th August – Prosecco Day
- 13th August – International Lefthanders Day
- 17th August – National Cupcake Day
- 19th August – World Humanitarian Day
- 19th August – World Photography Day
- 21st August – World Entrepreneurs’ Day
- 24th August – National Burger Day
September
September brings opportunities for retailers to share important messaging and showcase their values and support for those in the community. One idea could include teaching team members sign language and sharing this information with customers on social media.
Key retail dates in September
- 3rd-6th September – Autumn Fair
- 5th September – International Charity Day
- 9th September – Emergency Services Day
- 10th September – World Suicide Prevention Day
- 17th September – World Cleanup Day
- 18th September – International Equal Pay Day
- 21st September – National Fitness Day
- 23rd September – International Day of Sign Languages
- 27th September – World Tourism Day
- 29th September – World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
October
Peak begins in October and Black Friday promotions will be in full force by this time. Use your social media content to stand out from the crowd and showcase the benefits of shopping with you as consumers begin to consider which retailers to spend their money with.
Key retail dates in October
- All month – UK Black History Month
- 1st October – World Vegetarian Day
- 3rd October – Buy British Day
- 5th October – World Teacher’s Day
- 6th October – World Smile Day
- 9th-15th October – World Mental Health Awareness Week
- 15th October – Global Handwashing Day
- 16th-22nd October – UK Coffee Week
- 21st October – Back to the Future Day
- 31st October – Halloween
November
Use your social media channels to show off your products in various ways this November, using video content, imagery and first-class written content to build brand confidence. Consider ways to engage with your audience, for example, offering discounts to customers taking part in Movember for charity.
Key retail dates in November
- All month – Movember
- 1st November – World Vegan Day
- 4th November – Roast Dinner Day
- 5th November – Guy Fawkes Day/Bonfire Night
- 11th November – Remembrance Day
- 12th November – Remembrance Sunday
- 12th November – Diwali
- 14th November – King Charles III’s birthday
- 24th November – Black Friday
- 27th November – Cyber Monday
December
December has plenty of national days and events to talk about on social media, however, Christmas is likely to inspire plenty of content. From festive promotions to seasonal gifts and feel-good stories from shoppers, use your social channels to bring value and Christmas cheer this December.
Key retail dates in December
- 3rd December – International Day of People with Disabilities
- 4th December – National Cookie Day
- 5th December – International Volunteer Day
- 8th December- Christmas Jumper Day
- 10th December – Human Rights Day
- 25th December – Christmas Day
- 26th December – Boxing Day
- 31st December – New Year’s Eve
Make The Most Of The 2023 Retail Social Media Calendar
The best social media content examples are those that make sense for your brand. Take these dates and events and tailor them, finding unique and relevant ways to link these national days and events to your retail business. Pay attention to the response you get from followers online, using this to adapt your future content.
2023 Retail social media calendar FAQs
What should a social media calendar include?
A 2023 social media calendar should include the date and time that a post will go live, the social network it will be published on, the copy, links and any creative assets such as imagery or videos that will accompany it. This can be done manually, or can be planned straight into a social media management platform.
Click here to view some of the most popular social scheduling and management tools.
What are the busiest months for retail?
Peak season is typically the busiest in retail, running from Black Friday in November, all the way through to the New Year sales. These busy months typically see increased footfall and ecommerce web traffic, putting strain on retailers unless they are prepared. We recommend planning social and marketing content ahead of time, so you can focus on demand and inventory levels throughout peak.
How do I maintain my 2023 social media calendar?
Ideally, you should plan for the coming months, including content that you know will be relevant at certain times of year. This should be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure content still makes sense. You can also add more content throughout the year, allowing you to tap into trends and events that cannot be anticipated.
What is the best social media platform for retail?
This depends on the platforms that your target market uses most. Instagram is a great platform to generate direct sales, however, it is best suited to a younger audience. Find out which social media platforms your target audience use and create content that will grow brand awareness and drive sales.
What is the best social media calendar template?
You can use the key dates and events in this article to guide your social media content, making it easy to choose the most relevant topics to post about.
Why is a 2023 retail social media calendar important?
A 2023 retail social media calendar will enable you to keep track of key events, planning ahead to create relevant content that drives sales and boosts engagement. Without a social media calendar, it’s easy to become sidetracked and miss out on key retail events.
Holly brings a wealth of experience in both print and digital publishing. As Modern Retail’s Content Editor, Holly is passionate about helping independent retailers to thrive in today’s ever-changing market.
