Hello and welcome to our list of February observances and unique content ideas for your monthly author marketing plan.
Without regular connection to readers, you’re just another book on the shelf. Take the time to make yourself stand out by using our monthly observances and tips to create interesting content with your own unique twist.
This is part of building your brand!
Timely content that uses popular and trending search terms and hashtags is a great way to enhance your visibility and improve SEO in a very simple way.
And what’s really key: content ideas don’t always have to stem from your genre or topic.
When it comes to author marketing and building a brand, ensuring that your fans and followers have ways to connect with you on a more personal level is as powerful as speaking about your genre and topic.
How to Use My Content Ideas
Below are holidays and just plain wacky and fun February Observances for 2021.
I’ve also included a few content ideas and angles to help spark your creativity!
Not all of these are worth an entire blog post or article, but nearly all of them can be turned into a fun or thought-provoking social media post or blurb in your newsletter – so it’s like getting triple the ideas!
There are always a lot of holidays around food, drink, and cooking, so get ready to share recipes or tag local fave establishments and ask followers to share theirs. The same goes for activities: this is a great chance to take selfies and/or to share a bit about yourself outside of being a writer.
These also open up opportunities for you to make recommendations for products – no, not official ads, but again, people love to follow someone who’s a great resource. Think outside the box to come up with ways you can help people out and make their lives easier or more exciting.
Keep in mind: ALL of your posts should encourage your fans and followers to respond, chime in, share their feedback, insight, stories, etc. Don’t forget to work that angle: let them know you want to hear from them!
Also remember: your goal is to encourage engagement – never post flat content; be creative with how you pull others into the conversation and offer ways for them to easily engage.
If you feel a little guilty about the lack of promotion planning you’ve done so far in 2021, use this list as a productive kick in the rear. Commit to writing some form of content every day and use it on social, for your blog, in your newsletter – get creative!
Giving yourself a bar to reach is the first step to upping your game.
Kick off a great year of book marketing and promotion by grabbing our Monthly Book Marketing Planner from the Free Resources and Downloads section at the end of this post.
Do polls, giveaways, fan art contests: remember to make it about your readers – not about you – and you’re guaranteed to see better engagement.
If you need some additional support on how to translate these ideas into actual content and posts, consider signing up for email coaching with me and we’ll get personal!
Getting Started with Content Ideas
Check out these monthlong observances. Several offer opportunities to support a cause close to your heart by sharing stories, raising awareness, and/or giving your followers ways to donate money, time, and love to your favorite issues.
American Heart Month The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign is a huge part of American Heart Month. Post a selfie of yourself in red on February 5 (National Wear Red Day) – but also consider using your platform to inform, educate, or advocate, depending on your inclination. The National Institute of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI) has a powerhouse resource page that includes animated gifs, pre-written newsletter blurbs, and social media resources. Check out the link in the Free Resources and Downloads at the end of this post!
An Affair to Remember Month
Black History Month
Canned Food Month
Creative Romance Month
Great American Pie Month
Love Your Library Month You gotta love your library! This is a great month to showcase these important community resources. Run a contest where you ask your followers to look for your book in their local library. To enter, they can post a photo of it on the library shelf or a screenshot of your page in the online catalog. If the library doesn’t include your book in its catalog, your followers can enter by DMing or emailing you proof that they’ve requested your book be added to the library’s collection. Make the prize a good one – this is terrific outreach work! – and consider also making a donation to the winner’s favorite library, too.
National African-American Read-In Month What a great way for authors to personalize Black History Month! Sit down and create several posts about your favorite African-American writers and then schedule them to appear throughout the month. If you need recommendations, flip this and ask your followers for books they love by Black authors. Creating a monthlong conversation based on appreciation and education is a gift you can give your fans.
National Bird Feeding Month
National Cherry Month
National Children’s Dental Health Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Weddings Month A great opportunity for Romance writers to celebrate some of their favorite couples, especially if you write HEAs. Ask your readers to find the perfect wedding dress for a favorite character or to drop in photos of favorite venues where you might set an upcoming novel about a reluctant Maid of Honor. So many humans go into the creation of so many wedding festivities – you also have potential to get feedback or ideas about characters galore!
Spunky Old Broads Month
Multi-Day Celebrations
Week 1 Children’s Authors and Illustrators Seven days of great picture books? Sign me up! The real question is whether you will showcase old or new favorites. Don’t forget to ask followers for suggestions for new titles to add to your bookcase!
Week 3 International Flirting Week
Daily Observations for February
February 1
National Freedom Day
No Politics Day
Spunky Old Broads Day
February 2
Candlemas
Ground Hog Day. Any holiday with a furry creature is pretty much begging for a funny meme. If you want to go deeper (into the hole of winter?), you can also check out The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s website for more information and ideas. The link is below in Free Resources and Downloads.
February 3
Feed the Birds Day
The Day the Music Died
February 4
Create a Vacuum Day
Stuffed Mushroom Day
Thank a Mailman Day
February 5
Bubble Gum Day
National Shower with a Friend Day
National Weatherman’s Day
World Read Aloud Day. Get your ring light and find a favorite passage from your own or another author’s work, then set yourself up in front of your video camera and go! Tag a friend or follower and ask them to do the same. Or find a favorite author reading from their work and post it with some love; invite others to post their own favorites in turn.
February 6
Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
International Frozen Yogurt Day
Lame Duck Day
National Chopsticks Day
Take Your Child to the Library Day. I mean, just follow the directions for this one!
February 7
Send a Card to a Friend Day. I love great office supplies and stationery and am already thinking of ways to highlight some of my favorite letterpress printers for this one.
Superbowl Sunday. Superbowl LV! Whether you watch for the gridiron greats, the commercials, or the halftime show, there’s plenty to tweet and post about during this year’s festivities in Tampa Bay.
Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day
February 8
Boy Scout Day
Clean out Your Computer Day
Kite Flying Day
February 9
National Pizza Day
Toothache Day
February 10
Umbrella Day. Love Singing in the Rain? Totoro? Rhihanna? Tom Holland? Umbrella Academy? Mary Poppins? The Bumbershoot Festival? So many pop culture possibilities!
February 11
Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day
Make a Friend Day
National Inventors Day
Paczki Day in Poland
White T-Shirt Day
February 12
Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
Chinese New Years
Judy Blume’s Birthday. Turning 83 today! Most people remember Forever and Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret. Why not run a poll on her best lesser-known novel? Fans of Freckle Juice and Superfudge are sure to weigh in!
National Lost Penny Day
Plum Pudding Day
February 13
Get a Different Name Day. Have a character whose name isn’t quite right? Great opportunity to solicit opinions on a new moniker or nickname for that oddball!
February 14
Ferris Wheel Day
Library Lovers’ Day. Bring some treats to your favorite librarians and encourage others to do the same!
National Organ Donor Day
Valentine’s Day
February 15
National Gum Drop Day
President’s Day
Singles Awareness Day – A great opportunity for motivational and inspiration and self-help authors to recognize their single readers and gift them with a terrific quote or an easy download.
Susan B Anthony Day
February 16
Do a Grouch a Favor Day
Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday. Maybe you throw beads with the best of them, indulge in King’s Cake, or make a list of possible things to give up for Lent. All great possibilities for sharing with your followers.
Reading Rainbow Day (LeVar Burton’s Birthday). Share a clip of a favorite episode or a great article on the importance of the series and it probably won’t take long for others to chime in!
February 17
Ash Wednesday
Random Acts of Kindness Day
February 18
National Battery Day
National Drink Wine Day. So many ways to go with this one! A Facebook or Instagram Live Happy Hour could be the perfect way to connect in real time. Everyone has some followers who are up for chatting at Wine O’Clock.
February 19
National Chocolate Mint Day
February 20
Cherry Pie Day
Hoodie Hoo Day
Love Your Pet Day. I mean, Cosmo is obviously the best pet anyone could ever have, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t share your love for your own Spot, Stella, or Slinky. Who doesn’t love a cute canine or frisky feline? Plus, this is a great opportunity for all of you who share your homes with snakes, hamsters, beta fish, and geckos to get in on the pet glory!
February 21
Card Reading Day
February 22
Edward Gorey’s Birthday. Live near Cape Cod? I see an on-location selfie at the Edward Gorey House in your future. You can also make a virtual visit (and take your followers along) to the home of the American author and illustrator whose gothic depictions of Victorian and Edwardian children still have the power to make us giggle in horrified glee. See the link the Free Resources and Downloads below.
George Washington’s Birthday
Be Humble Day
International World Thinking Day
National Margarita Day. If wine isn’t your drink, follow the directions on February 18, but sub in your favorite margarita. Or run a poll: frozen or on the rocks; salt or no salt on the rim; best tequila/flavor combo. People have opinions!
Walking the Dog Day. Do this with a yo-yo or an actual pup: either one is sure to make a great photo op!
February 23
International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
Tennis Day
February 24
National Tortilla Chip Day
World Bartender Day
February 25
Pistol Patent Day
February 2
Carnival Day
National Pistachio Day
Purim
Tell a Fairy Tale Day. If any of your books makes use of a fairy tale – even if only as a text reference or an example – it’s a great opportunity for a quote from your own work. Alternately, ask your followers about their favorite (or least favorite) tale from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, or another teller of tales.
February 27
Polar Bear Day
No Brainer Day
Open That Bottle Night
February 28
Floral Design Day
National Chili Day. People have serious chili preferences, so it might be a good time to share your own. See who agrees, who begs to differ. Then eat your homemade goodness while watching the Oscars!
Public Sleeping Day
National Tooth Fairy Day
Oscar Night
The Takeaway
Remember, being an author demands creativity, and it also demands authenticity.
Coming up with unique content ideas as part of your author marketing plan is a great way to take your success seriously, without taking yourself too seriously! And these February observances should really help.
May this month be a social media and newsletter lovefest for one and all!
Resources and Free Downloads
NIH/NHLBI National Heart Month Resources
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
Monthly Book Marketing Planner
5 Simple Tips for Creating Video Content for Social Media
Ideas for Irresistible Bonus Content & Giveaways
Hi Penny, This is a very exhaustive list of content ideas based on relevant days of the month.
Thank you so so much for the article. I will surely use plenty of ideas for my own blogging journey.
Loved your writing style – simple, direct and very practical.
Thank you, Renjini!