Trends and Events for Your May Social Media Calendar

At UNUM, we’re always looking ahead. So, each month we’ll deliver a list of events, holidays, and must-knows along with hashtags and post ideas to keep your social media feeds fresh for the month ahead. 

Welcome to the April edition.

May highlights include Star Wars Day, Nurse Appreciation Week, and World Fair Trade Day, just to name a few. Not sure how to incorporate them into your social media strategy? We’ll show you!

May conferences

May is filled with events hosted by major players in technology, business, and social media we thought you should know about so that you can keep an eye on announcements or emerging trends that impact your brand.

The Future of Everything Festival

May 17–19

Imagine a gathering of big industry thought leaders looking at how global forces will shape the future. After a two-year break, Wall Street Journal is bringing back this think tank with themes in:

• Health/Science: gene editing, vaccine development, and new treatments for chronic pain 
• Technology: NFTs, advanced robotics, and AI ethics
• Work: the fourth industrial revolution
• Arts & Style: blurred lines between our physical and digital lives, plus storytelling on a wide, multi-platform scale
  

Dell Technologies World

May 2–5

“A theme park for the passionate technologist,” this in-person Vegas event features keynote speakers, trailblazer sessions, hands-on labs, networking, and even a performance by Weezer.

IBM Think

May 10–11

A free, hybrid touring event, offering Q&A sessions from industry leaders in AI, cybersecurity, and automation. The in-person portion of the event will take place in various cities: Boston, London, Berlin, Toronto, Singapore, Paris, Madrid, Sydney, Dallas, Mumbai, Tokyo, and Bejing

Google I/O

May 11–12

Another hybrid event, this one will have a sandbox feature, allowing guests to virtually try new Google products and features. Plus, anyone can learn Google technology during the event with workshops, tutorials, and codelabs. To register all you need to do is create a Google Developer profile.

Conversations Messaging Event META

May 19

Meta’s messaging platforms (Snap and FB messenger) boast over 2 billion users, and this virtual event will share product updates and insights, plus feature technical deep dives, panels, and demos. Will Zuck be there? We don’t know. 

Microsoft Build

May 24–26

What’s Next in Tech is the name of this virtual event packed with announcements, news, and tutorials.

Google Marketing Live

May 24

This annual virtual event is all about Google advertising products. It begins with a keynote speaker, followed by breakout sessions to help brands achieve their business goals.

May trend alerts

Understanding what's trending in how people live, communicate, celebrate, and exchange information is key to knowing your audience and being one step ahead.

GIPHY Clips on TikTok

Expect to see creators on TikTok incorporating GIFs (with sound!) into their videos since the launch of TikTok’s GIPHY Clips library—GIFs from popular series, reality shows, and movies.

Pinterest Predicts: Alt Bashes

This year’s Pinterest trend report says alt bashes—think divorce parties and empty nest jams— will be on the rise in 2022 and beyond. This presents a marketing opportunity for brands who find a way to appeal to the subculture of unconventional celebrations.

Telegram will rule messaging

Private messaging services are king when it comes to communication for families, friends, communities, and colleagues, while email is collecting dust. Launched in 2013, Telegram is a privacy-focused alternative to Snap, Messenger, and WhatsApp for media exchange such as files, photos, and videos. 

Due to the instant translation function, privacy protection, and lack of a censorship algorithm, it has played a key role in the Russia-Ukraine war, helping to distribute funds to refugees and disseminate propaganda. Telegram was the most downloaded app in the world in 2021, and we expect its growth to continue. 

May hashtag holidays

Official or informal, here are the holidays you should add to your social media calendar.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Engage with your audience on social media about the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the U.S. Ask the community what matters to them and let them lead the discussion. Amplify and uplift their voices by sharing their content and giving them shout-outs.

#AANHPIHM #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth #StopAAPIHate #StopAsianHate

National Teacher’s Week/Day

May 3–7

The appreciation day lands on May 4th. Share a photo from your youth (or of a teacher) and use storytelling to connect with your audience. Everyone can relate to having that one special teacher that changed how they saw themselves and the world.

#teacherappreciationday #teacherappreciationweek #ThankATeacher

Star Wars Day

May 4

Star Wars is a cult classic. The archetypes in the film franchise along with the newest Mandalorian series reaches people of all ages and finds its way into all kinds of product merchandising. More of a joke holiday, it’s an opportunity to have fun on social with your followers. 

‍Post idea: Use Yoda syntax in your social media captions. In social media captions, talk like Yoda, you must.

#MayTheFourthBeWithYou #StarWarsDay #StarWars #HappyStarWarsDay #GeorgeLucas #Jedi 

Cinco de Mayo

May 5

A celebration of the Mexican army’s victory over France, Cinco Day is more popular in North America with the Mexican American communication than it is in Mexico. A big day for the service industry, add a featured item to the menu with Mexican ingredients. 

Post idea: Educate your followers about Mexican history and tradition In your content, whether it’s a podcast, TikTok videos, or a series of trivia posts on Instagram.

#cincodemayo #tacotuesday #tacos #tequila #margarita #mexico #mexicanfood #fiesta #happycincodemayo #mexican #supportlocal

Nurse Appreciation Day/Week

May 12, May 6–12

Take to your social media accounts on any day this week or on the 12th and sing the praises of a nurse you know or nurses in general. Brands with a product line can market “gifts for nurses.”

#nursesweek #thankyounurses #nursesofinstagram #nationalnursesweek #happynursesweek #thankanurse #nurses #nursesweek2022

World Fair Trade Day

May 7

A global celebration organized by the World Fair Trade Organization, this year’s theme is Climate Justice aimed at “delivering fair, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to people who are suffering the effects of the climate crisis while addressing the root causes of climate change.” 

Solutions and themes include climate-friendly artisanal fashion, low carbon upcycling, regenerative agriculture, plastic recycling, eco-friendly natural dyes, and carbon-neutral textiles or production. 

Pro Tip: Purpose-driven and conscious brands can use fair-trade materials or ingredients to support climate justice, revisit and tweak production practices to align with climate justice, and/or donate a portion of proceeds to the causes. 

#LetsDoItFair #ClimateJustice #WorldFairTradeDay #upcycling #ecofriendly 

Mother’s Day

May 8

We saw International Women’s Day on March 8th, and the North American version is celebrated on May 8th, specifically for biological, adoptive, and stepmothers. You should already be planning your Mother’s Day campaign for newsletters, social media posts, and Google search ads. Top keyword searches include DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas, Mother’s Day cards handmade, Mother’s Day gift box, and Happy Mother’s Day gif.

National Women’s Health Week

May 8–15

Commencing on Mother’s Day, this week is set aside as one big public service announcement to remind women and girls to consider factors that influence their mental and physical health. 

‍Post idea: Choose a women’s health issue you are passionate about and use your audience to create awareness around it. You can create relatable TikTok videos or infographic to illustrate.

#nationalwomenshealthweek #nwhw #womenshealth #womenshealthweek 

Endangered Species Day

May 20

Influencers have an opportunity let audiences know about a cause they are passionate about. Endangered species are closely connected to climate change and climate justice. A good social media strategy will connect World Fair Trade day with Endangered Species Day. And if you have the following, collect donations for a non-profit.

Check out endangered.org for shareable infographics and actionable tips to save endangered species in your area.

#stopextinction #worldwildlife #criticallyendangered #worldwildlifeday #wildlifeprotection #animalconservation #wildlifeconservation #protectwildlife #endangeredanimals

Memorial Day

May 30

It’s a DON’T to promote your brand on Monday, May 30th.

Set aside to commemorate those who have sacrificed their lives for our country, this day of remembrance happens to facilitate a three-day weekend that kicks off the summer. Saturday and Sunday are yours, but be mindful of your posts on Monday, May 30th. It is OK to remain quiet, or If it is genuine and sincere—coming from the face of your brand—you can give recognition to our fallen heroes on that day. 

+++++

UNUM is your best tool for planning, creating, and executing beautiful social media feeds and stories. Signup today for a free account.

~~~~~

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

‍