Author Fennel Hudson once wrote, “May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive.”
You can imagine strolling through a field of newly bloomed wildflowers or feeling the breeze from your open windows on a road trip.
We’ve curated a collection of May content ideas for just about every channel—blogs, social posts, email, and video—designed to engage your audience during this special time of year.
💡 Want to plan the rest of your year in one place? Get the 2024 Marketing Calendar for ideas, tips, and trends for every month of the year.
There’s lots to celebrate this month, from moms to Mexican culture. These May holiday content ideas will get you in front of your audience right when they’re ready to enjoy the big day.
Officially, Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s military victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Colloquially, it’s a day to appreciate Mexican culture.
Here’s a really cool content idea for this holiday: create a video with activities for kids showcasing Mexico’s traditional music, food, and history.
This is an ambitious project, for sure. You don’t have to go that big. There are several other ways you can fiesta on your feeds this Cinco de Mayo.
Create a calendar of local Cinco de Mayo events.
Write a blog post about traditional foods and links to recipes.
Ask followers to comment with their favorite Mexican restaurants.
Share a list of Mexican heritage centers and museums if there are some in your area, then tag their accounts in the post for extra reach.
Post a video with examples of traditional Mexican music or images of traditional Mexican dress.
Moms are the often-unsung heroes in our lives. We’d include the people who step up as stepmoms and mother figures to so many of us on that list.
For all they do, moms deserve a special day. You can help your customers give it to them by publishing a gift guide with ideas for every type of mom.
That’s just the tip of the ideation iceberg for Mother’s Day content. Try asking questions on social media or sharing favorite Mother’s Day memories.
Ask people to share their favorite mom-ism (Like “because I said so”).
Make some funny “A day in the life of a busy mom” videos.
Write up a list of stores and restaurants offering Mother’s Day specials.
Have moms comment on their favorite Mother’s Day ever.
Show followers how to make the perfect breakfast in bed.
Here’s even more inspiration for your Mother’s Day social media posts.
🛑 Get a full year of social media posts in this Copy & Paste Social Media Calendar.
Memorial Day messaging has an interesting bifurcation. The meaning behind the day is a somber reminder of the military men and women who gave their lives in service of our country. At the same time, Memorial weekend is the unofficial start of summer, full of pool parties and barbeques.
If you want to address the first theme, an Instagram Reel highlighting the day’s history is a great choice.
There are plenty of ways to engage your audience with the second theme. Promotions, party planning, and cooking tips are all popular options.
Send your email subscribers a plan for the perfect Memorial Day party with lists of supplies, decoration ideas, and sample menus (use these Memorial Day subject lines).
Simply share your Memorial Day hours in a social media post.
Share a list of weekend road trip ideas, small towns to visit, historical sites to see, etc.
Curate some refreshing summertime cocktail and mocktail recipes and publish them in a blog post.
Run a Memorial Day promotion with discounts, BOGO offers, or free shipping.
Pop culture social media posts are engagement gold (people love their fandoms!). May is full of days dedicated to popular books, movies, and more. Lean into those topics, and you’ll attract many people to your posts.
Harry Potter is an enduring cultural phenomenon, with fans flocking to themed conventions, parks, and events. Not to mention, #harrypotterday has nearly 38k posts on Instagram alone.
How can you engage this energetic audience of Hogwarts lovers? How about a funny video asking, “What if the world of Harry Potter existed in real life?”
This is such a fun theme to explore. There are lots of visual and interactive content ideas you can use on Harry Potter Day.
Run an Instagram poll asking followers which Hogwarts house they belong in (and connect each answer to one of your products).
Ask followers to comment on their favorite HP books, movies, or scenes.
Share Harry Potter little-known facts and behind-the-scenes stories.
Hold a Harry Potter dress-up day for your staff or customers and share the photos on your social media feeds.
“May the Fourth (be with you)” has become a yearly celebration of all things Sith, Skywalker, and space scoundrels. Like Harry Potter fans, Star Wars devotees will surely like, love, and share your Star Wars content.
The Dallas Mavericks played a little prank by stationing several Storm Troopers outside of a press conference. They looked like statues and startled players as they walked by.
Costume events in various forms are great ideas for Star Wars Day, but there is a galaxy full of other ways to share the force.
Hold a Star Wars trivia contest and Instagram giveaway, awarding prizes to the people who answer obscure questions the fastest.
Ask followers to share pics of their pets dressed as Star Wars characters (here are more tips on gathering user-generated content).
Create a how-to video with some Star Wars-themed crafts and activities
Use the right hashtags like #maythefourth, #starwarsday, and #maythefourthbewithyou
Speaking of dressing up, May is also home to the most famous horse race of all time, the Kentucky Derby. And this event is all about seersucker suites and ornate headwear.
Anyone can join the fun, but if you work in the fashion, travel, or lifestyle industries, you should focus on Derby content.
Of course, party tips and mint julep recipes are great options, but don’t stop there. These content ideas will have your May marketing off and running.
Work with an influencer to create a “Get ready with me” post that shows everything from make-up to hat choices to transportation for the big Derby party.
Host an online watch party.
Create a bingo card of typical things you’ll see during the Kentucky Derby.
Ask people to pick the race winner and randomly choose one to win a prize.
This is just the beginning of the May content ideas you can create around pop-cultural events. Have fun with these themed days:
Paranormal Day (May 3)
National Space Day (May 3)
National Golf Day (May 10)
National Twilight Zone Day (May 11)
National Limerick Day (May 12)
National Classic Movie Day (May 16)
National Talk Like Yoda Day (May 21)
Sherlock Holmes Day (May 22)
You have a platform and a mission. May is a great time to bring them together and show support for some of the several important causes highlighted this month.
Fortunately, people are having more open conversations about their mental health, but the stigma isn’t completely gone. Mental Health Awareness Month is about continuing those discussions and sharing education so everyone can thrive.
Save a few spots in your May content calendar to spread the message and promote good mental health.
Education, empathy, and accessibility are important themes for Mental Health Awareness Month. Consider them as you share content that helps your audience understand what mental health means to them.
Invite a mental health professional to manage your social media feeds for the day, offering tips on stress reduction, conflict resolution, and other common challenges.
Share links and phone numbers to mental health resources and care providers.
Create a music playlist of calming music.
If you’re comfortable with it, share a personal story of your own mental health journey.
Promote events like 5Ks and awareness walks that support mental health organizations and missions.
Nursing is an incredibly demanding and critical profession. Some content devoted to appreciating amazing nurses is well warranted.
You don’t need an elaborate post or to work in the medical field to express your support for nurses.
There are actually two nurse-related holidays in May: National Nurses Day (May 12) and International Nurses Day (May 13). You’ll need a few content ideas to fill out both days.
List a few types of nurses and explain what those specialties do.
Offer nurses an extra discount, or have a giveaway specifically for nurses.
Create a list of the freebies and discounts offered to nurses by local or online shops.
Share ways your followers can show support for the nurses in their lives.
“Adopt, don’t shop” is a common motto for dog rescues nationwide. The idea is that there is an overabundance of rescue pups available, and many are in less-than-ideal situations. Your May content can help connect these beautiful dogs with a new furever home.
I mean, look at that face!
The great thing about content for this awareness day is that people love posts with pics of pets. So, use these ideas to do some good while gaining visibility for your brand.
This day is ripe for user-generated content, so ask your followers to share images or videos of their rescue dogs.
Partner with local rescue organizations to feature dogs that need a good home.
Create a list of volunteer opportunities at dog shelters, or, even better, organize a volunteer day.
Ask a dog trainer to give training tips for new rescue dogs to help your new followers feel more comfortable adopting a pup.
Still not enough ideas for you? No worries, there are plenty more to go. Choose a few great causes from this list and use them to fill in the blanks.
ALS Awareness Month
Brain Cancer Awareness Month
Cancer Research Month
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
National Skilled Trades Day (May 1)
National Public Radio Day (May 3)
International Firefighters Day (May 4)
National Teacher Appreciation Day (May 7)
National Ovarian Cancer Day (May 8)
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8)
National Small Business Day (May 10) (Small Business Week April 28 to May 4)
National Hospital Day (May 12)
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (May 17)
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 18)
World Multiple Sclerosis Day (May 20)
World Hunger Day (May 28)
Beverages and nibbles are always content crowdpleasers because, well, everyone eats and drinks. Get a few of these ideas in your content mix this May for an extra hit of attention.
Some say cupcakes are just muffins with better makeup, but we say they’re a confection worth commemorating. National Give Someone a Cupcake Day lets you honor this handheld sweet treat while sharing a little joy.
If you have a physical location, hand out a few dozen of the best cupcakes you can find and promote the event on social media. If you’re not a local business, there are still ways to spread the joy of a perfectly iced walking cake.
Share the secrets of your staff’s favorite cupcake recipes or go-to bakeries.
Ask followers to tag you in videos of them giving their family and friends cupcakes.
Ask a baker to write healthier alternatives to some ingredients in typical cupcake recipes, like processed sugar and flour, and then share them in a post.
Post a funny cupcake image and challenge people to suggest captions for it.
People are proud of their regional barbeque. Whether it’s Texas, Memphis, or the Carolinas, everyone knows their ‘que is the best and is willing to make fun of every other version.
Where there’s good-natured ribbing (pun intended), there’s lots of engagement on social media posts. Take advantage by posting about the “best” barbeque on May 16th.
Here are a handful of ways to get the ‘que conversation started in your May content:
Poll people about their favorite cooking method or sauce.
Create an infographic of barbeque styles.
Write a blog post detailing the best BBQ restaurants in your city.
Share interesting facts about BBQ (like that the world record-holder ate over 13 pounds of ribs in 12 minutes).
It can’t all be roasted meat and icing. You have to include some produce, too. And that’s what Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day is all about.
Although it may not be as fun as other food-related holidays, you can still create interesting, helpful content.
Partner with other local businesses, such as gyms, massage therapists, nutritionists, and health food stores, to promote an online health fair.
Create a chart listing the main health benefits of several fruits and vegetables.
Promote local farms and farmers’ markets.
Share a list of produce growing locally and when it’s in season.
Work with a local restaurant to curate several easy, healthy recipes featuring in-season fruits and vegetables.
Hardly a week goes by in May without several days dedicated to one food or another. You could even have a social media post listing them all. Or, pick a few from the list and create some mouth-watering content around it.
American Cheese Month
National Chocolate Parfait Day (May 1)
National Truffle Day (May 2)
National Coconut Cream Pie Day (May 8)
International Hummus Day (May 13)
National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15)
National Mushroom Hunting Day (May 17)
National Pizza Party Day (May 17)
World Baking Day (May 19)
National Wine Day (May 25)
There’s a palpable buzz in May that’s fueled by thoughts of outdoor gatherings, road trips, and days playing at the pool. When your May content matches that vibe, you’ll stand out in feeds, inboxes, and Google searches. And if you want all of your marketing efforts to generate more leads and sales, see how our marketing solutions can help any day of the year!
For more May marketing ideas, check out these posts:
