July 1 is Canada Day, a federal statutory holiday when Canadians across the country celebrate the anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution Act 1867, which united three separate colonies into a single Dominion called Canada.
I swell with pride just typing this.
I will be out of the country on July 1, and will rely on social media newsfeeds to share the celebration. To me, this is the magic of the digital world. Despite not being here physically, I can join the community festivities online.
So, to help me out and the many other Canadians who might not be here to celebrate, I offer the following suggestions to get the most out of Canada Day on social media.
The first one is pretty obvious. Be sure to bring your smartphone to the celebrations and make sure it is charged. For extra measure, pack your charger in your picnic basket. Take lots of pictures and post them.
When you post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, use hashtags. The commonly used holiday hashtags: #OhCanada; #CanadaDay; #HappyCanadaDay; #Canada; #Canadian; and my personal favourite, #ehCanada.
On Facebook and Twitter, one or two hashtags is all you need. On Instagram, fill your boots. Remember, you can use a hashtag in Instagram Stories, as well.
Which brings me to live video. I am politely asking you to please use it on Canada Day. You can broadcast local festivities on Facebook Live and share the performances and featured events in real time.
Personally, I’d love to see a live broadcast of the Maple Ridge Choral Society. ‘Hubby’ is singing and I can cheer him on from afar.
Crafting an Instagram Story is also a great way to chronicle the day. Mix short 10- to 12-second video clips with photos, and add geotags and timelines. Be sure to use the Canada Flag emoji and the #mapleridge hashtag, so the community can follow along.
Community parties are filled with colour, light, and sound. From face-painters, to dancers, to drummers, this makes for great mobile video clips. Record short clips and use an app like iMovie (Apple) or Kinemaster (Android) to edit and upload on your smartphone or iPad. Post these to YouTube and other social feeds.
The proud Canadians of the business community have unique opportunities to share their love of country on social media, too. Do post pictures of your Canada Day-themed window displays, and the red and white maple leaf flag flying outside your storefront.
If you or your employees are participating in a Canada Day run, let us know. Have them post their selfies at the starting and finish lines, and tag your business. We can hail their accomplishment together.
There are so many reasons to be proud of being Canadian. List your top 10 reasons as a text post or blog, or create a meme or use (judiciously) the Facebook coloured status background to tell us what it is that makes being a Canadian so remarkable.
Faraway friends and family may not be able to join us on our picnic blankets, but via the wonder of the Internet, we can be connected from sea to shining sea and beyond.
Vicki McLeod is an author, TEDx speaker, and award-winning entrepreneur. She is a business and personal coach and consultant. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or find her at vickimcleod.com.