Surprise & Delight: Refresh, Reinvent and be Thankful

While turkey, pie and football may be the first traditions that come to mind, Thanksgiving is a tribute to our country’s beginnings. On this day, we honor the memories of the first Thanksgiving, when the English colonists and the Wampanoag Native Americans came together and shared a feast to celebrate the autumn harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

A nod to tradition: Satisfy cravings with oldies but goodies

Thanksgiving celebrations are awash in tradition. All five senses are engaged: The aroma of turkey roasting from the early morning and the play of the familiar flavors on your tongue. The intermittent cheers and groans in response to the football game on TV, and the texture of perfect pie dough between your fingers. The sight of the iconic autumnal table, set for a harvest feast. The scene evokes memories of past holidays, resplendent with the comfort of familiar traditions and the warmth of family and community.

Business relationships need to be similarly nourished. Customers and prospects crave the peace of mind gained from belief that you will deliver on your promise. Feed their appetite and instill confidence with a website that includes well-crafted explanations of your offered services, as well as proof in strong (and specific) client testimonials. Supportive content like Frequently Asked Questions and case studies help prospective clients understand your value proposition while increasing their level of interest and involvement. Build on these website mainstays with blog posts, videos and resources — and ensure your site is secure and mobile-friendly.

Refresh a longtime favorite with a different spin

While familiar flavors and aromas often evoke memories of past holidays, a change can be powerful. This year, consider going rogue to delight the palate. Swap out your traditional holiday greens for a raw shaved sprouts salad with pine nuts and lemon pecorino cheese dressing. Your guests will perk up and lean in.

Similarly, strong digital assets can have a long shelf life. Yet some older content may need a recipe tweak to regain momentum and user appeal. Refresh a blog post by layering in new findings, updated tools or best practices. Reinvent lengthy articles as easy to consume videos, how-to guides or social snippets.

Welcome the non-traditional … Lighten up and get trendy

If you’re seeking to score the support of a sous chef this holiday, be open to some newfangled fare. Consider replacing the marshmallow sweet potato casserole with savory air-fried spiced sweet potato wedges. Perhaps wake up the taste buds with kombucha in place of apple cider … or swap out the usual chips and dip for a non-traditional appetizer … charcuterie, anyone?

Lighten up is a theme for consuming today’s preferred social fare as well, with a definitive preference for mobile-first and short-duration video reels (known as shorts on YouTube and TikTok). There’s a viewership shift emerging … from a discovery-focused, intentional approach to a random entertainment alternative. Make your reels brief, easy to consume, entertaining — and of course, mobile-friendly.

Be thankful for the power of a refresh

While the pace of technology change can be daunting, there’s much to be thankful for. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Chat GPT can streamline content development dramatically, and social scheduling tools continue to evolve and improve.

Another reason to be thankful? Notable industry experts who freely share information and success strategies. Neil Patel offers this powerful tip to your kick-start viewership of previously published content. Like a creative new twist on an iconic recipe, what’s old is new again. Content creation takes a lot of time and brainpower; make a habit to revisit and refresh older content to generate more traffic and higher rankings.

Content questions?