October is one of those months that feels full of energy. The seasons are changing, people are leaning into cosier routines, and there are plenty of awareness days you can use as easy hooks for your content.
Whether you want to spread positivity, show the human side of your brand, or have some fun with the spooky season, here are some ideas to spark your creativity.
October 3: World Smile Day
What better way to start the month than with joy?
World Smile Day was launched in honour of Harvey Ball, the artist who created the classic yellow smiley face in 1963. He wanted a day dedicated to acts of kindness and sharing smiles — and it’s become an annual celebration.
Content ideas:
- Share the story behind World Smile Day — most people don’t know where it came from.
- Post your team’s best smiles — candid, natural photos always win over posed ones.
- Ask your audience what makes them smile. Collect their answers and repurpose them into a Reel or carousel.
- Tie it back to your niche. For example: “3 things in skincare guaranteed to make you smile” or “The 3 marketing wins every small business loves.”
October 6: Instagram’s Birthday
Yes, Instagram turns 15 this year! It’s wild to think how far the platform has come since the days of over-filtered brunch snaps.
Content ideas:
- Post a quick timeline of how Instagram has evolved — and what that says about how your business shows up online.
- Share your most popular post of all time and explain why you think it worked.
- Reflect on the best thing Instagram has brought you. Maybe it’s new friendships, unexpected opportunities, or simply a way to connect with your customers.
October 31: Halloween
Spooky season is one of the easiest (and most fun) content opportunities of the year. It works for almost every niche, because you can bring a creative or playful spin to it.
Content ideas:
- Share a themed recipe — pumpkin pie, spooky cupcakes, or even a Halloween-inspired cocktail.
- Put a “horror” twist on your industry. Examples: “Nightmare on Algorithm Street” for social media managers, “The Scariest Emails a Client Can Send” for freelancers, or “The Reach-ening” for marketers.
- Create a “Top 10 scariest things that can happen to a [your audience]” list. Keep it funny, light, and relatable.
Other October dates worth noting
If you’re looking for quick wins, these smaller dates are great for simple Stories, polls, or fun posts that don’t take much effort:
- Oct 1: International Coffee Day: Perfect for a “how do you take yours?” poll.
- Oct 4: National Taco Day: Share your favourite fillings and ask your followers for theirs.
- Oct 14: National Dessert Day: Post a team dessert ranking or your ultimate sweet treat.
- Oct 17: National Pasta Day: Quick and easy: poll your followers on their favourite pasta shape.
- Oct 26: National Pumpkin Day: Share photos of your pumpkins — or your kids’ carving creations.
- Oct 30: National Candy Corn Day: Light-hearted “love it or hate it?” post.
Why awareness days work
Awareness days are more than just fun little calendar notes. They:
- Give you ready-made hooks to make posting easier.
- Spark engagement with light, relatable content.
- Show personality and help your brand feel more human.
You don’t need to use every single one. Pick one or two that feel natural for your brand, and focus on showing up consistently.
Want awareness days in your inbox?
If you’d like to save time and never miss a chance to join the conversation, I put together a newsletter called Content Sparks.
- Free plan → You’ll get an email once a month with the key dates and content ideas (just like this post).
- Paid plan (£5/month) → You’ll get an email every other Sunday, which means double the ideas, more awareness days, and more time to prepare for promos and campaigns.
Subscribe here: beevisible.substack.com
It’s just £5 a month – less than the price of a takeaway coffee – and it takes the stress out of planning your content.
October is full of opportunities to post with joy, personality, and creativity. Pick the days that resonate most, and let them spark conversations with your audience.