You've probably noticed the onslaught of all things holiday-related lately. As soon as Halloween is over, if not before, retailers begin gearing up for the holiday season. The Christmas music starts, the fake Santas appear and the quest for the perfect Christmas gift begins. As retailers begin gearing up for the holiday season, so do marketers. But these days there's a lot more pressure on social media marketers as well to prepare for the holidays. Why? Because social media plays a HUGE role in people's purchasing behavior.

Check out a few of these stats:

- 64.8% of shoppers use social media to find the perfect gift
- 67% of shoppers purchased a gift they found on social media
- 44% of shoppers discover holiday deals through peer recommendations

Thanks to social media, today's consumers have it easy when searching for the perfect gift. Friends and family drop hints all year long via social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest. By browsing through a few pins they've posted or content they've shared, it's not hard to get a general idea of what they like. (Prime example: This guy planned his wife's dream wedding just be looking through her Pinterest boards.)

So what does this mean for you as a business? As consumers flock to the web for purchasing information, it has never been more important that your social media be engaging and up-to-date. This holiday season, try posting fun graphics and descriptions of your products on your business's Facebook and Pinterest pages. If you're having a holiday giveaway or a Black Friday sale, let your fans know on social media! You can also post about products and services that would make great Christmas gifts. Consumers are out there; make sure you're reaching them!

You may be tempted to kick back and take it easy this holiday season, but slacking on your social media is not an option. Take some time to re-evaluate your social media strategy and make sure your business is consistently posting killer content on all your networks -- and not just through the holidays. Social media can influence purchasing behavior all year long!