Shopping patterns have evolved considerably in recent years. Changes in consumer preferences, supply chain fluctuations, surging inflation, and the threat of a recession are factors that shape how consumers spend. Given these fluctuations, it's vital for brands to formulate comprehensive holiday game plans. While B2C businesses have for many years centered their efforts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the emphasis now is on creating all-encompassing holiday plans that kick off long before these two key dates and continue through Cyber Week.
With many consumers starting their holiday shopping sooner than they have previously, we at (un)Common Logic advise our clients to consider the following when designing a paid media approach to the holiday season:
Through years of experience in the eCommerce world, our PPC experts have developed a winning marketing strategy. After running countless successful campaigns, we've identified key guidelines that consistently deliver results. These aren't just tips — they’re our tried-and-true approach to thriving during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the entire holiday season.
The first step in putting together your Black Friday marketing strategy (or any cyber sale strategy) is to determine which products to include in the sale. First, look at your product sales up to this point in the year and then at your annual revenue goal: what are your top performing products in terms of profit? Where is there a gap in meeting your goals which might be closed by creating a unique deal?
Next, look at the products themselves. Are there any product categories you want to push or inventory considerations to be made? Is there a loss leader you want to use to drive more orders? Do you want a site-wide offer, a specific product line, or an offer on a select product? Is there a low-performing product that might be lifted with a good deal? Conversely, could a good deal on an already high-performing product take you across the goal line?
In light of recent economic shifts, including the undeniable impact of inflation on consumer buying behaviors, it's imperative to be thoughtful and strategic. Start early; initiate your offers in the weeks preceding these hallmark days. Consider rolling out tiered discounts on specific product categories weekly, luring customers back to capitalize on the freshest deal. And based on how these tactics fare, don't shy away from extending your offers beyond the traditional promotional window. Adaptation is the name of the game this year.
After selecting the product(s) to include in your promotional offer, the next step is figuring out what the offer should be. To do this, look at your product margins and ask:
Once you have the answer to the questions above, you can create a strategic paid media promotional offer calendar that is compelling to your customers and your company.
Strategically structure and time your promotional offers to support your goals while allowing for flexibility if and when needed. To do this, consider the following:
A successful holiday marketing strategy hinges on your teams' ability to pivot quickly if performance is not as expected. For this to be possible, you need a backup plan. The best way to create this is to brainstorm with your team some if-then scenarios and plan for them ahead of time.
Once you have the offer's strategic pieces (product, discount, timeframe, alternatives) in place, the next step is to figure out logistics. Who and what is needed for the offer to be successful? No one wants to be the store whose site crashes because it can't handle all the extra Black Friday and Cyber Monday traffic! So, thoughtful collaboration well in advance with key stakeholders across departments will ensure a plan is in place and the proper resources are available to make the offer a success, especially during peak periods.
When crafting your offer's creatives, timing is everything. Provide your design team with the specs early, allowing ample room for necessary revisions and internal sign-offs. And don't neglect the backup offer assets; having them prepared in advance ensures agility should a swift change in direction be required. Stay ahead, stay prepared.
Remember the final assets also have to be approved by the channel(s) you've selected to run your offer so you need to include time for their review process(es) as well. For example, the Facebook review process can take as long as three business days and during the holiday period those timelines can extend.
We recommend uploading no later than two days before launch – do not expect that you can upload ads the same day your offer begins, as they may not run. We also recommend uploading backup offers with the main offer so you can act quickly if needed.
Who is your audience and what is the most effective way to reach them? Even a limited-time offer will benefit from a multi-pronged approach.
Let's start with search engine optimization. Consider the following:
Next, think about how to leverage your social media presence. Highlight top products in your posts ahead of your offers, ensure the product catalogs are optimized, and take the time to thoughtfully curate your shop by creating different collections of products to make shopping a breeze.
Don’t forget to leverage product tags on the content your team is posting, as product tags help drive users from discovery to transaction seamlessly. If you’re posting on Instagram, for example, follow their guide to add product tags to make it as easy as possible for users to go from scrolling to buying.
Every digital marketing effort's success depends upon conversions. How can you increase your conversion rate? How are you planning to merchandise your page? This is a key factor that we have seen firsthand heavily impact CVR. What landing page or banner modifications can you experiment with to streamline your user experience?
Plan in coordination with other marketing efforts, as well. Do you have a subscriber email list? Include email marketing to build excitement and drive additional traffic to your offer. Have you built the funnel throughout the rest of the year?
Optimizing your holiday marketing strategy for mobile users is essential. With 50-75% of eCommerce traffic coming from mobile devices, brands that neglect mobile optimization risk losing out on a huge chunk of potential holiday revenue. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly with fast load times, easy navigation, and a seamless checkout process. Simplifying the user experience on mobile will help capture early-bird shoppers and those browsing during peak traffic times like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. A well-executed mobile strategy can be the difference between abandoned carts and completed purchases.
An increasingly popular trend in holiday shopping is offering Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options, which allow consumers to split payments into manageable installments. With economic fluctuations impacting consumer spending, this flexible payment method can be a game-changer during the holiday season. Integrating BNPL options on your eCommerce site can help reduce cart abandonment, especially for high-ticket items, and appeal to budget-conscious shoppers.
Make sure you are using all the available levers to drive performance and factor these considerations into your paid media tactics.
Remember, the surge in holiday traffic isn't just a fleeting opportunity—it's a goldmine for retargeting. Capture this audience and keep them engaged well beyond the festive season, even rolling into next year's remarketing campaigns. If you strategize effectively, the dividends of your holiday promotions won't just be a short-term spike; they can catalyze sustained growth long into the future. Plan smart, reap long-term.
Contact us to learn more about the (un)Common Logic approach to digital marketing, including our cyber offer best practices, how to keep growing using paid media, and more.
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