Marketing Tips for the Holidays

The holidays this year are going to be different. The current state of shopping has Covid-19 guidelines that limit social interaction, mandatory masks, and limited in store shopping. Because of this, online shopping and cyber sales are going to be the main source of product purchases and it’s going to start early.

For all holiday campaigns, there should be a simple theme and brand consistency. Remember to appeal to emotions with content creations and to always highlight special offers, promotions, or savings whenever possible to increase interest for purchases.

Below, we highlight campaign suggestions and tips for businesses to apply to their holiday strategy. Before beginning any marketing campaign, outline a strategy for each channel, set a budget, create KPIs, and check out competitors.

Paid Search Marketing

1. Create and outline a promotional calendar ahead of time before the holidays begin to test that all campaigns run smoothly.

2. Research trends and which promotions historically drove profits and conversions

3. Set up ‘Remarketing’ to target those that visit and don’t purchase

4. Try Showcase Shopping ads to highlight your products earlier in the purchase journey.

5. Expand keyword exposure across increased holiday queries

Social Marketing

1. Consider an influencer strategy, find industry related social influencers to promote your product, services, and or brand through sponsored posts.

a. Be added to their gift guides

b. Be reviewed on their site or social platform through product exchanges

c. Have them conduct a contest or giveaway with your product

2. Create a promotion and holiday calendar with evergreen content, promotion codes, and holiday posts.

3. Schedule posts to go out automatically. IE. use Hootsuite to make posting manageable.

4. Create a brand image or seasonal theme through video marketing. Create quick visuals to get a message or promotion more visibility through likes and shares.

5. Use strategy when creating branded hashtags to follow posts, shares, and brand awareness

Email Marketing

1. Create Customer Lists (current customers vs retargeting)

2. Create a current customer holiday discount campaign to say “Thank you”

3. Create a buzz early with an “Early Bird Black Friday Sale”

4. Set up a campaign theme with a sale countdown for Cyber Monday

5. Share Holiday gift guides for your products or similar to engage with your audience

Now that we have provided marketing tips for the holidays, we cannot forget about the offering the best customer experience once landing on the site. Check out our Holiday Shopping Experience for more tips and optimizations.