As the sound of the jingling bells gets louder, the air fills with the aroma of delicious holiday treats, and the atmosphere of holiday shopping sets in; it’s time for businesses to get into action. The holiday shopping frenzy is about to begin, and you need to cash in on the opportunity with your target consumer.
A survey found that Christmas brings in the most revenue for e-commerce. Nearly 75% of customers plan to shop for Christmas online. In 2022, the global consumer holiday shopping expenditure was $209.7 billion, even with the twin evils of economic lockdowns and inflation.
The key is people are going to shop. Businesses just need to understand their customers’ mindsets better and tailor their advertising strategies accordingly. Here’s how.
Strategies to Cater to Holiday Shoppers With Advertising
Holiday shopping is the biggest event of the year that marketers look forward to. It is an opportunity to boost sales and build a solid customer base. You’ll need a blend of different advertising strategies to make things work. Let’s look at them.
Use Google Business Profile
In case you didn’t get the memo, Google changed Google My Business to Google Business Profile. Either way, it does the same thing: bringing local customers to your doorstep.
You can add seasonal updates, promotions, and offers to your business profile to drive foot traffic and boost sales during the holiday season.
If we’ve learned anything from the marketing trends of 2022, it’s that people are willing to shop from small businesses more than ever before. So, Google Business Profile can be just the right tool for your local business to increase your online presence and draw in more customers.
In one of Google’s recent surveys, over 50% of respondents said they would confirm an item being in stock before they go to buy it. Google announced the ”in stock” filter option for retailers to easily show customers what is in stock.
Local businesses can also use Google’s Performance Planner to plan for local advertising investment. The tool lets you see how making changes in the plans will affect your performance and outcomes.
Leverage the Holy Advertising Trinity
When we talk about the trifecta in the advertising world, we mean the three channels essential for most businesses to succeed: search, video, and content marketing.
A blend of the trio can make your brand more visible to holiday shoppers. Let’s take an example.
Suppose you’re a candle shop in Austin. Scented candles have become a favorite gift option among young adults. Here’s how you use the trinity of advertising.
Start by creating web and blog content, which includes videos. The content can range from blogs to podcasts, while the videos can be anything from customer reviews to how-to videos about using your candle products.
Once your content is created, it’s time to get those eyes on it. The first step is optimizing your website for search engine optimization (SEO). What does this do? When people search for candles, they’ll find you.
Now, it’s time to add a dash of search engine marketing. For this, you can use Google Ads to bid on candle-related keywords. For example, ”holiday season candles” or ”Christmas candles” are prime terms for the season.
Advertise on Social Media
With the social media ad spending reaching $207.1 billion in 2023, it won’t be wrong to say that ignoring social media in your holiday season advertising campaigns is a huge no-no.
Now that consumers have tools like Instagram Shop and TikTok Shop, it’s become more accessible than ever to shop while scrolling through Reels or Stories. That’s probably why 82% of them use social media for purchases.
So, why shouldn’t you capitalize on this? Start by creating attractive visuals and fun content that will spark interest in your customers. Your TikTok video marketing strategy will play a massive role in this.
Then, invest in ads that drive clicks to your website. You can create retargeting campaigns for those who have already viewed your products or lookalike audiences of existing customers.
Don’t hesitate to get some user-generated content into the mix. We all saw the success of Starbucks’s popular #RedCupArt campaign. You can also create a fun campaign like this and reel in interested customers.
Don’t Sleep On Email Marketing
Email marketing is the backbone of digital marketing. Despite being around for years and existing in the same era as social media, this technique still yields impressive results.
Your email newsletter for the holiday season has to be the best one of the year. For one, include special offers and promotions to get the interest building.
Don’t skimp on videos here. Videos can do wonders for your email campaigns. They add more life and color to your emails, making them not just interesting but also effective at conveying important messages.
If you don’t want to make full-fledged videos, that’s fine, too. Just opt for animation or motion graphics instead.
To make it seem like you’re really addressing the recipient, make sure your emails are personalized. Address the recipient with their name and personalize the subject line, too.
Don’t limit yourself to one email. Send follow-up emails with additional messages or discounts to encourage people to click. People aren’t always ready to buy right away, and that’s OK! You just want to stay on their mind.
The most important tip is not to start your email campaign just a week or two before the holiday season. Build it up from at least a month before. It will give you more time to entice people.
Start the Holiday Season on the Right Foot
Getting the advertising campaign right is one of the many things you have to do in anticipation of the holiday season. Gathering inventory, hiring additional staff, setting up the store for customers, and preparing for a higher customer influx are some other tasks.
While you’re busy with these hands-on tasks, advertising might not get as much attention. That’s why it helps to get a digital marketing agency like PixelFish on board to ensure you get maximum returns from your campaign.
Specializing in content and video marketing, PixelFish can help lead your target customers to you just in time for the holiday season. Get in touch to learn more.