We are entering the busiest shopping season of the year, which unofficially kicks off the day after Thanksgiving on what is commonly known as Black Friday. And there is a lot at stake when it comes to holiday sales. Online sales in the U.S. on Black Friday climbed from $1.93 billion in 2013 to $7.4 billion in 2019. Last year, American online shoppers shelled out $8.9 billion on the Friday after Thanksgiving, followed by another $10.7 billion three days later on Cyber Monday. With so many consumers shopping online, the right media strategy is essential.
Cut Through the Holiday Clutter
As advertisers, you have options ranging from traditional mass media (TV/Radio/Cable/Print/OOH) to digital advertising on paid search and social, display, CTV/OTT and streaming audio. In many cases, an integrated approach is what will get you seen and win the click! To move consumers through the sales funnel, it often pays to use mass media to build awareness, and then digital advertising to home in on your target when they are ready to click “add to cart.”
As businesses anticipate increased holiday spending in 2022, they will increase their marketing/advertising spending, which in turn increases competition and the cost-per-click (CPC). Here’s where it pays to partner with an agency fluent in the nuances of digital advertising and g the best ways to pair it with traditional advertising to drive results.
For example, for our retail clients during the holiday season, we might recommend a digital display campaign, as they tend to perform better within a short window and bring a visual element that can help attract the eye of a holiday shopper. They also allow for more reach and impressions at a lower CPC than search campaigns, which helps you keep a healthy share of voice even with increased competition.
While display advertising is more cost-effective than search advertising, depending on your industry, goals and target audience, search still has its place; the same goes for social or email marketing. The more channels you can use to get your message across, the more likely to you are to capture a competitive edge. We can put together a media strategy that will help you cut through the holiday clutter.
Content Counts
In addition to shifting your digital campaign strategy, your creative approach may need to shift as well. Typically, consumers shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday looking for great deals on in-stock items, and that demand will only increase this year with rising inflation and supply chains in shambles. If you’ve got the products and prices shoppers want, put them front and center with clear, simple messaging and eye-catching images and video. Use the “what’s in it for me” principle and tell customers why they should buy from you.
Beyond the big-name shopping days, think about other ways you can entice holiday shoppers, such as layaway options, free financing on big-ticket items or guaranteed holiday delivery. Consumers will appreciate anything you can do that makes their lives easier and reduces holiday stress.
Our Elves Are Ready
Just like Santa counts on his elves behind the scenes, you can rely on our advertising and creative specialists to help make the holiday sales season shine for your business. We’ll work with you to develop an advertising strategy that gets you in front of your target audience with content that sleighs. Reach out today.
