It’s no secret that the holiday season brings peak sales to businesses spanning many markets, but is your company really getting the most profit possible during this time of the year? With major lifestyle shifts and the overwhelming popularity of online shopping and research among consumers, a strong digital marketing strategy is a must for staying ahead of competitors. In fact, Google’s 2020 Retail Holiday Guide revealed that 77% of shoppers prefer to browse for gifts online. With nearly three-quarters of US holiday shoppers taking to the internet before visiting stores for their shopping needs, we thought we would share five key tips to help you refine your holiday marketing strategy this year.
1 – Start planning early
With 62% of US consumers getting an early start on their holiday shopping to avoid shortages, it’s essential that your strategy goes into effect early. Start discussing holiday strategy plans in the third quarter. While Christmas is still months away, holiday activity tends to escalate quickly once Halloween rolls around, and your plan needs to match this increase in potential sales.
It’s also wise to begin thinking about what you need to bring this strategy to life. Do your graphics need a festive update? Get your designer working on seasonal assets earlier rather than later to avoid scrambling at the last minute. Does your business have a social media presence? Put holiday content ideas into your calendar today, so you have plenty of time to refine your ideas.
2 – Take advantage of new social media content opportunities
Speaking of social media, a fresh, seasonal approach on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms will allow you to put a fresh spin on your content and even try new content ideas that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Your followers will appreciate the holiday spirit, and they may even engage more than usual.
3 – Publish seasonal blog posts
Your content marketing approach should also shift during the holiday season. Offer blog posts that address seasonal concerns or questions your customers may have, or provide them with content that can elevate their holiday experience. For example, we offer seasonal recipes and relevant holiday preparation tips for our appliance dealer clients during the holiday season.
4 – Keep up with your reviews
New customers are looking you up online before they even set in foot in your store whether you want them to or not. In fact, one survey showed that 87% of consumers pay attention to the reviews for businesses in their area. With the holiday shopping surge, your reviews are likely getting even more views, and you don’t want to have one-star ratings scaring off potential customers. If you haven’t already, begin addressing your reviews on Google, Yelp, and other sites now. Offer thoughtful responses to all of your reviews, and be sure to check in on reviews regularly going forward.
5 – Amp up your email marketing strategy
Inboxes become flooded with promotional emails during the holiday season, and with good reason. Email is an effective way to get holiday content and sales information directly in front of future and current customers. With holiday shopping at the top of their minds, the right seasonal newsletter campaign could earn you some new or repeat customers. After all, there’s a reason that email marketing is the second most used channel for capturing holiday shoppers.
The retail landscape shifts significantly during the fourth quarter, and your digital marketing strategy needs to move along with it. Taking these five steps can help you to develop a solid online holiday marketing strategy that can give you an important digital edge over your competitors.
