Chestnuts may be roasting over an open fire, sleigh bells may be jingling, and presents may be stacked under the tree – if you’ve been nice. (I’ll try to limit the holiday puns)
However, it certainly is not the most wonderful time of the year for online advertisers. (I’ll try harder)
Why? Because ad prices skyrocket during the holiday season. This is the result of a few factors:
Deck the halls with increased competition
Believe it or not, your company is not the only one running a holiday campaign. In fact, the holidays are the most competitive time of the year when it comes to online advertising. Consumers are purchasing holiday gifts online more than ever – and this is no longer a trend; it’s the norm. Like any good marketer or advertiser, your competition wants to appear when your target audience is most likely to purchase.
‘Tis the season for higher CPCs
More competition inevitably leads to higher costs-per-click (CPC). Let’s face it: Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SnapChat, and other platforms are businesses (fairly successful businesses). They want to capitalize on the holidays just like you do. Suggested bids will be much higher during this time of year, and if you want to compete, you’re going to have to pay more per click.
Follow the tips below to help your company avoid a Blue Christmas when it comes to online advertising!
Dasher and Dancer and Prancer…
Santa Claus didn’t choose just any reindeer to carry his sleigh. You shouldn’t choose just any audience for your holiday campaigns.
Since costs will be higher, the holidays are a good time to really narrow down your targeting to consumers who are most likely to purchase. Heck, if you’re going to pay more for the click, why not try to get the best ROI possible?
Be sure to hone-in on your target audience. Is a certain demographic more likely to buy? Don’t forget about geographic locations, the time your ad is showing, and other factors that affect conversion rate.
I Saw Mommy Giving A 1-Star Review
Nobody wants to give a crappy Christmas present. The recipient has to pretend they like it until they eventually throw it out two months later or regift it the following year.
The best way to avoid giving bad gifts is to look at reviews. Online consumers are more likely to trust random product reviews than their own family and friends! Be sure to tout your five-star reviews and convince prospective buyers that your product is perfect for them and they won’t regret buying it.
Holly, Jolly Content
There’s a fairly new saying in the marketing and advertising industry: “thumb stopping.” As people scroll through infinite social posts and ads, how can you get their thumb to stop on your ad? How can you stand out amongst all the clutter they see on a daily basis?
With better content.
Remember, it’s all about maximizing ROI – especially during the holiday season. Now is not the time to run brand awareness ads. Instead, create captivating content that focuses on solving the customer’s problem. Create unique, personalized ads that result in sales. Your ads MUST BE mobile friendly. Integrate video or some type of motion into your ads for higher conversion rates.
Lastly, make it easy for customers to purchase! No matter what type of content you’re promoting, it’ll be useless if customers can’t easily convert. When online consumers can’t easily convert, they’ll abandon your site. Congratulations, you just wasted a click – which came at an increased cost during the holiday season!
