December has arrived, and Christmas is just around the corner! People everywhere are on a mission, weaving through crowded stores, eyes lighting up as they spot the perfect last-minute gifts for their loved ones. Now, full disclosure, I'm no exception—I too am in the midst of a holiday shopping scramble, trying to nail down the ideal presents for family and colleagues.
What I’m trying to say here is, as advertisers, you need to take advantage of this last minute shopping most people are going to do. Microsoft released a Festive Season Marketing Playbook filled with valuable insights and strategies designed to help businesses sleigh (yes, pun intended!) the holiday season. Don't miss out on the festive fun – let's turn this merry chaos into a marketing masterpiece!
Perfect Timing for Peak Revenues
No need to hit the panic button if your revenue hasn't peaked just yet. Historically, the big revenue waves tend to roll in around the end of year. This year is no exception, with consumers expected to open their wallets wider during the holidays.
According to the National Retail Federation, holiday spending in the US is projected to increase by 3-4%, potentially soaring to a whopping $966.6 billion. The forecast is equally optimistic in the UK and Germany, underscoring the widespread impact of this festive season. So, buckle up for a global surge in spending!
People Want Deals
A trend that stood out this year, the focus on deal-seeking continues, even beyond the hustle of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Sunday, and Cyber Monday otherwise known as Cyber-5.
Surprisingly, over two-thirds of US shoppers are still actively searching for coupons and seeking enticing deals as they embark on their Christmas gift shopping spree.
While the specific 'Cyber-5' period has passed, advertisers can use this trend to their advantage by tailoring their strategies for the ongoing Christmas shopping season. Adapting to this consumer behavior provides an opportunity for advertisers to capture the attention of shoppers in their search for the perfect holiday gifts.
Key Role of Search
Search continues to play a huge role in shaping purchasing decisions, whether online or in-store. It helps uncover new retailers, conduct pre-purchase research, and compare prices.
Take Gen X consumers, for instance—they're big on using search to sniff out the best prices. Meanwhile, in the EMEA region, deal-seekers are dedicating 33% more time in their search enquiries compared to the average shopper!
Now, here's the exciting part: this trend opens up significant opportunities for targeted advertising. Microsoft Advertising, with its access to billions of monthly global searches, is the prime choice for advertisers when it comes to consumer discovery.
More Opportunities After Cyber-5
Now we know that Thanksgiving and Black Friday is over but don't pack up your advertising game just yet! The advertising scene doesn't cool down after Cyber-5. There's still a bunch of people out there searching, offering more opportunities for advertisers.
Microsoft's research revealed that lots of holiday clicks and buys happen during Cyber-5, with a reduced CPA.
So, here's the deal: if you keep those ad campaigns rolling after the Cyber-5 excitement, you're in for some serious benefits. The holiday vibes are still strong, and your ads can keep riding the festive wave!
Don't Forget About Possible Returns
Here's something many businesses might overlook—the post-holiday return scene.
After the Christmas dust settles, search volumes for returns kick in, maybe some people ended up not liking their gifts or maybe they got the wrong size. Whatever the reason, businesses need to prepare for this, tweaking their marketing strategies to handle the surge and ensure both happy customers and a healthy bottom line.
Check out their Festive Season Marketing Playbook here!
SO, WHERE DO YOU FIND THIS PARTNER?
Well, aren’t we glad you asked! We at DigiCom are obsessive data-driven marketers pulling from multi-disciplinary strategies to unlock scale. We buy media across all platforms and placements and provide creative solutions alongside content creation, and conversion rate optimizations. We pride ourselves on your successes and will stop at nothing to help you grow.
Comments