Christmas is just around the corner. This means your online campaigns on Google for the Christmas season are practically finalized in planning and will soon launch – if they aren't already running. No matter what phase your campaign is in, this clear checklist[1] will help you be optimally prepared for the Christmas season.
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1. Identify Trends, Define Goals and Budget
67% of Christmas purchases are researched online before buying[2]. Last year, there were a few days that particularly stood out in terms of shopping volume. When planning your promotions and campaigns, also consider important dates with increased demand.
However, demand remains high throughout the entire pre-Christmas and Christmas period. In fact, 67% of Christmas shoppers say they haven't completed all their purchases in the week before Christmas[3]. Set clear goals for yourself to ensure a clear performance evaluation. Campaign budgets should also be flexible and based on existing data from the year. Short-term adjustments should also be made for days when you experienced high traffic volume last year.
Do you need someone to support and advise you? We are happy to help.
2. Make your business location discoverable
This is what onlineKarma's Google My Business entry looks like.
First, if you don't have a Google My Business listing yet: What are you waiting for? Google My Business is a highly effective tool for your business's presence on Google. Here you can tell customers how to reach you, your operating hours, give them an impression of your business with images, and allow them to leave reviews.
Second: keep your listing up to date, especially regarding opening hours. Searches for "opening hours" are never higher than on Christmas Eve[4]. Additionally, you can create Google Ads campaigns to specifically encourage store visits. Ask us how to do this most effectively.
With the free quick analysis from Grow My Store, you can find out how your website performs on criteria important to customers.
3. Optimize the Mobile Shopping Experience
Mobile phones and tablets have significantly driven retail growth. This is partly due to direct mobile purchases, and partly because people research online before making a purchase decision. Therefore, it is crucial that your mobile website loads quickly and provides a seamless experience.
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For instance, forms with auto-completion and avoiding interstitial ads contribute to a positive shopping experience. It's also important that key calls to action (“Add to Cart”) and the product price are visible above the fold – without needing to scroll.
4. Increase Awareness of Your Brand and Products
Utilize the holiday season to reach new customers.
48% of shoppers are open to purchasing from new retailers during this period[5].
Therefore, ensure your brand is noticed right at the start of the buying process. In your Google Ads campaigns, you should create ads featuring local products and offers. This allows you to prominently showcase products, prices, and other information about a specific store.
As a Google Ads agency, we would be glad to help you create a successful campaign.
5. Strategically Utilize Video Ads
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More than 90% of shoppers state that they discovered new products and brands via YouTube[6], and over half report that online videos helped them make decisions about a specific brand or product[7].
Harness the power of videos for your business: Whether through gift recommendations, product demos, or a virtual tour of your store – provide useful and inspiring video content to your customers at every point of their purchasing journey.
6. Identify Valuable Target Audiences
Online advertising, especially Google Ads, provides excellent optimization opportunities due to the abundance of data you can gather about your target audiences. Create audience lists to find new customers based on their interests, habits, search terms, and their past interactions with you. Also, utilize Lookalike Audiences to reach individuals who share similarities with your current customers.
7. Turn New Customers into Repeat Buyers
Target your existing customers with personalized ad copy or inform them about special promotions for loyal customers. Furthermore, remarketing gives you the opportunity to directly re-engage customers who abandoned their purchase journey.
77% of shoppers report regularly or occasionally abandoning the purchasing process when shopping online[8].
It would be a missed opportunity not to re-engage these individuals – perhaps even with a special offer.
Thanks to this simple checklist, you and your business will be perfectly prepared for the hectic holiday season. Soon, your customers will be saying about your product: “All I want for Christmas is you!“ 😊
Source: Giphy
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[1] This is a summary of the Holiday Retail Playbook 2019 from Google for Retail
[2] Google/Ipsos, Omnichannel Holiday Study, November 2018 to January 2019, USA
[3] Google/Ipsos, Omnichannel Holiday Study, November 2018 to January 2019, USA
[4] Google Data, Nov. to Dec. 2018, Switzerland
[5] Google/Ipsos, Omnichannel Holiday Study, November 2018 to January 2019, USA
[6] Google/Magid Advisors, The Role of Digital Video in People’s Lives , August 2018, Global
[7] Google/Ipsos, How People Shop with YouTube, July 2018, Global
[8] Google/Ipsos, Shopping Tracker, January to December 2018, USA