With an unprecedented holiday season on the horizon, this year more people than ever are shopping online and turning to ecommerce delivery and contact-less pick-up.
The consumer environment has definitely shifted online during the pandemic with 50% of consumers prioritizing safety and convenience when shopping at the physical stores that remain open. In fact, almost 1 of every 2 shoppers surveyed in the GWI Coronavirus Findings Multi-Market Research report have stated they have done more online shopping than in previous years.
Make sure your Facebook storefront is ready to compete both online and in-store for the holidays with our helpful Facebook holiday guide.
Optimize Your Website for Facebook Traffic
Simplify your website by making the buyer’s journey as seamless as possible. Pinpoint friction areas where your site might take too long to load or the information may not be clear enough on the next actionable step.
According to the Business Insider Intelligence forecast, 45% of the total ecommerce market will be mobile by the end of 2020. Never miss a beat by implementing Facebook Pixel, server-side APIs, call tracking, and other offline conversions to capture multi-channel performance.
If you have a local storefront, be sure to promote buy-online, pick-up in-store (BOPIS) services for last-minute shoppers and those avoiding large crowds. This service has become increasingly popular thanks to COVID-19.
Create an Interactive Shopping Experience
Getting shoppers involved and interacting with your brand is important. Not only does it increase awareness of your brand, but it also promotes communication with your target demographic.
Rethink the in-store sales associate by enabling Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp to provide the real-time shopping advice that many shoppers rely on during the holiday season. Curate a list of gift ideas that pair well with your products by using Collaborative Ads, or leverage the power of Polling Ads to feature products that are highly relevant to shoppers’ interests.
For those that prefer to try a product before they buy, let shoppers visualize a new piece of furniture in a virtual space or participate in a game for a chance at a promotional code with Facebook’s immersive AR Ads. Try hosting a Facebook Live event to demo a seasonal product, or engage with your viewers over a popular Q&A topic related to your brand.
Branding for New Audiences
Branding is crucial this holiday season with 60% more U.S. shoppers discovering new products compared to the rest of the year, and an average of 74% of shoppers seeking out active brands on Facebook and Instagram (“Facebook Seasonal Holidays Study” by YouGov, Dec 2019).
Create or update your Facebook product catalog to make the most of Dynamic Ads. Remind your site visitors of the perfect gift they haven’t bought yet with dynamic retargeting, or expand your reach to new customers with Dynamic Ads for broad audiences.
Authenticity will continue to be a major driver as 43% of consumers are reassured by brands they can trust according to a COVID-19 study. Reach new audiences or deepen brand loyalty by sharing immersive Story Ads that users can experience in a full-screen image, video, or carousel ad. Be sure to highlight your brand’s values and how they apply to the current social climate.
Consider partnering with an influencer to introduce new audiences to your brand. Advertisers can promote partner posts, stories, or even run branded content ads from their handle. If your company is organizing a holiday charity, consider adopting Facebook and Instagram built-in fundraising features to let shoppers directly contribute to your cause.
Reaching out to new audiences is always important. Businesses that capitalize on these techniques now will have a leg up on their competition as the holidays grow closer.
Maximize Mega Sales
During the current economic downturn, shoppers will be on the lookout for the biggest sales available anywhere — not just in the U.S. Connect your ads to the right audiences no matter where they are by using Facebook’s Dynamic Language Optimization and Multi-Country Dynamic Ads. These cross-border business tools will ensure your ads are automatically delivered in the right language with the flexibility of regional or worldwide targeting.
Last year, 54% of holiday shoppers made a purchase during a sale event, while 43% were specifically shopping for Black Friday deals (“Facebook Seasonal Holidays Study” by YouGov, Dec 2019).
Optimize your seasonal ad campaigns by targeting your best audiences with machine learning, and delivering your ads at the right moment with automation. Remove low budget constraints to make sure your ads are seen when it matters most.
Don’t forget to test out ad creatives with promotions and discounts to entice customers with an attractive price point they won’t get anywhere else.
Give your buyers what they crave: low prices on things they want. Make sure your offerings appeal to those who are looking for the best deal.
Key Dates to Note on Your Marketing Calendar:
October
31 — Halloween
November
11 — Singles Day
14 — Diwali
26 — Thanksgiving (USA)
27 — Black Friday
28 — Small Business Saturday (USA)
30 — Cyber Monday
December
5 — Small Business Saturday (UK)
10 — Hannukah
12 — Double Twelve/Couple’s Day (China)
19 — Super Saturday (last Saturday before Christmas)
21/22 — Last Shipping Day
24 — Christmas Eve
25 — Christmas Day
26 — Boxing Day (UK)
31 — New Year’s Eve
As businesses struggle to survive in a new world shaped by COVID-19, they should do whatever they can to make the most of their Facebook marketing dollars. Keeping these four pillars and important dates in mind when preparing your Facebook ads for the holiday season will give your business the best chance at success.
