Start your Holidays Campaign Early
And Tips on How to Make Your Last Quarter Profitable this 2024
In a few weeks, we can see and feel the holiday season fast approaching. For many businesses, it is the most lucrative time of the year. Whatever the industry - ecommerce, retail, service and hospitality, and even niche services, the right SEO and digital marketing strategies can make or break your holiday success. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas shopping season starting earlier every year, more consumers are also turning to online shopping, so businesses must be well-prepared to compete.
In today’s SEO Premier Blog, we’ll discuss some SEO and digital marketing tactics that companies should implement in preparation for the holidays, as well as industries expected to thrive in Christmas 2024. See if one is yours!
1. Plan and Start the Campaign Early
With online shoppers starting to chase deals as early as October, your digital marketing efforts should be in full swing well before December. Google reports that 40% of holiday shoppers in 2023 started making purchases before Halloween. This means that businesses that launch their campaigns too late risk losing a huge chunk of potential customers.
The first thing you should do is update your platforms with holiday-themed content. At the latest, all holiday-related content should be live by late October or early November. This includes blog posts, website headers/banners, social media accounts, product descriptions, and landing pages.
Also, engage the early shoppers by releasing teasers, pre-sales discounts, and other special promotions for those looking to shop and buy gifts in advance.
2. Take advantage of SEO Months Ahead
SEO is critical for standing out during the busy Yuletide season. Expectedly, holiday-related searches spike as we move closer to the holidays. Your SEO strategy should accordingly take full advantage of this fact. Let’s discuss:
Optimise keywords for seasonal trends. Holiday shoppers often search for specific terms like "Christmas gifts for mom," "best Black Friday deals," or "holiday decorations." Use tools like Google Trends or Semrush to discover popular holiday search terms and keywords for your industry.
Use long-tail keywords. These specific keyword phrases are less competitive and can capture highly targeted traffic. For example, instead of just “gifts,” optimise for “cheap Christmas gifts for workmates.”
Create holiday-specific landing pages. Optimise landing pages for seasonal keywords and ensure they’re rich in content, attractive, and easy to navigate.
Don’t forget your local SEO effort. If your business has a physical location, optimise for local search queries like "Christmas deals near me" by updating your Google Business Profile with holiday hours, seasonal offerings, and location-based keywords.
3. Optimise your Product Pages
Your product pages should be fully optimised for SEO to convert visitors into buyers. This includes improving product descriptions with relevant keywords, adding high-quality images, and featuring customer reviews and testimonials. Some tasks involve writing compelling, unique descriptions that include holiday-themed keywords, implementing schema markup to help search engines understand your content and potentially improve visibility with rich snippets like star ratings or product availability, as well as linking related products to each other to improve navigation and boost the SEO value of your pages.
4. Ramp up your Social Media Efforts
Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are increasingly being used by shoppers to discover and purchase products. Which is why brands should focus on creating engaging, shareable content to promote and boost holiday sales. Here are some ideas to create buzz for your brand ahead of the holiday rush:
Post festive images, behind-the-scenes videos of product preparations, or user-generated content (think unboxing videos) showcasing happy customers with their purchases.
Cook up flash sales and limited-time discounts to drive engagement
Consider partnering with influencers in your niche to create sponsored content that promotes your holiday products. Micro-influencers, in particular, are highly effective because they maintain a loyal and engaged following.
Facebook and Instagram ads can also target specific demographics and behaviours, like users interested in “Christmas shopping” or “Black Friday deals.”
Industries Expected to Prosper this Christmas
While all sectors will benefit from the holiday rush, certain industries are set to see significant growth in 2024. Here’s a look at some industries expected to perform well:
Ecommerce
The e-commerce sector will continue to dominate, with consumers preferring the convenience of online shopping. Retailers offering unique, eco-friendly, or personalised gifts are particularly well-positioned for success.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Products
The trend toward sustainability has been growing, and in 2024, environmentally conscious consumers will be seeking out green alternatives. Brands offering sustainable products, from fashion to home goods, will find a dedicated market this holiday season.
Health and Wellness
Post-pandemic, the focus on health and wellness is still strong. Fitness products, mental wellness tools, and healthy snacks are expected to do well, especially as people look to set New Year's resolutions.
Toys and Tech for Children
With more parents looking to balance education with entertainment, toys that focus on learning, creativity, and technology will be top sellers. Think coding kits, STEM toys, and smart tech gadgets for kids.
Experiences and Subscriptions
As people move away from material gifts, subscriptions and experiences are becoming popular. From meal kits to streaming services, companies offering subscription-based products will see an uptick in holiday sales.
With holiday shopping getting earlier and more competitive, businesses must invest in solid SEO and digital marketing strategies to stand out. By investing and focusing on the above suggested efforts, the 2024 Christmas season could be particularly lucrative for your business!
