Christmas is just around the corner, which means now is the time to start thinking about your holiday season marketing in order to stay ahead of the curve. Between shopping for presents and planning a holiday, people will spend a large portion of their time during the Christmas season online, so take advantage of the festive spirit.
Let us show you how you can get prepared, with our top holiday marketing tips.
Become Mobile-Friendly
Christmas is traditionally the time where customers are going to be on the move. Given this, they will regularly be on their mobile phones. Did you know, 48% of online shopping was done on mobile devices in Christmas 2018? Therefore, it’s important to make sure your website is mobile responsive. Having a mobile-friendly website is not only going to help customers find your business online during Christmas, but it may also help you rank favourably on search engines.
But that’s not all. Along with a mobile-friendly website, you also need to test the speed of your website. Studies have shown that most smartphone users are only willing to wait up to five seconds before moving on to another site. A fast landing page will make visitors more likely to stay on your site longer.
Boost Your Email Marketing
The holiday period is one of the most profitable times of the year to use email marketing. In fact, more than half of the global population now uses email – updated figures for 2019 show the total number of active email users has jumped to 3.9 billion. Promoting your products and services as early as November will help you to stay ahead of your competition. Promotional emails are an ideal way to boost engagement with your customers over Christmas.
By offering sales, seasonal discounts and new products, you can market your customers directly. The emails should also include a catchy title which would grab their attention. For example, a gym could offer ‘New Year, New You: Free PT Session with 12 Month Memberships’.
Increase Your Presence on Social Media
During the holiday season, brands should take the opportunity to create a stronger relationship with their loyal followers on social media. There are multiple ways you can achieve this, such as creating an online quiz. According to a study by BuzzSumo, 82% of social media users completed a quiz when they were exposed to it on their news feed. E.g. Asking a simple question such as ‘What is the name of Santa’s most famous reindeer?’ will encourage followers to comment and get everyone excited for the holiday season.
You can also add seasonal flair by updating your profile picture or cover photo for the holiday season – a great way to get your followers in the Christmas spirit. Stepping out of the business-minded thought bubble will help customers see your business as part of the community. This can be done by posting images of the office Christmas party or even seasonal decorations. Not everything you post needs to be about sales!
Update Your Google My Business Profile (GMB)
Having your business name, address and phone (NAP) details correct is especially important over the busy Christmas period. Google My Business (GMB) makes it easy to set up special trading hours over the holiday period – so whether you’re staying open late, or extending your weekend trade, you can easily keep your customers up to date on when to visit.
Make sure to update your opening hours for public holidays – you don’t want customers being disappointed by arriving at a closed store! You should also explore the latest GMB features to add that extra festive flair on your profile for a better experience for your customers.
We hope these tips will help you prepare for the holiday season. Follow our social media channels for more great holiday marketing tips!
