The holiday season is already starting... and Christmas is just around the corner. Some places have already lit their Christmas trees, and people are beginning to shop for the holiday season!
And since more and more people are already shopping for the holidays... you need to ensure your business is one of their stops when shopping.
But the problem is... your competitors also want the same thing. They want your target customers to buy from them, too.
So, it's time to level up your eCommerce marketing strategy for the holiday season.
You need to exert more marketing efforts to lure in more holiday shoppers. If you're wondering how... here are the...
9 Holiday eCommerce tips to implement for 2022
Grab your pens and paper because these are the things you should take note of!
1. Use holiday-friendly images and graphics
Visual communication is vital for your business. So, creating captivating and holiday-friendly graphics will make your customers feel like it's just around the corner.
And this is the perfect way to remind your customers of what you're up to for the holiday season.
You should use holiday-related graphics for your social media posts, website banners, landing pages, stock images, and more. Doing so will spark excitement in your customers.
So, how can you do this? You can use image editing software like Canva or Adobe Photoshop. Download and use holiday images or elements to achieve the Christmas vibes.
Just make sure you have the licenses to use the fonts, elements, and images. And by the way, here's an example of a captivating holiday photo.
This image from Starbucks promotes a seasonal drink. But the packaging and product setup are bearing Christmas vibes!
This image is a great inspiration if you're also taking photos for your holiday marketing strategy! And another tip to boost your holiday sales is...
2. Utilize paid ads
You should utilize paid ads if you want to reach more people. And the best thing about paid ads is you can target a relevant audience.
Who knows? Maybe your target customers are browsing social media or searching on Google for holiday gifts. They should see your eCommerce store as one of their options.
You can use different types of ads for your holiday eCommerce strategy. Your ads can be:
- Carousel ads
- Catalog ads
- Video ads
- Image ads
- Stories ads for Instagram or Facebook
- Google ads
You can also create PPC campaigns or Pay Per Click. This will help you stay on top of the search engine when prospects search for relevant keywords.
Remember... It depends on the goal of your ads, such as retargeting, increasing brand awareness, or boosting sales. That's one of the first things to consider before creating your holiday promotions.
But if you already have an email list, don't forget to...
3. Send out marketing emails to your email list
It's essential for online retailers to build an email list. If you don't have one yet, you should learn how to craft an effective email marketing strategy.
But if you already have... utilize your email list by sending promotional emails for the holiday shopping season.
Your emails should alert your customers that you have upcoming sales for holidays. You can include personalized recommendations based on the products they used to buy.
You can directly reach out to your prospects and existing customers by doing this. You can inform them of what your business is up to and see the results of your email campaigns.
Another way to boost sales for the holiday season is...
4. Post content on social media
Social media is a fantastic way to connect with your customers and target audience. So, you should make sure to post on your social media platforms for the holidays.
Here are some things you can do:
- Upload short videos on TikTok or Instagram
- Post promotional images on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
- Utilize Instagram Stories
- Upload videos on YouTube
You see... your target customers are on social media. You need to create and carefully curate your content to make sure you can entice them to buy from your online store.
Think of more unique ways to capture the attention of your target audience. This way, you can boost your online sales while achieving your social media goals.
To gain more engagements, you can also...
5. Conduct a holiday giveaway
Giveaways help keep your customers engaged. So, doing a giveaway during the holiday season is such perfect timing.
Here are the keys to running a successful giveaway:
- Choose the goal for your contest
- Choose the best prize
- Set the mechanics
- Set a time limit
- Spread the word
Now, you're probably wondering how the giveaway will benefit you. So, let's say your giveaway's goal is to increase your brand awareness.
If more people join your giveaway, more people will discover your brand. These people are now aware of your brand and products. Which makes it easier for you to reach them for holiday promotions.
You need to learn how to take advantage of your giveaway results so you can reach more people for your holiday campaigns.
The next one is...
6. Offer the best discounts
Holiday shopping is also the perfect time to give discounts! Since a lot of eCommerce stores are also offering promos and discounts... you need to offer the best!
It's a fantastic way to thank your customers. So, think of what they might like. You can check your data and see the products with the highest eCommerce sales.
You can also set your terms and conditions to ensure your discounts will be used fairly, and you'll also benefit from them.
You should also...
7. Leverage customer reviews
Before prospects purchase from your online store... they need to know what your existing customers say about you. And customer reviews can help you with that.
So, you need to display your customer reviews strategically. Doing so will make it easier for your holiday shoppers to decide whether they want to buy from you.
You can use customer reviews on your website or social media posts for everyone to see. But it would also help if you...
8. Make sure your website is user-friendly
The online shopping experience of your customers should be a priority. That's why it's essential to ensure the efficiency of your website.
Here's your checklist to making sure your website works perfectly fine:
- Remove the broken links
- Update your CTAs if needed
- Check where the buttons redirect your users
- Remove broken images
- Update images that don't communicate your brand message
You need to do these so your customers will have a great shopping experience. Also, ensure your website infrastructure can handle a lot of traffic or visitors who are shopping.
And last but not least...
9. Enhance customer experience
As I said... this should be one of your priorities. Customers should feel like their entire experience with your eCommerce store is smooth and hassle-free.
This includes the entire customer journey... from the awareness stage to retaining them as customers. It sounds a bit intimidating, but it's not!
You just need to understand your customers and their pain points so you can cater to their needs. Here are a few tips to give the best customer experience:
- Have an excellent customer service team to address their needs
- Analyze the data to improve your eCommerce brand
- Build relationships with your customers
- Make everything easy for them— from shopping to leaving reviews
- Map out the customer journey
- Prepare for high demands and high-volume orders
These are some actionable tips you can implement now to ensure that your customers are satisfied with your products and services.
Also, these will help you keep them even after the holiday season!
Use these tips to boost your holiday eCommerce sales!
Since we can already feel the holiday season in the air... it's time to start promoting your eCommerce brand and make your products more discoverable!
So, use these tips to help you achieve your eCommerce goals this holiday season. And to make sure you're not missing anything... here is...
Ricky Hayes
