Holiday Planning for Paid Advertising Campaigns
The holidays impact all businesses differently. For many, it is the busiest time of the year and when annual sales reach their peaks. For others, it could be a slow in activity due to people taking more time off.
Regardless of how the holidays impact your business, when it comes to paid advertising campaigns, it’s important to anticipate and plan ahead for how your campaigns might need to adapt.
Holiday Marketing Checklist for Paid Ads
Here are some considerations to keep in mind for holiday PPC campaigns:
1. Know the Important Dates
Does it seem Christmas starts before Thanksgiving ends? The window between Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukah changes every year. Some years the shopping window is much shorter than others, so it influences buyers to start their holiday shopping earlier than others. It’s important to keep in mind how many calendar days fall between the holidays and plan accordingly. This includes the important final shipping dates!
2. Prepare your Advertising Budget
Increased competition around the holiday season may mean you need to increase or reallocate your advertising budget. Plan ahead by reviewing cost per clicks and performance from previous years to understand where you may need to adjust. No historical data? Try Google’s Keyword Planner tool to review historical metrics.
3. Refresh the Creative
Jingle all the way with festive display and remarketing ad designs. Customers expect a fresh, personalized experience, so having a holiday spin on your ads will help resonate with them. Don’t be the advertiser showing an ice cream cone on your ad in the middle of a Winter!
4. Add Special Promotions
With rampant Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals extending the entire month, consumers expect to find promotions and free shipping. Be sure your product or service is positioned in a way where customers feel they’re getting a great
value. Don’t forget to include these offers in both the ads themselves and also on the landing pages.
5. Refresh Landing Pages
Speaking of landing pages, another way to resonate with your audience is by adding a festive touch to your website and landing pages. Consider adding holiday flair to your logo, adding a holiday countdown, and getting creative with the copy.
6. Don’t Set it and Forget It
Tis the season to stay on top of things! With volatility in the cost per clicks, competition, and increased vacation time, it is key to ensure there is somebody available to actively monitor
the campaigns and adjust as needed. Ensure your paid search specialist(s)
have a plan to get through the holidays, whether that means peaking in on the campaigns between turkey and pumpkin pie or having confidence in the automations they have in place.
Planning ahead will be the key to a successful PPC campaign this year and in the future. Set a plan early and be prepared to adapt as necessary and you’ll have plenty of silent nights ahead.
Wishing you a smooth and successful holiday season!
