This holiday season, it might be a good time to ramp up your digital efforts. If you’re wondering why we can easily make the case:
- 46% of holiday shopping now happens online
- 53% of those who shopped online used smartphones or tablets, up from 41% the previous years
- More than 90% of Millennials and Gen X consumers have shopped online, compared to 84% among Boomers
- 47% of consumers plan on shopping on Cyber Monday versus only 42% who plan on shopping on Black Friday
- For the first time ever, more people shopped online than in stores between Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend (2014)
- 22% of consumers not planning to do any shopping in-store
- 28% of Millennials plan to not do any in-store shopping – these shoppers tend to be Millennial males who are most likely to be shopping for gift cards (64%)
Get the picture? Now if you’re telling yourself, but I don’t actually sell anything online, here’s why you still need to create a holiday marketing plan that utilizes digital platforms:
- 78% of consumers used the internet for holiday research in 2014 versus only 29% who relied on friends or relatives
- 79% of people browsed online gifts either before, during or after shopping
- 90% of Millennials can be found on Facebook – and we like to spend about two hours on it a day – who also spend about an average of $1,427 during the holiday season.
It’s as simple as if you’re not online in some manner, your messaging won’t be seen. Here are some ideas and strategy to consider that reach all demographics, and more importantly, fit just about any budget.
1: Social Media Advertising on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram – If you’re not already using social media ads, you need to start now, regardless of your holiday marketing campaigns. With the flexibility that each platform offers you between budget, length of each ad, and demographic selections, it’s a no brainer to utilize this option. More importantly, this platform is a great place to employ multiple messages to target separate demographics (think men, Millennials, baby boomers, moms, etc).
Wondering how to go about setting up a Facebook ad? Check out one of our tutorials here: https://fulltiltmarketing.net/2015/10/13/setting-up-a-facebook-ad-the-basics/
Want some more inspiration on how brands have successfully used the power of social media, particularly during the holiday season? We’ve got another post just for you: https://fulltiltmarketing.net/2015/12/17/how-social-media-can-bring-out-the-best-in-brands/
2: Pandora Ads – While this option does require more of an investment, it is definitely worth it when you see the statistics and demographics Pandora can put behind your ad – let’s just say 81.5 million active users who spend about an average of 25 minutes per day streaming music. You’ll have the option to create ad images that the viewer can see, images that include sound, video, or even a fully devoted station to your brand.
3: Digital Ads – Depending on how intensive of a campaign you want, or how large of a target market you have, these ads can range greatly in cost. But your ads will be placed on key websites that your customers are visiting, ensuring that your message is seen, even possibly while they’re browsing a competitor’s products. Best part of digital ads like these? Your targeting, messaging, and even artwork, can be adjusted on the fly if you’re not that happy with the results.
4: Sweepstakes/Giveaway – Hosting a sweepstakes or giveaway can be as simple as installing a form on your website, or even a Facebook page tab, that asks for an email address and name. If you select a prize that is worthwhile to your customers and is targeted to the right audience, you can drive thousands of people to your website and gain hundreds, if not a thousand new email addresses to add to your newsletter list. We love using Shortstack and Rafflecopter for these giveaways.
5: Email Newsletters – Engage with your customers on a more direct level and get the chance to have your message read more personally. The key with newsletters is to make sure you’re not pestering your list with too many emails in a short period of time, and that you’re not giving them a cheesy or direct sales pitch every time. Use these newsletters to showcase a curated collection of products they might like, or items that are new, offer a unique discount for being loyal fans of your brand, share what your staff has been up to during the holiday season or what charity’s you’re helping out.
Interested in seeing how a digital campaign could work for you? Not sure how to get started? Give us a shout at Alison@FullTiltMarekting.net and we’d be more than happy to chat.
