4 Tips On Using Digital Marketing This Holiday Season

For retailers, the craziest time of the year is here. This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, 46% of shoppers will be shopping from the comfort of their own homes. This is where digital advertising becomes essential. As a retailer, you may be asking yourself, “Is there anything I can do to make my brand stand out during this holiday rush and boost sales?” Take into consideration these four digital marketing strategies to capture and meet consumers’ expectations.

1. Offer free or discounted shipping. Free shipping is fundamental to success during the holiday shopping event of the year. According to the 2015 Holiday Shipping Survey produced by Pitney Bowes, 88% of holiday shoppers prefer free shipping. Failing to offer free shipping may lead them to shop elsewhere if that option is not available on your site.

2. Start your holiday marketing campaign early. The sooner the better when it comes to launching digital advertising during the holidays. Approximately 52% of shoppers don’t make an actual purchase until November, but begin browsing as early as September. It is difficult enough for brands to break through the holiday noise, but if your ads are not available to consumers then they will not know what you have to offer them. If your advertising isn’t running already, this should be made a priority.

3. Blast promotions via social media. There is no easier way to get the word out to your target audience than through the power of social media. This is a great way to spread seasons greetings, connect and promote your brand to consumers, and get the word out about deals and sales exclusive to the holidays. From there, shoppers can share these promotions with friends and followers, creating a positive buzz surrounding your brand.

4. Drive shoppers to complete checkout in abandoned carts. By sending simple yet personalized emails, you can remind your shoppers that they have a cart with items still in it. The message should contain item quantities, price reductions (if any), items related to products in their cart, and possibly a discount code. A gentle reminder will help prompt the shopper to making the purchase.