If you’re in the U.S. and anything like me, you’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving in a matter of weeks by spending time with family, friends, and of course, giving thanks. Spoiler alert: I may also be shopping. The day after Thanksgiving, I like to wake up early, brew a pot of coffee, and coast the World Wide Web for deals in the comfort of my home.
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pumped up for some online shopping, and if you’re a marketer trying to reach me on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or any other shopping day, for that matter, here are some tips straight from the source:
- Target me early and often: I saw my first festive commercial in the middle of October. Apparently it worked, because since then I’ve completed almost all of my holiday shopping. We know Black Friday creates a huge opportunity to get in front of consumers but what about the days prior? Return on ad spend (ROAS) on Thanksgiving day increased 50% YOY from 2011 to 2012. Consider upping budgets and bids on the day of thanks to tap into that higher ROAS and Average Order Value (which on Turkey Day increased 19% YOY).
- I’m on the go: At some point I’m going to need some sunlight and fresh air after all that clicking, but that only means more searching on my mobile device. In fact, 90% of people move between devices to accomplish a goal, so connecting with consumers on the move is key. I recently saw an online deal for a flat screen TV (a great gift for my dad since he still has a tube tv), and I wound up purchasing it on my phone a few days later — don’t miss me! Consider bumping up those mobile bid adjustments for your best deals and leverage the “mobile preferred ad” option in Skai to promote even further!
- This girl’s gotta have options: I’ve always been engine agnostic, and during Thanksgiving weekend all bets are off. I’m looking for the best deals at the right time and the right price. Now’s a great time to consider expanding campaigns to all engines and leverage some of the lower cost options. Remember, deals are deals. And if I find that great deal on an engine I don’t normally use, score one for Team Kate! And, bonus, I also may be more likely to use that engine again. Did you know in June alone, the Yahoo! Bing Network had access to 31M Retail Searchers not reached on Google?
- Image(s) is everything: If you’re already leveraging Product Listing Ads, you know the power that they have. Skai data shows that Google PLAs outperform standard text ads with lower average click costs, higher click-through and conversion rates, and a superior return on ad spend. If you’re not already using PLAs what are you waiting for? Q4 and holiday shoppers present a great opportunity on cost savings, increased conversions, and I’m ready to fill my cart!
I hope you’re as excited as I am about Thanksgiving. The food is amazing and time with family and friends can’t be beat. In addition, the opportunity it creates for us as marketers is undeniable, and we’re all racing for a piece of the pie (pun intended).
The countdown is on my friends as we approach the most exciting shopping days of the season, and our goal at Skai is to make it your best holiday yet!
For more holiday tips and success, download your copy of The Skai Guide for Retail Search Marketers as well as our manual for Seasonal Best Practice Using Skai.
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