The holiday season is in full swing and marketers around the world are rushing to get last-minute holiday campaigns live.
It’s a make-or-break time for many advertisers, especially those in e-commerce and retail. So you could be forgiven for forgetting the world carries on after December 25th. We’re here to remind you that it does, and to share some tips for owning “Q5” - that period after the holidays but before Q1 fully ramps up.
Less competition
When January hits, many advertisers need some time to regroup and ramp up after thinking about nothing but holiday campaigns for months. Depending on the industry, this could mean more cost-efficient ad impressions and campaign results for the month of January.
In January 2019, Facebook Marketing Partner AdEspresso observed an 18% lower average cost-per-click compared to the December holiday peak among ad accounts it was tracking. But the window of opportunity closed quickly, with average CPC rebounding nearly all the way back up in the month of February.
Seize the moment
The key to taking advantage of the post-holiday opportunity is all in the preparation. If you secure budget approval, produce creative assets, and set up scheduled campaigns in advance you’ll be ready to jump out of the gates while your competitors are still recovering from holiday food comas.
Here are three strategies you can prepare right now to win the post-holiday season:
1. Convert the 'Window Shoppers'
Admit it...during your holiday shopping, you can’t help but get sidetracked looking at things to put on your own wish list! Then Aunt Karen gets you a sweater for the 3rd year straight and you’re back to the drawing board.
As an advertiser, capitalize on that soul-crushing disappointment by retargeting people who viewed your products, excluding anyone who completed the purchase. A simple reminder can often be enough to persuade someone to treat themselves for surviving the holidays (especially if they found some cash or gift cards under the tree).
Post-Holiday Pro Tip: Add demographic targeting on top of your custom audience to make sure you’re reaching likely customers, not people who were shopping for others. Jimmy may have browsed women's shoes for a gift in December, but he likely doesn’t need any for himself.
2. Embrace "New Year, New You"
People all over the world start the new year with fresh motivation to make positive changes to their lifestyle or habits. Tap into this positive sentiment by adjusting your messaging to show how your product will help them follow through on resolutions.
All kinds of products can fit into this strategy. Decided to exercise more? You better have the most comfortable (and trendy!) running shoes. Trying to eat healthier? Our new juicer will make your morning a breeze. Determined to be more eco-conscious? This laundry detergent is free of harsh chemicals.
Get creative and see how it goes!
Post-Holiday Pro Tip: For direct response campaigns, we usually recommend staying away from the wishy-washy and focusing on key features and tangible benefits. Don’t leave that behind completely, but take this opportunity to test more aspirational messaging as well.
3. Deliver the deals
According to Facebook’s Global Holiday Study, 44% of January shoppers are looking for one final bit of holiday magic: a screaming deal. Why not give the people what they want?
For your brand, this is a good chance to clear out inventory that didn’t jump off the shelf as planned during November & December. Feature the discounts prominently in your ad creative for maximum impact.
Getting new customers through the door with a discount can also set you up for repeat business (and retargeting) as the year goes on.
Post-Holiday Pro Tip: If you want to limit your offer to a specific audience, try Facebook’s Offer Ads. This feature allows you to set a limit on the number of offers claimed, and provide each potential customer with a unique one-time code (so it can’t be shared online for the whole world to use).
We hope these strategies help you close out 2019 and start the new year on a high note!
As a Facebook Marketing Partner, Shuttlerock is here to help you prepare the mobile-optimized creative you need for your campaigns.
What’s that? It’s too late to get anything ready? Not by a long shot. With turnaround times as fast as 3 days, we can set you up with creative to capture the post-holiday shopper and make the most of your “Q5” opportunity.
Let’s get started.
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