Christmas ads have begun to hit our screens, and earlier this autumn Microsoft released its guide to marketing during the festive season and it is incredibly useful. After years of festive fatigue, the data shows that interest in Christmas ads is back on the rise.
Aimed at helping those in the industry create impactful, festive-themed advertising campaigns, the Microsoft holiday marketing guide is the ultimate playbook for marketers in the run up to Christmas.
Covering a range of topics aimed at helping those of varying abilities, the Microsoft holiday marketing guide has been launched with ever evolving customer behaviours in mind as we gear up to the festive frenzy.
Extrapolating the most useful pieces of information from Microsoft’s festive marketing guide, there’s a lot to take onboard with the new approach as the over saturation of Christmas comes to an end.
Budget and Plan Early
One of the most vital things the Microsoft holiday marketing guide emphasises is the benefits of planning and budgeting.
Information analysed from previous years show that companies experienced a serious increase in purchases in the months leading up to the conventional Christmas period, which highlights how shoppers are planning their hauls earlier than ever.
With this in mind, it’s advisable that businesses should designate their budget for September and October similar to how they would in November and December, when most marketers begin advertising for Christmas.
Pre-Christmas Clicks are Key
Microsoft’s comprehensive guide emphasises the importance of generating pre-Christmas clicks and the vital role this plays in reaching shoppers early and converting them quickly.
According to experts, on average 67% of purchases in November, and 50% in December, can be traced back to clicks made as early as October.
And so, in order to maximise your pre-Christmas clicks, it’s recommended that you invest in a quality remarketing tool in order to re-target potential customers who showed tentative interest in the first few months of autumn.
Concentrate on Securing as Many Deals as Possible
Over the last few years, more and more customers are taking more time than usual to search and seek out the best deals for them, with two-thirds of shoppers spending a considerable amount of time searching for discounted products.
Navigating the online space during the festive season can be unpredictable for both advertisers and customers. Therefore, it is hugely important for advertisers to make sure their ads reach as many shoppers as possible.
With this in mind, it is wise to incentivise your products in some way, be that a voucher or a discounted price. As the end of the year approaches, it is essential to start thinking about ways to boost sales. For retailers and service providers, this means focusing on providing discounted packages to encourage both new customers and encourage repeat business in the upcoming year.
Diversity your Ad Strategies
There are vast benefits to diversifying your ad strategy, and Microsoft’s holiday marketing guide doubles down on this advice. With clicks coming from a range of devices such as mobile phones, tablets and desktops, it is hugely important not to feel tied to one specific type of campaign.
In order to achieve the results you desire in terms of ROI this Christmas, best practice would be to adopt a multi-channel approach to reach consumers across a variety of platforms.
If you are over reliant on a particular campaign or digital marketing channels, then you could be missing out on major untapped potential. Indeed, the best advertising strategies do not just rely on one, two, or even three channels alone. In fact, the most successful campaigns are those that can change in an instant, pivoting to whatever type of tone of voice is required to secure a sale.
Why Now is the Best Time to Launch Your Marketing Campaign
The best time to get your campaign up and running is now. Indeed, now is the time when you should start to put your plans into action and begin showcasing your products and services. Christmas provides many businesses with a prime opportunity to increase their sales and bolster customer loyalty, both new and old, so it is crucial to execute your plan as soon as possible.
Not just for those who are advertising on Microsoft, but for everyone including business owners and those who service their marketing interests, now is the peak time to launch – and in the best case scenarios – ramp up seasonal ad campaigns.
Autumn brings new colours and new beginnings; but it is also the month where shoppers begin making Christmas lists and checking their favourite brands’ websites over and over again for the best available products and discounts.
PPC Geeks – Microsoft Advertising Authorities
We pride ourselves on what we achieve for our clients daily, be that significant results or helping them to implement their seasonal campaigns in order to maximise their impact. Contact PPC Geeks to see how we can help you focus your Christmas campaigns before the big event.
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