Kick Your Holiday Ads into Full Gear

David Green - November 19, 2008

The 2008 holiday season is right around the corner. There are many predictions about decreased consumer spending this season; but are you doing everything you can to minimize that effect? As a marketer, it is very important to get the most sets of eyes on your ads and products and it all starts with ad copy. Your ad copy is the first impression that you place on your customer. It is crucial to get the right message across and also make a genuine connection.

Here are some tips to improve your ad copy and overall paid campaign performance this holiday season and beyond….

1. What separates you from your competition? This is often overlooked by many search marketers. Rather than using ad copy that only describes what you are selling / promoting, tell your prospective customers why you are better. Do you offer a money back guarantee? Free shipping? Buy one, get one free? Complimentary gift? Whatever sets you apart….make it known in your ad copy!

2. Shoppers are looking for specific holiday discounts. Your ad copy should be tailored to your holiday promotions and should be run in place of your normal ad copy. Create different ad copy for different stages in the holiday season. Here are some important dates: (may vary for your business).

a. Black Friday — The day after Thanksgiving
b. 1st Cyber Monday — The Monday after Thanksgiving
c. 2nd Cyber Monday — The Monday 2 weeks before Christmas
d. Around December 14th — When many retailers end free shipping
e. December 20th — Usually the last day for 2-day shipping
f. Post Holiday — Don’t forget gift card redemption!

3. Prepare for an increase in click rates. As this is the busiest time of year for shopping, competition is also the greatest. Make sure to allow some room to increase your cpc’s during this time. It is not unusual for your cost per click to jump around 25% during this time.

4. Last minute deals. Don’t underestimate the power of procrastinating shoppers. Whatever the reason, there always seems to be a heavy amount of last minute shopping. Attract these shoppers by using ad copy such as “last minute deals,” “ships same day,” “guaranteed to arrive before…,etc”

Time is running out! The official holiday kickoff (Thanksgiving) is just about a week away. Make some tweaks to your campaigns and quickly gear up for this holiday shopping season, if you have not done so already. With an effective message and timely implementation, you can make the most out of this season.