Understanding Seasonality in Online Advertising

Sonya Wood - July 22, 2009

Almost every industry experiences seasonal cycles. Understanding seasonality in your industry can help you fine tune your online advertising.  Using tools like, Google Trends and Google Insights for Search can help you see trends and allow you to take advantage of an increase in market demand. Historical data should be used when determining your seasonal cycle. It is a good idea to look at several cycles in your season to make sure that there are not any economic indicators that have influenced the trending.

Online advertising is the ideal medium for seasonal advertising because the results are virtually instantaneous and the messaging is easily adaptable. Once you determine your peak periods of interest, you can allocate a larger budget to times when demand is higher and use specific ad messaging for your peak season. For example, summer tends to be the season when people are more interested in travel. By spending more on advertising and being more visible during those peak times, you can take advantage of a high demand season. Understanding off season can also allow you to change your messaging to offer off season discounts, as well as help save money in times that do not convert as well.

For most online retailers, the holiday season is the peak season. But when should you start to conceptualize your advertising strategy for the holidays? Many marketers realize the need to advertise during the holiday season but may not recognize there are other times of year when demand is high as well. Understanding your industry’s seasonal cycle can help businesses to advertise at the right time with the right message. Remember, it is never too early to start thinking of your seasonal advertising.