With the holiday season swiftly approaching, we are going to be seeing a lot of mega sales, cyber deals, and more. It is the most important time of the year for retail businesses, eCommerce companies, and realtors to drive sales and target consumers. You may have heard about the “death of retail” but, during this year’s holiday season, retail sales are expected to grow. The National Retail Federation forecasts that sales during 2020 will increase between 3.5% and 4.1% for retailers throughout November and December.
Now, the real challenge here is grabbing the old and new shoppers’ attention. This is a bonus for advertisers. Retail marketing brands want to flood social media feeds with hot deals and e-commerce offerings. While every platform is unique, this adds difficulty for marketers to make sure their social media ads stand out from competitors and catch the shopper’s eyes.
The Importance of Q5
The concept of “Q5” marks the 15 days before and after the holidays where the lead time on ground shipping makes online shopping difficult. There are many reasons why Q5 is important:
- If you’re a retailer, you are the only game in town in a bunch of regions due to shipping constraints.
- It is easy to discount post-holiday shopping; many consumers are still off of work and have gift cards or returns.
- Pre-holiday campaigns have ended, presenting the potential for lower rates on digital ads.
Strategic Possibilities Q5 Brings
Q5 brings awareness and reach campaigns in just a few days leading up to the holidays. This catches any of the procrastinators who need last-minute gift ideas. Then, there are subsequent campaigns in the week leading to the new year to entice people who may have extra time and money to shop for themselves. A key strategy that you need to use is getting local. Even if you are servicing a larger CPG brand, you want social media advertisements that are locally relevant to ensure you are being noticed by your consumers.
Stories for the Holiday Season
Millions of people today are using social media advertising. A retail marketing strategy that brands are using today is “Stories’ on Facebook and Instagram. This holiday season, retail marketers are using this tactic as their first choice. Companies that have a large social media following can use stories to get more in-app purchases. Stories allow brands to:
- Get creative
- Use graphics
- Use GIFS
- Use the “swipe-up” feature to search for products
- Utilize editing tools for eye-catching stories
When using social media advertising, you want it to be quick and to the point. When utilizing the “Stories” feature, the length of your videos should be 15 seconds, but if you are using a carousel, which is three videos, ideally it should be 45 seconds, or three, 15-second clips.
Pinterest Planner Advertisements
Pinterest users use this platform to discover new brands and products. Over 60% of “pinners” bought a product after seeing it on the brand’s platform. Pinners like to plan out their creative boards with various events such as life events, weddings, prom, holidays, and more. Retail marketers should post up to three months before the specific holiday, wedding, or prom season. Marketers should also focus on creating brand-specific looks to their advertisements so users can recognize their brand.
At beMarketing, we want to make sure you aren’t sleeping on your end-of-the-year goals. When you partner with us, we can help you plan smart execution strategies, so you don’t miss the chance to impress your retail clients. This will allow you to start 2021 off with a win for both you and your clients. If you’re ready to get started on a project, connect with us today.
