Consumer-focused digital marketing experts will win this Holiday season and beyond.

Every retail brand’s gross yearly income is mostly comprised of year-end holiday spending, and as consumer buying habits are being impacted by inflation, there is additional pressure on retailers this holiday season.

This season’s top digital marketing techniques include search engine optimization, hybrid shopping, and customer experience. As a result, the brand will receive positive word-of-mouth exposure, attract new clients, and increase sales.

Holiday Digital Marketing Advice

Leaders in digital marketing should modify their strategy in light of the information that has been provided about the when, why, and how consumers will be shopping this holiday season.

Adopt an always-on mindset

Around the time of the American Thanksgiving holiday in late November, holiday shopping has advanced far beyond popular shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Nowadays, consumers start their holiday shopping in early to mid-fall. 16% of consumers now buy year-round for holiday items, and over 50% of shoppers will begin their holiday shopping in October or November. 9% of people wait until December.

Our advice is to develop a year-round online gifting category to appeal to consumers who are “always shopping” or “early”. This establishes a location that customers can visit whenever they like and increases the long-term SEO value of gift-related keywords. Examine before fall how to improve this category on the website and mobile app and increase traffic through digital performance channels and in-store traffic.

Emphasize the cost, value, and free shipping

Additionally influencing people to shop early are inflation and the worry that supply chains may be disrupted. Consumers would probably have to pay more money to buy the same things they did a year ago due to growing average pricing. As a result, they’ll either buy fewer things or switch to generic, store-brand, easier, or cheaper equivalents.

Our advice is to show customers how to stretch their finances. 82% of buyers who expect to spend more note that the increase is due to rising costs rather than an increase in their available spending money. Sort products and digital gift guides by price and emphasize free shipping.

Improve your wishlist and search functionality

Wish lists are typically where recipients get their gift inspiration. Additionally, 22% of consumers search on Google before looking at brand marketing or online reviews.

Our advice is to make your goods stand out in search results. To make sure you are highly visible to customers, optimize your paid and organic search efforts. Create and distribute want lists on social media, via SMS, or via email by enhancing and integrating digital wish-list features. In addition to encouraging customers to purchase from your brand, you will also gather valuable first-party information to customize product suggestions and anticipate inventory shortages or surplus.

Put an end to omnichannel friction

60% of consumers want to do the majority of their holiday shopping online, and 21% intend to do so more than they did the year before. 38 percent intend to use a hybrid strategy that combines digital and traditional methods, such as shopping online for curbside pickup or same-day delivery.

Our advice is to optimize the omnichannel experience. By including website filters to discover in-stock inventory and delivering targeted emails about goods available at a customer’s local shop, you may promote your omnichannel digital solutions. To boost online conversion, expand the availability of mobile payment and expedited shipment choices. Consider Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal. The use of these technologies, both online and offline, may reduce customer friction and speed up the purchasing process.

In summary

For retail firms to reach their revenue targets for the year, the end-of-year holiday season is crucial.

Consumers’ purchasing habits have altered as a result of inflation and economic worries, which has an impact on how retail digital marketing professionals should approach marketing initiatives.

Encourage hybrid purchasing during the Christmas season through digital and physical channels, make it easier for people to share wish lists, and extend the season of giving through search.

Contact Seattle Digital Marketing today!