The 2024 holiday season is here, and if you were planning to launch, even if it’s just a small campaign during Black Friday or early December, you might want to reconsider. With a shorter holiday season forecasted and an abundance of choices for shoppers, having a strategy that allows you to be constantly competitive, not just during ¨Peak days¨, is what you should be aiming for to succeed at your sales goals.
The National Retail Federation 2023 holiday season sales report shows an unprecedented record of $929.5 Billion spent during the season; therefore, understanding holiday trends is the foundation for creating a winning holiday marketing strategy. Let’s get to it!
2024 Holiday Marketing Trends Review
First, let’s look at some key holiday marketing trends to effectively navigate the complex web of consumer expectations and market dynamics.
Online vs. in-store Shopping
Although retail ecommerce remains the preferred shopping method among holiday shoppers, in-store purchases have seen a positive recovery post-pandemic, topping $1 trillion for the first time ever, with more consumers, mainly driven by the use of digital resources before visiting a store.
From Early Research To Purchase
Microsoft data show that 90% of holiday conversions happen outside of Cyber 5, the five-day period between Thanksgiving (November 28) and Cyber Monday (December 2). The spark? September and October Clicks! This indicates that brands that invest early in their holiday advertising on any platform and with any content type will likely maximize results throughout the festive season.
Search – The Guiding Light For Gifting
Search engines like Google and Bing remain the main sources for gift discovery, research, and deal-seeking across generations during the holiday season. If search is already part of your strategy, consider long tail and net new queries grow as the season, and user engagement increases.
Understanding The Customer Mindset
Now that we’ve reviewed some major 2024 holiday trends, it’s also crucial to understand the customer mindset during this time. By connecting with shoppers on a deeper level, you can tailor your strategy to align with their expectations and behaviors. Google identifies four key customer mindsets to consider:
- Deliberate: Starting as early as May, consumers are deliberate, thoughtfully planning their holiday purchases and wishlists.
- Deal-Seeking: Throughout the season, they’re continually looking for deals and prioritizing quality and value, but we see this behavior peak during Cyber Week, the five days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.
- Determined: In December, they become even more determined to complete their shopping ahead of the holidays and engage across channels.
- Devoted: Through January, devoted consumers continue to shop past peak season and prioritize brand loyalty.
So, how can you tailor your holiday marketing strategy to reach shoppers at every stage of their journey? We’ve broken down some ideas:
| Holiday Mindset | Did you Know? | How? | Where? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliberate & Deal – Seeking | 75% of holiday shoppers say they keep their eyes open for promotions throughout the holiday shopping season. | Make sure deals and discounts are visible to shoppers throughout the season and are present during peak deal periods (Black Friday to Cyber Monday). | Shopping Ads Youtube Campaigns |
| Determined | 60% of U.S. consumers have abandoned a purchase altogether when faced with too many options or too much information. 2 in 3 U.S. consumers decide what they will buy before they get to the store. |
Build product confidence by including relevant shopping information in your product descriptions, both ads and website. If you have a physical store, make the pick-up in-store option prominent or encourage in-store visits by leveraging local inventory to highlight local fulfillment options. |
YouTube Search Ads Remarketing |
| Determined | 2 in 3 U.S. consumers decide what they will buy before they get to the store. | If you have a physical store, make the pick-up in-store option prominent or encourage in-store visits by leveraging local inventory to highlight local fulfillment options. | PMax Social Media Search |
| Devoted | 45% of consumers say they enjoy shopping during the time after Christmas for self-gifting and deal-seeking. | Keep momentum going with loyalty reward programs on your website and ads. | Seach Youtube |
Strategizing For Holiday Success
We’ve explored holiday trends and consumer mindsets, and now it’s time to put that knowledge into action. With strong sales expectations and fewer traditional shopping days, anticipation and pressure are on this holiday season. Leveraging a cross-channel strategy allows you to expand your reach and maximize opportunities during the season. Here´s a blueprint of how your plan could be deployed throughout the season:
Embrace New Strategies This Season
As we enter the holiday season, remember that effective advertising can make all the difference when backed up by trends and a deep understanding of customer behaviors. You can connect with customers when they’re most engaged by leveraging audience insights and targeted campaigns. Embrace the season’s spirit, and let your brand shine brightly through a crowded holiday market.
If you want to discuss a strategy for navigating the holiday season, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
