Despite already being the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005, the Black Friday craze has intensified further for eCommerce sites since the pandemic, urging business owners to seek the services of a professional eCommerce marketing agency.
More shoppers have opted to take advantage of the ease and convenience of online shopping instead of lining up for long queues at a brick-and-mortar store. In fact, as concluded by the NRF (Nation Retail Federation), Black Friday acquired a total of 88 million shoppers.
So, what is a Black Friday eCommerce strategy, and how can it help your business reach its maximum potential?
Black Friday eCommerce Tactics Every Ecommerce Brand Needs
As the saying goes, “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Having a Black Friday eCommerce strategy help ensure you maximize your sales by using email marketing, SEO, paid ads, social media marketing, and more.
Although half of the consumers have continued to start holiday shopping early, the other half have opted to make purchases until items go on sale, positioning this expected shopping spike on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As such, it’s crucial for online retailers to apply these top 10 eCommerce strategies:
Optimize Your Website for SEO
Remember, this is a nationally awaited sale – so it’s crucial for your website to be in optimal condition. While regularly testing user experience and site speed is vital, even more so during the busiest shopping season of the year.
Updating content and ensuring proper keyword placement and optimal keyword density is also paramount to increasing organic traffic. Let’s not forget the undeniable allure of online shopping is convenience – ensure maximum ease of access by having an easy checkout process.
Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly
Adobe Digital Insights concluded that 42.4% of Black Friday purchases were made from tablets and smartphones. As such, you must have a responsive web design; otherwise, you risk losing almost half of your potential sales.
Start Your Campaign Early
Sparking interest in your brand long before Black Friday ensures your target market is aware of your products or services, establishing trust with potential customers.
While maintaining a solid social media presence all year round is crucial, even more so during the pre-Black Friday season. You can also email your current customers about your upcoming sale and even offer them “exclusive” deals to entice them to make a purchase.
Make Sure All Stock Information Is Accurate
It’s hard to win back frustrated customers; fortunately, there are ways to avoid it. Ensure the number of items, variations, sizes, etc., is accurate to prevent under or over-selling your products than the actual stock quantity.
Have Customer Support at the Ready
Addressing your customer’s needs promptly could make the difference between keeping/acquiring a customer to losing them to your competitors. Consumers have looked forward to the Black Friday sale for months; if you can’t accommodate their needs when they need it, they’ll find a business that can.
Work With Influencers
Collaborating with influencers whose following aligns with your brand builds awareness and trust and creates an excellent backlinking opportunity.
Create BFCM Promo Codes
Human as we are, we can’t walk away from a good deal. Offering a small discount or “exclusive deals” to consumers through a BFCM (Black Friday, Cyber Monday) promo code provides an incentive that’s difficult to resist – like an offer they can’t refuse.
Run an Email Discount Campaign
As an eCommerce business, you must utilize all facets of digital advertising to maximize converting leads into prospects. Use your current email list and acquire new potential customers to keep retention throughout the year.
Extend Your BFCM Deals
With the magnitude of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, some consumers may not have found the item they’re looking for, are looking for a better deal, or simply do not have time to shop – use this to your advantage.
By extending your BFCM deals, you can gain new customers and establish a stronger bond with your current ones – especially since most businesses generally stick to the 4-day sale.
Create a Holiday Gift Guide
Publishing an online holiday gift guide offers a multilayered benefit not just toward your marketing objectives but also to customers. By creating a gift guide, you can engage with customers and urge them to avoid the “last-minute rush” and get the best options while they’re still available.
Alternatively, you can also create a gift guide for “shopping procrastinators,” allowing you to showcase your best-selling items. With the holiday season fast approaching when you publish this guide, the likelihood of a conversion is significantly higher.
Promote Your BFCM Deals With Social Media Ads
To attract new leads to your site, create compelling ads about your Black Friday sale or even offer pre-Black Friday deals. Additionally, it’s crucial to hyper-target social ad demographics according to your target audience. You can diversify between Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook to maximize results.
While this guide offers crucial information on building a solid Black Friday eCommerce strategy, some simply do not have the tools, knowledge, and experience to ensure proper implementation. For professional eCommerce marketing agency services, contact The Ad Firm today!
