Nobody likes a cheesy marketing campaign that feels forced and awkward. Avoid the marketing suck with a few fresh holiday marketing ideas that will add the fa-la-la to your seasonal marketing campaigns.
Go Native
Native advertising works great on mobile devices, where traditional advertising tends to fall flat because these campaigns take on the format of the publishing platform. Because the visual design matches the platform, the content looks and feels natural, which resonates with consumers. Some of the leading media companies that use native advertising include Forbes, Facebook, Twitter and the Wall Street Journal. According to Sharethrough, 25% more consumers look at native ads than standard banners. With the growing number of features and capabilities, social media and other native platforms offer marketers the chance to share content while transacting directly with consumers.
Focus on the Feelings of the Season
During the holidays, many marketers work to build emotional bonds with their consumers. Use the holiday’s warm and fuzzy feelings that celebrate giving, gratitude and family as a springboard for your holiday marketing campaign. As Entrepreneur points out, people make their decisions emotionally first and foremost. Rational thought and justification comes second. TD Bank received 3.5 million hits from their #MakeTodayMatter campaign, which features evocative themes like “home for the holidays.”
Go Beyond Simple Gift Giving
Christmas marketing ideas don’t have to be all about buying for others. Consider this: More than half of all holiday shoppers surveyed by Facebook in 2016 reported using the holidays as a time to buy gifts for themselves in addition to the other important people in their lives. According to Inc., mobile shoppers are 1.3 times more likely than in-person shoppers to buy something for themselves. While everyone else is focusing strictly on the importance of giving to others, don’t shy away from encouraging customers to buy gifts for themselves in addition to other people. Two-for-one deals and other special offers encourage impulse buys that piggyback on this strategy.
Personalize It
After launching their “Elf Yourself” campaign on social media in 2006, OfficeMax experienced a boom that drew nearly 200 million visits. As OfficeMax’s success provides, creating holiday marketing strategies that give customers an opportunity to insert themselves into the campaign can be incredibly effective. It’s also a fun, interactive way for consumers to learn more about your products while giving them reasons to share the campaign on their social media channels.
Be Consistent
Mobile holiday shopping is a huge trend in 2016. Even among shoppers who buy their gifts in stores, they start their search online to research different options and prices. What does this mean for marketers? All marketing channels must provide a consistent experience. If the website features a holiday logo and color scheme, the same elements should be present on social media and mobile sites.
Consider the Customer
Marketing segmentation should play a considerable role in every content marketer’s holiday marketing ideas. Curate an email campaign to target brand-loyal customers by offering they an extra thank you or some form of special holiday treatment. Cater to last minute shoppers on digital sites with gift card options and shipping deals that let you compete with Amazon Prime. If the retailer has a physical store, offer in-store pickup options in addition to a holiday delivery cutoff that’s as late as possible.