The Dos and Don'ts of Black Friday Marketing
Q4 is here and the biggest shopping day of the year is just around the corner.
Although it can get a little overwhelming, there’s no denying that Black Friday is one of the best opportunities to boost sales, connect with customers, and increase brand visibility.
With over eight years of digital marketing experience under our belt, we’ve acquired all the industry knowledge to help eCommerce brands stand out and succeed.
Keep reading as we reveal all the dos and don'ts of Black Friday marketing…
THE DOS
Offer Exclusive Discounts
Black Friday shoppers are always on the hunt for the best deals. To grab their attention, offer exclusive discounts and promotions that aren’t available at other times of the year. Consider building product bundles or offering buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deals. This strategy is the ultimate way to create some FOMO around your offer.
Optimise Your Website
Did you know that 42% of website visitors will leave a page if it’s not easy to use and navigate? This is exactly why you need to make sure your website is optimised for a smooth shopping experience prior to Black Friday.
This can also help decrease the number of people abandoning their carts due to slow-loading pages or complicated navigation.
We highly recommend working with a skilled developer who is able to test the speed, functionality, and mobile responsiveness of your website.
Leverage Email Marketing
Email marketing is a cost-effective way to communicate with people who are already interested in your brand. With Black Friday email campaigns, use attention-grabbing subject lines to increase open rates, and eye-catching CTA buttons to boost those CTRs. We also recommend optimising your flows in the lead-up to the big day, as well as sending discount reminders throughout the promotional period.
Tease Before Black Friday
Want to create a buzz around your Black Friday event? Then you need to keep your audience informed even before your promotions go live. Don’t give too much away, but think about posting teasers, running countdowns, and engaging with your followers to boost visibility.
Partner with TikTokers
There’s no denying that TikTok is the future of social media marketing. If you have the budget, we highly suggest collaborating with influencers who align with your brand and have a strong online presence. The right creators can help you reach a broader audience, building trust and credibility around your Black Friday deals.
Collect and Analyse Data
Data-driven decisions lead to more effective marketing campaigns.
For that reason, we recommend that you monitor and collect data during Black Friday to gain insights into customer behaviour. What products are selling the most? What channels are driving the most traffic? Analysing this data will help you fine-tune your future marketing strategies, or even those on the run-up to Christmas.
THE DON’TS
Overcomplicate Your Promotions
While we always encourage creativity, try to avoid overly complex promotions that might confuse your customers. Keep it simple so that shoppers can easily understand and take advantage of your Black Friday deals. If you are creating a discount code, make sure it’s short, simple and easy to remember. Alternatively, you can apply the discount code automatically at checkout.
Neglect Mobile Shoppers
Did you know that 65% of traffic on retail websites now comes from mobile phones? This means that mobile optimisation is crucial for reaching a wider audience, and keeping them engaged. Neglecting these shoppers can result in less traffic, more abandoned carts and ultimately lost sales.
Spam Your Customers
While email marketing is essential, don't overdo it. Excessive emails can annoy your customers and lead them to unsubscribe from your mailing list. Balance is key to maintaining a positive relationship with those who are genuinely interested in your products.
Use Bland Messaging In Your Ad Copy
Black Friday is not for the average minimalist. When it comes to effective digital ads, bigger is always better. Don’t shy away from salesy language, capital letters and a few fun emojis. At the end of the day, shoppers will be targeted with a huge number of ads throughout this busy weekend, so don’t be afraid to stand out.
Set Unrealistic Expectations
Trust is difficult to rebuild once broken, so don't promise more than you can deliver. Setting unrealistic expectations for Black Friday promotions may lead to disappointed customers and negative reviews. For example, if you don’t think you’ll be able to send orders out using next-day delivery, then don’t promote it. No matter what industry you belong to, transparency is always crucial.
Only Focus on Discounts
While discounts are essential, don't make them the sole focus of your Black Friday marketing. Highlight the value and benefits of your products or services alongside the discounts. Customers need to understand why they should buy from you, not just that you have a sale.
Forget about Cyber Monday
As an eCommerce brand, don’t underestimate the importance of Cyber Monday. In 2022, this huge online shopping event totalled $11.3 billion worth of sales, a 5.3% increase from the previous year. To keep customers interested (even after a whole weekend of savings), try to make your Cyber Monday promotion different from anything that has been offered so far. Some examples include:
- Three for the price of two
- Free products
- The more you buy, the more you save
Key Takeaways
Remember that preparation and customer satisfaction are key to Black Friday and Cyber Monday success. So, plan ahead, offer enticing deals, and create a smooth shopping experience for your customers.
If you need help executing your digital marketing over the shopping season, our team is certainly here to help. See if you’re ready for a free audit or give us a call at 0800 808 9980.
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