The holidays may or may not be important to you, but they can certainly be important in internet marketing. Black Friday and Cyber Monday aside, are you taking advantage of the holiday shopping, while at the same time ensuring your websites and businesses are optimized for the New Year?
More Shopping
Based on estimates from the first few days of the season and the entire year, holiday shoppers are expected to spend 21% more between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is an extra week of shopping due to the positioning of Thanksgiving this year, but that increase also reflects higher incomes, more enthusiasm, and better response to marketing. The money will be spent both off and online.
Online Shopping and Increased Traffic
11% of shoppers will be doing more than 75% of their shopping online this year. Many more will be doing up to half of their shopping online. 72 million Americans are taking to the internet in search of holiday gifts. This is an increase from 60.7 million surfers in 2007. This traffic may be searching out holiday gifts, but all facets of the internet can benefit.
This shopping traffic means something to everyone in internet marketing – not just those with ecommerce sites. The sheer numbers of people online will have an impact on the whole of the internet. Directories, advertisements, ezines, newsletters and more all have meaning and impact with shoppers, especially women who will search for better deals and try and find related items.
Take Advantage of the Season
If you run any sort of online business, this increased traffic and increased spending can make a difference. Want to take advantage of the season? Here are a few suggestions:
Partner Up – Even if you fly solo most of the year, the holidays are an excellent time to partner with another site, even temporarily or through advertising, to get more traffic and access to related resources. For example, if you run a few e-book retail websites, kick up your advertising budget and put a few ads in with popular newsletters or with popular search engines. Or make a trade that benefits both parties and see if you can pull in a few holiday shoppers.
Find a Holiday Tie-in – The holidays are becoming stale for many, so encourage creativity in shopping. Why buy a gift card, when you can buy a friend a subscription to a great news service? Whatever you’re selling, make it attractive for the holidays. A week or two out from Christmas day, many holiday shoppers start getting desperate. Almost anything marketed well can sell as a perfect holiday present.
Become an Affiliate – You may have moved past affiliate programs or simply never tried one. ‘Tis the season to sell, so find a great program and help move some merchandise. Even programs as simple as selling with Amazon or through Ebay may make you a few extra bucks this season.
