Early Start to Holiday Marketing

Every year, companies begin rolling out holiday marketing earlier than the year before. In 2023, holiday marketing came as early as September. According to Statista, 56% of consumers in the U.S. reported starting their holiday shopping in October or earlier. With Christmas and Thanksgiving being the most commercialized holidays, they also happen to be the most profitable for businesses. The highest spending is expected on Christmas with reports claiming that 70% of shoppers plan to spend over $100 for the day. Marketers should focus their efforts on creating a social media strategy to drive social commerce and conversions.

2023 Economy

Global sales this holiday season are expected to hit $1.19 trillion. Holiday deals and discounts will be promoted across social media, so it will be an incredibly saturated and competitive market. Numerator predicts that with inflation, 50% of consumers will be purchasing fewer items this holiday season and about 67% of shoppers will be buying items on sale.

Influencer Marketing

Brands have the opportunity to have a very successful holiday season if they properly attend to their advertising and online presence with care. To improve brand awareness, utilizing a micro-influencer (10,000-100,000 followers) is a tested plan of action. Influencers authentically providing reviews or recommendations of products is relatable and this often builds trust and leads to high conversion rates. Influencer marketing seems especially effective on social media when targeting Generation Z. Consumers begin to worry about how authentic an influencer is after they reach 100,000 to 1 million followers because there is more opportunity for paid partnerships, which could sway their opinions.

Holiday Commercials

The commercials that run during the holiday season usually have common themes that are recurring every year. Some companies go for storylines that promote togetherness. Others may utilize emotionally led messaging that viewers can resonate with. It is important to acknowledge the holidays but not present them in a dull and overdone manner. The last thing you want is for your business’s advertisements or social media content to get lost in the crowd.

Marketing on Social Platforms

This December, businesses need to have specialized digital marketing plans for each platform they post on. While there can be some overlap of content, it’s important to recognize that consumers go to different apps for different purposes so there has to be unique and targeted content. Below, we have provided recommendations for TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

TikTok

• Set up TikTok Shop
• Educate
  • Pro tip: use trending sounds
• Partner with relevant influencers
• Take advantage of the holiday aesthetic

Instagram

• Post images and Reels of the product
• Link posts to allow people to shop
  • Feature the best deals by pinning them!
• Partner with a charity or nonprofit organization
  • Shows the business cares about the community… its the season of giving
• Repost UGC (user-generated content)

Facebook

• Grab their ATTENTION
  • Promote active deals and new products
• Utilize Stories and Reels