Black Friday is almost here, and it’s arguably the biggest event for eCommerce store owners. It’s one of the easiest times to maximise conversions and drive sales, but to do so effectively, you need to allow room for preparation and planning.

 

Today’s post is going to walk you through some of our top industry tips and secrets that you can implement, before, during, and after Black Friday.

 

Before Black Friday

 

The period before Black Friday is arguably the most important. You want to make sure your strategy is planned, and this involves creatives and the channels you want to focus on.

 

  • A warmup

 

In the weeks leading up to Black Friday, it’s likely that customers are going to be less willing to splash their cash. This is a great time for you to push brand awareness campaigns to drive people to your website. You want to get people talking about and sharing your brand before the big day.

 

Doing this also allows you to build a bank of vital customer data that you can utilise before the event. It’s a great way to get an idea of the people clicking on your ads and to re-engage any cold audiences.

 

  • Optimise your site for conversions

 

Before Black Friday, you want to make sure your site is optimised for conversions. User experience, site speed and the checkout process are all areas you want to look at.

 

Your site needs to be fast, and easy to navigate as slow websites are almost guaranteed to lose you the sale.

 

Making sure your checkout process runs as smoothly as possible is also crucial to Black Friday success. Ensure there are no sign-up options or unexpected shipping fees. Aim to make the customer journey as smooth as possible to ensure they follow through with their checkout.

 

Something people forget is to optimise their site for mobile. Most customers shop on their phones, so if your site isn’t up to speed, you will lose sales. Ensure you have a responsive design; easy site navigation and a one-click purchase feature.

 

  • Pre-approve your paid ads

 

Getting ads approved on Facebook can be a tricky process as it is and becomes even harder and longer during the Black Friday period. We recommend having your ads built and send for approval at least two weeks before Black Friday.

This gives you enough time to make any necessary changes for them to be approved and run smoothly.

 

During Black Friday

 

Once all your preparation is done, the hard work isn’t over. There are some things you need to be doing throughout the event to keep on top of sales and conversions.

 

  • Keep on top of website optimisation

 

As customers are driven to your website, you’re likely to receive feedback. It’s important that you listen to this feedback, especially if it concerns site problems which you should fix as soon as possible to retain sales.

 

Perform regular site audits to ensure your customer’s journey is as smooth as possible.

 

  • Optimise paid ads

 

Optimising paid ads daily is a vital part of maximising success, even outside of Black Friday. We suggest looking at metrics such as CPM (cost per thousand impressions), CTR (click-through rates), and ROAS (return on ad spend).

 

By measuring these key metrics you’ll be able to effectively analyse your copy, content, audiences, and strategy and realign your findings with your marketing efforts.

 

After Black Friday

 

  • Increase customer loyalty

 

After Black Friday, it’s time to focus on retaining customer loyalty and retention. This can be done in a few ways.

 

Firstly, try retargeting ads on paid social channels. Offer customers discount codes and showcase your benefits and USPs. How does your product evolve with the customers and why should they come back for more? Do you offer any add-on products? Now is a great time to push them.

 

You can also increase customer loyalty through your email marketing by offering customers a code to use on their next purchase, encouraging them to come back.

 

  • Cyber Monday

 

Making the most out of Cyber Monday is just as important and great for maximising sales before the Christmas period begins.

 

Firstly, you can create a dedicated landing page for your Cyber Monday promotions. By doing this, you provide customers with an easy and stress-free experience in finding the best possible deals. Doing so can also benefit your website in terms of SEO optimisation.

 

You can also increase your ad spend. Doing so makes sure you capitalise on your digital strategy as much as possible.

 

Finally, make sure your email flows are built and ready to send. Although customers were aware of your Black Friday deals, it doesn’t harm to let them know about your Cyber Monday ones. Try adding a hint of exclusivity by letting them know this discount is only for them.

 

 

 

So, there you have it. Our top tips for smashing your Black Friday sales.  It can be a stressful time for marketers but if correct preparation and planning are in place this is a great time to capitalise on some extra sales

 

Not sure how to execute your Black Friday strategy? It’s not too late to get in touch and see how we can help! Book a call with our ad experts today.