Last year, more than one in three consumers from the U.K. said they were planning on starting their Christmas shopping earlier than the previous year with searches for Black Friday climbing as early as October.
Step 1: Audit your account.
Before we start turning all our content festive, it is important to ensure that the feed in its current state is fit for purpose. That means checking that all required attributes are filled out, product information is up to date and rectifying any feed errors on your GMC account.
Once your audit is complete, you then know where there is room for improvement and can prioritise as needed.
Step 2: Optimise product titles and descriptions.
Once your feed is optimised and fighting fit, it is time to start looking for optimisations as we enter “Christmas”. That means, crafting compelling product titles that utilise important seasonal keywords, for example, “Luxury Bath Bomb Bundle” becomes “Luxury Bath Bomb Christmas Gift Bundle”. A jazzy red knitted sweater might also see its description changed. A “Red sweater” is now a “Festive red knitted sweater, perfect for Christmas”.
Step 3: Enhance your product images.
Selling a Christmas-themed product or product expected to perform better during Christmas? Then make sure the product stands out by using high-resolution images that showcase your product clearly and reflect the holiday themes. (Please note: if adding festive backgrounds or props, make sure the image still adheres to Google guidelines! The last thing you want is for your best-selling products this time of year to get disapproved!)
Step 4: Promos, Promos and Promos!
It is unusual to run an e-commerce business and not offer some form of discount as we enter Black Friday. Make sure you take advantage of any promos running during this period by updating your feed appropriately with the relevant attributes!
Activating annotations is a fantastic way to communicate offers to your customers and influence their decision-making. Merchant promotions have been responsible for a 28% conversion rate uplift!
75% of shoppers say that they specifically look out for promos and sales throughout the holiday season.
Step 5: Custom labels.
As (we hope) you already know. Custom Labels are a crucial part of any effective feed management strategy. Whether it is assigning best sellers, profit margins, sub-categories and a whole range of other possibilities. Using custom labels during peak is a must for segmenting your festive/sale products during any sale.
Conclusion
Whilst there are many more things to consider (For example, did you know 1 in 5 purchases during the holiday season last year were made with loyalty points?) and think about as we get closer to peak. If you can nail the 5 steps above, you should be in a good place come November.
Written by Adam Boone