Mistakes Brands Are Already Making for the Holidays

The holidays are a pivotal time for any business, with shoppers primed to spend while looking for just the right gift for the people in their lives. As the holidays come upon us, it’s important to get your digital marketing strategy just right, while avoiding some of these common mistakes that brands are already making.

1. Not considering shipping delays – Even in a normal year, deliveries slow down during the holidays as shippers try their best to keep up with demand. However, this is not a normal year, and shipping delays reportedly could be worse than ever. Make sure you give your customers reasonable expectations for when their products will arrive, and if possible, create real-time shipping updates for customers to monitor based on their location. Nothing will turn off a customer like being told a shipment will arrive only for it to show up late.

2. Mispricing items – It’s not easy to price things just right, making it important to think things through and look through your data. Pricing too high can make consumers lose interest and go with a competitor, while underpricing lowers your return on advertising spending while potentially causing you to run out of inventory. Keep close tabs on pricing and sales throughout the season, testing and experimenting as possible.

3. Not learning from iOS14 – Apple’s latest update has impacted digital advertising, in part by allowing Apple users to opt out of data sharing whenever they download an app. This completely changes the nature of paid search and paid social, which relies on much of this data being generated and shared. When in doubt, make sure you are working with a digital marketing company that understands the latest trends in the web today, helping money be spent on techniques that are still effective this holiday season.

4. Not having a holiday theme, or a consistent message – Around the holidays, consumers are inundated with different deals, coupons, and other methods to attract their attention and win their business. That’s why it’s important to have a way to get them to your most relevant pages more quickly, and have consistent branding and messaging across platforms. Landing pages that are consistent with the main site while including holiday offers can help attract new customers, while also making sure your current customers are not thrown off.

5. Not heavily promoting their brand – If you are not promoting your business, you are going to get drowned out by everyone else! All brands know this is the busiest time of the year, which means that if you can simply get potential customers to your website or store, they are primed to act and convert. But how can you stand out from the noise and get attention? If you need help with a plan, don’t hesitate to reach out to AVX Digital. Our team is here to help your holiday season be a successful one.