Digital Marketing & Thanksgiving Celebrations

If your digital marketing efforts reach the American markets and your offering suits the theme, here are some key things to consider for the holiday season – amid the Black Friday rush.

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and of course, delicious food. But it can also be a great time for businesses to connect with their customers, or introduce new people to the wonders of your brand and its product.

While in the marketing world, it can be easy for your marketing efforts to be vacuumed by the demand of Black Friday sales and all of the fun that comes with the long lead-up to Christmas. With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s important to ensure that your digital marketing strategy is aligned with the spirit of the season while also driving sales and engagement for the time period that gets up close and personal with the lives of potential customers.

Here’s a look at the top things to consider when crafting your digital marketing plan for Thanksgiving.

Gratitude

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, so it’s the perfect opportunity to show appreciation to your customers. A simple “thank you” message, whether through an email, social media post, or personalised note, can go a long way in strengthening relationships with your audience.

Tips

• Send out thank you emails or newsletters to your existing customers.
• Share messages on social media expressing gratitude for your followers and customers. UGC content is prime as a method of communication and to showcase your brand.
• Offer exclusive discounts or gifts as a token of appreciation. Perhaps tie this in with your Black Friday offerings and tailor it specifically to the celebration.

Optimise for Holiday Shopping

Thanksgiving kicks off the festive shopping season. (Though some brands opt to launch Black Friday deals weeks in advance). Consider content that launches your spate of offerings with communications that are tailored specifically to the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Tips

• Prepare special Thanksgiving sales or bundles to entice existing customers or new shoppers.
• Consider offering free shipping, limited time offers, or exclusive discounts to encourage purchases during this high-volume time, or perhaps a holiday themed incentive that puts the cherry on the cake.
• It goes without saying that your website should be prepped in advance for an increase in traffic and a bump in conversion rates. This also ties in with tools on marketing platforms such as seasonal adjustments so you can prepare your campaigns for performance that is above the ordinary.

Targeted Ads for Maximum Response

Paid ads are an essential component of any successful holiday marketing campaign. With so many people on their phones during downtime in the days around Thanksgiving, running targeted ads can help you reach the right audience at the right time.

Tips

• Social media is one of the best ways to reach and engage with customers, especially if you’re on topic and produce engaging content.
• Use retargeting to reach previous website visitors and remind them about your holiday promotions.
• Experiment with different ad formats, ensuring that video is key part of your content efforts.

Personalise Your Messaging

Personalisation is key to making customers feel valued. Use your email list and CRM data to tailor messages specifically for different segments of your audience. By offering relevant products or discounts based on their previous behaviour, you’ll increase the likelihood of engagement.

Tips

• Use dynamic content in emails to recommend personalised product bundles or special discounts based on customer preferences.
• Send personalised messages or reminders leading up to Thanksgiving, such as ‘Don’t Miss Out on Our Thanksgiving sale’ or ‘Last Chance for Christmas Delivery’.
• Use audience segmentation on marketing platforms to deliver relevant offers based on the way users have interacted with you before – the same applies for cold campaigns, ensure that your messaging matches the audience segments that you’re reaching. i.e. if you’re targeting ‘foodies’, do you offer cooking appliances or products?

Create Holiday Gift Guides

If your product or service lends itself to gift-giving, creating a Thanksgiving or holiday gift guide can be an excellent way to promote your products. This content can be shared on your website, social media, and via newsletters.

Tips

• Create gift guides based on customer demographic or price ranges.
• Partner with influencers or bloggers to create gift guide collaborations to increase visibility.

Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday attracting huge crowds of deal-seeking consumers. Get your digital marketing campaigns lined up early so you’re ready to capture those eager shoppers.

Tips:

• Start teasing Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in advance, using social media posts to build anticipation.
• Create a sense of urgency by highlighting limited time offers.

In summary

Thanksgiving offers a unique opportunity to connect with your audience in a meaningful way, while also driving sales and engagement for the holiday season. By embracing gratitude, creating seasonal content, optimising for holiday shopping, and offering personalised experiences, you can craft a digital marketing strategy that not only reflects the spirit of Thanksgiving but also boosts your business during one of the busiest shopping times of the year.

By getting ahead of your holiday marketing, you’ll prepare your business for harnessing existing relationships with customers and building new, meaningful connections with new audiences.