Holiday marketing season 2014 is already in full swing, and according to new data released by the National Retail Federation, consumer spending will be up this year. Marketers who don't take advantage of every last second of it will be left behind. Here are some content marketing tips to help you make sure that this holiday season is merry and bright.
Be Prepared
If your entire holiday marketing plan rested on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it's time to rethink that strategy. Bloomberg points out that as more consumers turn to online shopping, they are spreading out their purchases instead of being lured by one- or two-day sales. When marketers understand this change, one of the key content marketing tips is to offer customized deals that are more evenly spaced across multiple time periods leading up to December 25.
Be a Hero for Last-Minute Shoppers
As Deloitte noted in its holiday survey, last-minute shoppers are in a tough spot, since they can't take chances on having purchases delivered in time for Christmas, but they also don't have time to fight the crowds and wait in long lines. By presenting last-minute price breaks, personalized sale items and the option to purchase online and pick up in-store, you can be a hero to your customers. Your content marketing strategy should include holiday-themed blog posts, infographics, social media posts and some longer-form content such as e-books and gift guides that provide multiple points of entry for consumers. It's important to keep your content focused on educating consumers, as opposed to the hard sell. Remember that your customers are busy and stressed out at this time of year, so they need easy-to-read information on products, the best deals and where to find them in stock. Your content should be creative, but also make it easy for consumers to turn to your brand when it comes time to buy gifts.
Be Inclusive
Keep in mind that not all shoppers are looking to make Christmas-themed purchases. Another content marketing tip: be inclusive of all the major holidays that occur at this time of year, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. It may even be a good investment to translate your holiday marketing content into different languages, to capture revenue and build brand loyalty with consumers whose native language is not English. As the Pew Research Center reports, the last U.S. census revealed that there are close to 38 million native Spanish speakers living in the U.S. — and this is a powerful demographic looking to spend online. Offering Spanish-language options demonstrates cultural awareness and essentially doubles the value of your content.
This holiday season will only have 26 days between Black Friday and Christmas. It's a short season, but one of the most important revenue-generating times of the year. By focusing on quality holiday content that is engaging and inclusive, you can create loyalty so that customers remember your brand long after the last gift is opened.
