No, this post isn’t about “Christmas creep” – though the holiday season does seem to be getting longer.
Companies need to be prepared to push top content and products as soon as customers are ready. Here’s how to get an early start on the fast-approaching holiday season.
At Viral Solutions, we understand the trials and tribulations that many new owners of small businesses face in the early going. The commitment of time and resources that is necessary at the outset can leave many business owners frustrated or exhausted. We’ve experienced this ourselves in our own business operations, so we know just how unpleasant it is and how it can come close to crushing the motivation you had that led you to start the business in the first place. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Review analytics from last year
Analyze the data from previous holiday seasons to anticipate this year’s trends. Which pages saw the most traffic? When are your customers most likely to shop? How do they arrive at your site? These answers can help inform both your tech strategy and your content marketing plan. Look at your website analytics as well as any social media statistics.
If you have any site updates, launch them sooner than later
Black Friday is not the time to launch a website redesign. Web redesigns can take weeks, or months, to fix unforeseen errors. If you’re concerned about site usability, try to make small but meaningful changes now and save large overhauls for after the holidays.
Optimize mobile
That said, you do want your website to be optimized for mobile shopping. Mobile commerce or is expected to reach 22 percent of online commerce in 2015. Check that your website or mobile app is running smoothly, and address any bugs. If you don’t have mobile options, consider redesigning your website with a responsive design after the holidays.
Plan target and landing pages
Using your analytics, plan for which keywords you’ll prioritize and which types of pages or items you’d like to drive customers towards. Begin selecting your high-value target pages so you can plan content marketing and landing pages that drive customers towards those links. Build holiday landing pages now to post them quickly when the season hits.
Start preparing holiday content
Don’t let content slide during the holiday rush; in fact, you should consider pushing even more. Start brainstorming ideas for blog posts and social media campaigns that fit the holiday season and feature your products. Create a schedule for posts across platforms based on your analytics.
Budget for holiday marketing
Consider utilizing or increasing paid search traffic over the next three months. Employ sponsored ads and sponsored social media content to push your holiday marketing and drive customers to target pages. Consider working with a company that specializes in content marketing and eCommerce to help relieve some of the stress, allowing you to focus on a smooth holiday season.
It’s not too early to focus on the holidays! Get in touch with us at Viral Solutions to start preparing.
by Christine Kelly
CEO and Queen Bee | Viral Solutions LLC
Copyright 2015 Viral Solutions LLC
Prior to joining Viral Solutions, Christine held executive leadership roles at some of the largest small business consulting firms in the USA. Her experience includes leading direct reports of over 130 remote sales agents who generated $38mm in annual revenue. She obtained her Marketing degree from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Bring her C-Suite experience to your small business. Although our company is virtual, and we can work with you wherever you are located, she is located in Denver, Colorado and owns a second home in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner and an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant.
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
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