Social Media Campaigns for Black Friday
It's that terrifying time of the year which makes retail employees across the USA quake in fear. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales happen online these days, so less violent riots, putting the focus onto deals rather than deaths. Learn how to run your social media campaigns for Black Friday!
Ever had a rush of customers try to break down your digital door to get a good deal?
Sounds like a nice problem to have, doesn’t it?
Well, there’s perhaps no better time to encourage a new flood of customers than two of the biggest spending holidays of the year.
Enter Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
And although these holidays might not be as popular in Oz, more and more businesses are hopping on the bandwagon by running insane deals.
Why? Because it’s well-documented that people spend more money during the holidays than any other time of the year.
The combination loose purse strings and the rise of Australian online shopping mean that you should consider how you can piggyback on the holiday buzz via social media.
And in this guide, we’ll break down how you can do just that.
What’s the Deal with Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Simply put, Black Friday (2018/11/22) and Cyber Monday (2018/11/26) are the two biggest shopping days in the United States (we Americans haven’t quite wrapped our heads around the whole “Boxing Day” thing).
Falling immediately after American Thanksgiving, these days represent a prime time for consumers to stock up on Christmas gifts and otherwise uncover major discounts.
Whether it’s shoppers smashing store windows or e-commerce sites crashing from too much traffic, these holidays go hand-in-hand with mad deals.
Although Black Friday has been around for decades, Cyber Monday is a relatively new phenomenon for digital businesses. Although the latter is oftentimes associated with e-commerce and SaaS, just about any brand online should take advantage of either holiday, if not both.
Why?
Because these holidays are awesome opportunities to acquire new customers with heavy-hitting deals. It’s likewise a great chance to offload some serious inventory and end the year on a high note financially.
Right now you’re head is probably spinning with ideas for deals, right?
Slashing prices. Steep discounts. Free shipping. BOGO.
The choice is totally up to you in terms of how you want to entice buyers.
But a bigger question remains: how are you get people buzzing about your deal?
How to Promote a Social Media Black Friday Deal
Facebook ads are totally underrated when it comes to Black Friday (or Cyber Monday).
Because while email is perfect for hyping up your current customers, Facebook allows you to reach out to new customers and current ones alike via hyper-targeting and remarketing.
But before you get too deep into the specifics of running your Facebook ad, you need to square away a couple of must-do’s first.
Put Together the Perfect Landing Page
If you’ve ever put together a mobile-friendly landing page for a promotion, similar rules apply for your social media Black Friday promotions.
For starters, your landing page should signal urgency from the word “go.” Time-sensitive language (“ending soon,” “final days”) or even a countdown clock are great for encouraging visitors to take action.
You’ll also notice that many Black Friday landing page are pretty in-your-face. That’s no accident, though. Remember: you need to do everything in your power to emphasise that your visitors are getting a great deal.
This Black Friday page from SABA ticks the boxes of a strong social media Black Friday landing page.
Short, bold copy? Check.
A striking colour scheme that’s impossible to miss? Yep.
A steep discount that speaks to multiple audiences? That too.
Another important point about your landing pages is that they’re consistent with your ads in terms of tone and branding.
For example, take a peek at Redbubble’s Black Friday (and subsequent Cyber Monday) social ad for last year.
Their landing page boasts the same offer and a similar lovely goth family which reinforces visitors that they are in the right place.
Prep Your Product Catalog and Creatives
Reality check: you’re not the only one competing for people’s attention on Black Friday.
As such, you need to make sure that your ads pack a punch.
That means taking steps such upload your product catalogue so you can make the most of the e-commerce and creatives with product ads, canvas ads and collection ads. Fine-tuning your copy and creatives, you can craft interactive ads that stand out rather than ones your prospects might gloss over.
How to Raise Serious Awareness for Your Black Friday Deals
Of course, social media Black Friday promotion goes beyond your ad itself.
Maximizing the reach of your offers means raising awareness before, during and after your promo.
For starters, creating some hype with a Facebook video is a smart move. Especially given the reach of video (and Live video in particular), creating a mini commercial is a quick, cost-effective way to build buzz.
You could likewise hype up your Black Friday deals with bite-sized, ephemeral content such as your Facebook or Instagram Stories.
Speaking of which, it makes sense to start educating your fans and followers about your offers as early as possible. Consider that Facebook ad cost-per-click will likely rise over Black Friday weekend. The legwork you do in the weeks prior to your ad can help you build expectations and anticipation to maximize your budget.
Cross-promoting your social media Black Friday efforts with your email list is another must-do Teasing your deals and following up with a post-holiday offer are totally fair game for your most likely buyers.
Finally, remember that your job isn’t done after your ad goes live. Based on your ad performance, you may want to run a remarketing campaign to follow up with anyone who hit your website or landing page. Doing so could seal the deal and, if nothing else, provide you valuable insight for future Facebook ads.
How Are You Prepping for Black Friday?
With holiday spending at an all-time high, there’s a huge window of opportunity for savvy social marketers.
And so Facebook advertising for Black Friday is brilliant for tapping into customers that are more than willing to spend.
if you’re still mulling over your holiday deals, it’s not too late to get started.
Simply stick to the tips highlighted above to both maximise your reach and get your deal in front of as many people as possible.
