Have you been good this year?
Christmas is the time for mince pies, too much turkey and reflecting on the year as you tipple a little ‘Christmas spirit’. Are you worthy of being on the Nice List this year? If you’re unsure, fear not! We’ve created a list of digital marketing do’s and don’ts that could mean the difference between the toy soldier of marketing success and the coal-filled stocking of failure.
Naughty List
Not optimising your ads for the season.
If you have a brand or product that flourishes during the winter months and you aren’t optimising your ad text to take advantage of it, you’re missing out. The festive season accounts for 29% of retail sales, so make your ads as attractive as possible by including a seasonal touch.
Keyword turkey stuffing.
This point is as old and worn as last year’s Christmas cracker hat, but we still see it from time to time. There are sites out there that still insist on cramming a site full of keywords at the expense of valuable user experience and high quality content.
Not updating your website.
Google likes sites that are active and regularly updated. Just like any aspect of digital marketing, you can’t just throw up a website and say “job done”.
Mobile unfriendly sites.
Over 80% of searches are made on mobile devices and of those over 60% of users will leave a site that isn’t mobile-friendly. A responsive website is always worth the effort. Recent changes to Google’s algorithm check for responsiveness and ranking responsive sites higher than those that are not.
Ignoring seasonal content opportunities.
Christmas, summer holidays and all the seasonal events in between are prime opportunities for themed content. If you haven’t been on the pulse of what’s going on in the world and reflecting it in your content, you’re missing out!
Nice List
Tell people when you’re open over Crimbo.
Communicate opening hours to your customers. This can be posted on site, but ideally you should send an email or a mailshot out. This also gives you a chance to wish your customers a happy Christmas.
Share some festive fun on Facebook.
Engaging social media posts are the foundation of brand advocates. Research shows that 92% of consumers trust brand advocates.
Have someone on standby.
Don’t forget to make sure everyone has the out of office messages set to manage your clients’ expectations. While you’re all enjoying Christmas, make sure that at least one person is on call as an emergency point of contact – just in case.
Get a jumpstart on the New Year.
Start the new year off right. Prepare your January comms in December, so they’re ready to go as soon as you get back. January is a great opportunity from a marketing standpoint, so use it while you can. Book meetings in January now!
Network over Christmas.
Take business cards home with you at Christmas. You never know who you’ll meet. Your long-lost cousin could be in a position to give you a surprising opportunity!
This year, make the most of Christmas and see how a little seasonal touch can make your marketing magical. The festive season offers smart marketers a wealth of opportunities if you’re savvy enough.
