Ho ho how to run social media Christmas campaigns

The holiday season can make or break a huge number of brands, particularly those still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19.

While social media is a natural extension of a brand’s overall marketing strategy across this peak period, knowing the best time to rollout campaigns can prove the difference between ending the year with Christmas cheer or wishing everyone a lump of coal.

So, how do we remain competitive in market while making the most of our Q4 social advertising budgets? Here’s our Q&A to make sure you’re prepared for Christmas social media campaign success.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… more social media marketing campaigns than ever before. Getting cut-through online can be increasingly difficult the closer it gets to Christmas, as advertisers clamour to generate sales from consumers who are looking to purchase gifts. To cut through the noise, every piece of content or advertisement needs to be truly thumb-stopping and provide value. If it isn’t relevant to your key audiences or instantly captivating, then it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

Social media advertising campaigns work on an auction basis, meaning ads are shown to audiences if they are relevant while offering the highest bid. With increased competition in market, ‘tis the season for higher CPMs. To navigate this peak period, we recommend adopting a funnelled approach to paid advertising, which focuses on increasing consumer awareness and consideration prior to the holiday season. Advertisers can take advantage of the shift in consumer behaviour in December and convert audiences who are ready to purchase with highly targeted and visually compelling campaigns.

The ideal way to structure your marketing budget will largely depend on your industry. For e-commerce companies in 2021, now is the time to ramp up advertisements and take advantage of increased traffic and buying intent. If your company traditionally winds down across the silly season, spending the majority of your budget in early November or early January will take advantage of lower CPMs and maximise return on spend. No matter where your company fits in, there has never been a better time to leverage your owned following. Whether through organic social or a dedicated email marketing campaign, don’t forget your followers will always be the most engaged and loyal.