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Clark Barry is VP of Operations for TrafficLeader, a Eugene, OR-based provider of search marketing services and a subsidiary of Marchex, Inc. You can reach him at clark@trafficleader.com.

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‘Tis the Season for Search: How to Stay SEM-Focused and Successful During the Holidays

Written on
Nov 2, 2006 
Author
Clark Barry  |
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‘Tis the Season for Search: How to Stay SEM-Focused and Successful During the Holidays

Contextual Advertising: In contrast to the broader network approach of traditional search marketing, contextual advertising provides a way for online merchants to place listings on specific, brand-name online publications or even specific sections of publications, based on relevance to the product or service being offered. While online networks can offer outstanding broader coverage, contextual advertising can complement this by providing a laser-focused way to appear on specific brand-name online publications.

Be Aware of the Calendar:
So when does the online holiday shopping season officially start? As anyone who tries to shop the day after Thanksgiving can attest, this is usually the busiest retail shopping day of the year, in terms of customer traffic, so this day has been widely known as ‘Black Friday.’ Traditional offline retailers will open very early and usually provide discount on their products.

For many online retailers, though, the Monday after Thanksgiving has emerged as the real start of the online shopping season. With an intuitive moniker, ‘Cyber Monday’ is a day when millions of consumers are back at work, in front of their keyboards and starting to fret about holiday shopping. So you should keep this in mind, as you set your timing and budget plans.

Also, keep the calendar in mind as it relates to your ability to ship product: JupiterResearch indicates in its October report that more than half of online holiday shoppers say that knowing shipping cutoff dates helps them plan to do their online shopping earlier in the season. If it is the last day to buy before shipping in time for a holiday arrival, make sure that you convey this! Not only will it lead to a better purchasing experience, but it will also engender goodwill with your customers. After all, how many times will a customer come back to a merchant after their purchase arrives three or four days after Christmas??

Manage your Budget:
Unless you happen to have an unlimited search marketing budget for the holiday season, plan to set daily budget limits, keeping a couple of things in mind: One, nothing spoils the spirit of the season more than blowing your budget before the holiday shopping season even gets into full gear; and two, balance this conservatism with the fact that online traffic is going to be higher during this time of year, so do not set limits such that your opportunities to sell will be cut-off before noon each day. Each circumstance is different, so be willing to closely manage the initial days of your holiday campaign to find the balance that works for you.

Use Promotions and Merchandising:
Whether free shipping, targeted discounts or other promotions, sometimes a little incentive can make a big difference — and win you longer-term customers who will remember you well beyond the holiday season. After all, if consumers have two chances to buy the same calendar at the same price point, they will more often than not opt for the one that has free shipping or includes a gift card of some type. From a search marketing standpoint, promotions also help merchants visually stand out from what can be crowded holiday marketplaces.

The holiday shopping season provides plenty of opportunities for online merchants to drive sales and expand their visibility through search marketing. With so many avenues to choose from, staying both focused on the strategy that you’ve initiated and flexible enough to adjust to opportunities that can develop during such a busy time could be the keys to your search marketing program having a successful holiday season.





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