It's no secret; Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become into retail juggernauts that are more than just dates on the calendar. To make the most of these opportunities, businesses must keep a close eye on emerging trends and adapt accordingly, especially given the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and record-high inflation. So basically to thrive during this season, it's crucial to harness the power of Google Ads.
But don't fret!
In this comprehensive guide, we'll equip you with a toolkit of Google Ads strategies, empowering you to navigate the entire process from planning and campaign setup to crafting compelling ad creatives and tracking performance metrics. Let's ensure you're fully prepared to seize the opportunities that await you in the dynamic realm of Google Ads.
Preparing for the Shopping Frenzy
As the holidays creep closer, retailers worldwide are gearing up for the biggest shopping event of the year – Black Friday. This week of deals and discounts has become a cultural phenomenon, drawing in millions of eager shoppers both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. To cash in on this golden opportunity, retailers need to be armed with effective marketing strategies that can cut through the clutter and grab the attention of their target audience.
Success during Black Friday and Cyber Monday doesn't happen overnight. To capitalize on these shopping frenzies, you need a well-thought-out plan that begins well in advance. Campaigns should be strategized, creatives designed, and budgets allocated, all before the event begins (hopefully weeks before it begins, but beggars can't be choosers). Google Trends data underscores this, showing how shoppers start their searches earlier and earlier each year. Although BFCM isn’t until late November, we're seeing sales starting as early as October.
Creating Effective BFCM Google Ads
Now that we've covered the essential elements of preparing for BFCM, let's delve into Google Ads campaign strategies and how to make the most of your marketing budget within the platform. Google Ads is a great option for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) because it allows you to:
Reach a large audience of potential customers who are actively searching for products or services related to your business
Target your ads precisely to reach the right people with your ads
Control your budget and ensure that you are not spending more than you are comfortable with
Track your results and make data-driven decisions about your campaigns
Google Ads also offers a number of features that are specifically designed for BFCM campaigns, such as countdown extensions, sitelink extensions, and promotion extensions. These features can help you create highly effective campaigns that reach a large audience and generate a high return on investment (ROI). By using these features and following the best practices for BFCM advertising, you can create effective Google Ads campaigns that will help you reach a large audience, generate leads and sales, and achieve your business goals during this important shopping season.
Keyword Strategy
Effective keyword selection lies at the heart of a successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign. To excel during these shopping frenzies, it's essential to anticipate and align with what consumers are actively seeking. Consider using A/B testing for your keywords + “black friday” to your ads for better search results during this time.
Target specific keywords with high intent
When creating your keyword lists, focus on keywords that are specific to BFCM deals and discounts. This will help you reach shoppers who are actively looking for deals and are more likely to make a purchase. For example, instead of targeting the generic keyword "clothing," you could target more specific keywords like "BFCM clothing deals," "Cyber Monday clothing discounts," or "Black Friday fashion sales."
Use a mix of general and long-tail keywords
General keywords like "Black Friday deals" and "Cyber Monday discounts" can help you reach a large audience, while long-tail keywords like "Black Friday deals on laptops" and "Cyber Monday discounts on shoes" can help you attract more targeted traffic.
Use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant traffic
Negative keywords can help you avoid spending money on clicks from people who are not interested in your products or services. For example, you could add "free" as a negative keyword to exclude people who are only looking for free deals.
Looking for BFCM specific keywords to add to your campaigns? Check out our Holiday Keyword Pack. Our holiday search keyword pack provides a comprehensive list of relevant and effective keywords tailored to your specific industry and target audience. This ensures that your ads are reaching the right people at the right time.
Bidding Strategies
Striking the right balance between ad visibility and cost control is a delicate art. To harness the full potential of Smart Bidding on Black Friday, consider two crucial adjustments: changing your return on advertising spend (ROAS) targets and leveraging Seasonality Adjustments.
Lowering your ROAS target signals to Google that you're willing to increase your bids, which is particularly relevant during this period. However, this approach can be somewhat uncertain. Enter Seasonality Adjustments—an ingenious tool that allows you to inform Google about your anticipated conversion rate increase during specific date ranges. The key here is to align these adjustments with your desired average cost per click (CPC) increase. By taking this additional step, you can assist Google in managing your campaign expectations effectively.
Noticing your CPCs skyrocketing? Test out layering a Max CPC onto your smart bidding strategy. We tested this out and were able to see a 27% decrease in Search campaign cost per click while bringing our Search CPA down by 70%.
Utilizing Ad Extensions
In the buzz of holiday shopping excitement, ad extensions become your secret weapon to outshine the competition. These ad extensions offer the perfect space to showcase your deals in all their glory.
Promotion Extensions
Promotion extensions take your promotions, sales, and discounts straight to your Search Ads, with a direct link to a dedicated page with all the juicy details. Combine these extensions with location extensions, and you're essentially guiding customers to your Black Friday stockpile, enriching their shopping journey.
To add Promotion Extensions - sign in to your Google Ads account.
Click on the Campaigns tab
Select the campaign you want to add the promotion extension to
Click on the Ads & Assets tab & choose Assets
Click on the + button and select Promotion extension
In the "Promotion extension" window, you will need to enter the following information:
Occasion: (Optional) Select the occasion for your promotion, such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday
Language: Select the language for your promotion
Currency: Select the currency for your promotion
Promotion type: Choose whether you want to show a monetary discount or a percentage discount
Discount amount or percentage: Enter the discount amount or percentage that you are offering
Start date: Enter the start date for your promotion
End date: Enter the end date for your promotion
Final URL: Enter the URL of the landing page where you want to take customers when they click on your ad
Description: Enter a description of your promotion
Once you have entered all of the information, click on the Save button.
Promotion extensions can be applied at various levels—account, campaign, or ad group—tailored to your promotional strategy. For sweeping, store-wide sales, the account-level extensions work wonders. But if you're weaving specific promotions into various campaigns, campaign-level extensions fit the bill. While ad group-level extensions are less common, they can serve unique purposes.
Countdown Extensions
Countdown extensions are a great way to create a sense of urgency and encourage shoppers to take action before your BFCM deals end. To use them effectively, create a compelling headline and description, set the countdown timer accurately, target your audience strategically, use relevant landing pages, and monitor and analyze performance. Additionally, use countdown extensions in conjunction with other ad extensions and test different countdown timers to see what works best for your products or services. By following these guidelines, you can make the most of countdown extensions and use them to create effective BFCM ad campaigns.
Setting up countdown extensions for your Google Ads campaigns is easy.
Create the countdown extension:
Go to your Google Ads account and select the campaign you want to add the extension to
Click on the "Ad extensions" tab and then the "+" button
Choose "Promotion extension" and then select "Countdown" as the promotion type
Enter the details of your promotion, including the occasion, language, currency, start and end dates, final URL, and description
Click "Save"
Add the countdown extension to your campaign:
In the "Ad extensions" tab, locate the countdown extension you just created
Check the box next to the extension and then click "Apply"
By utilizing countdown extensions effectively, you can effectively capitalize on the urgency and excitement surrounding BFCM, driving more clicks, conversions, and ultimately, sales. Remember to test and refine your ad campaigns regularly to ensure optimal performance and maximize your return on investment during this critical shopping period.
Sitelink Extensions
Let's not overlook the silent heroes of this shopping period - Sitelink Extensions. During BFCM, your Sitelinks can now shine the spotlight on specific products, enticing shoppers with your promos and important links & pages. Using Sitelinks, you can direct shoppers to specific pages on your website, such as your product page, checkout page, or a special BFCM landing page. This can help them find what they're looking for quickly and easily, making the shopping experience seamless.
Price Extensions
Display the prices of your products alongside your ads, making them more appealing to shoppers who are looking for good deals, using price extensions. This can help increase your CTR and conversions by providing price information upfront.
Price extensions can be a valuable tool for highlighting your competitive pricing and attracting more shoppers seeking great deals during BFCM. To effectively utilize price extensions, ensure they accurately reflect your BFCM offers and showcase the significant savings you can achieve during this shopping period.
To add Price Extensions to your campaigns
Sign in to your Google Ads account.
Go to "Ads & Extensions" > "Extensions" > "+" > "Price extension."
Choose the level (ad group, campaign, or account) to add the extension.
Enter the price extension details: language, currency, price qualifier, header, price, description, and final URL.
Click "Save."
Your price extension is now added and will appear alongside your ads.
Remarketing and Audience Targeting
For your holiday strategy, remarketing isn’t an option; it's a requirement. Retargeting serves as a friendly reminder to users who've previously explored our website, gently nudging them toward your Black Friday deals. To effectively capitalize on the unique atmosphere of BFCM, businesses should establish separate remarketing campaigns dedicated specifically to this promotional period. These campaigns should be tailored to align with the excitement and urgency surrounding BFCM, emphasizing the most appealing deals and promotions.
Targeted Audience Segmentation
The success of remarketing hinges on effectively segmenting remarketing lists based on shoppers' past behavior and interests. This granular approach allows businesses to deliver personalized messages that resonate with each segment. For instance, targeting shoppers who have abandoned their carts can be done by sending them a reminder of their saved items along with a tempting discount code. Alternatively, past purchasers can be targeted with upsell or cross-sell offers related to their previous purchases, increasing the likelihood of additional sales.
Dynamic Remarketing
Dynamic remarketing takes personalization a step further by displaying personalized product recommendations directly in remarketing ads. This advanced feature utilizes data from shoppers' past browsing behavior to showcase products they have actually viewed or interacted with on the website. This tailored approach enhances relevance and engagement, as shoppers are presented with products that align with their specific interests, increasing the likelihood of clicks and conversions.
Remember, the key to successful remarketing lies in understanding your audience, tailoring your messaging, and continuously optimizing your campaigns to reach the right customers with the right message at the right time.
Ad Testing and Optimization
When it comes to A/B testing, consider experimenting with different elements of your ads, such as headlines, descriptions, images, or even ad extensions. Test variations to see what resonates best with your audience and generates the most clicks and conversions.
By fine-tuning your ad elements based on real data, you can craft compelling ad copies that capture the essence of your Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers.
Measuring Success
By effectively measuring and optimizing your Google Ads campaigns during BFCM, you can ensure your advertising efforts are driving the desired results, maximizing your return on investment and achieving your business goals during this crucial shopping period.
However, A/B testing is just one piece of the puzzle. Measuring the success of your ad campaigns is equally crucial during this competitive shopping season. That's where tracking and analytics tools become your best friends. By closely monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS), you can gain valuable insights into what's working and what needs improvement.
Measuring the success of Google Advertising campaigns during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) differs from other times of the year in several key ways:
Peak Shopping Period: BFCM represents a peak shopping period with significantly higher traffic and competition. This means that metrics like impressions, clicks, and conversions are likely to be higher than during other periods.
Short Duration: BFCM is a relatively short event, lasting just a few days. This means that you need to monitor and optimize your campaigns very closely to ensure you are making the most of the increased traffic and opportunities.
Intense Competition: BFCM is a highly competitive time for businesses, as everyone is vying for the attention of shoppers. This means that you need to make sure your ads are well-targeted, relevant, and compelling to stand out from the crowd.
Focus on Sales: During BFCM, the primary goal of most businesses is to drive sales. This means that you should focus on metrics like conversion rate, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend (ROAS) to measure the success of your campaigns.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Focus: While BFCM is a great opportunity to drive short-term sales, it's also important to consider the long-term impact of your advertising efforts. You should track metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV) to assess the overall value of your BFCM campaigns.
To effectively measure the success of your Google Ads campaigns during BFCM, you should:
Set Specific Goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your BFCM campaigns, such as increasing sales, acquiring new customers, or generating leads.
Track Key Metrics: Monitor the metrics mentioned above to gauge the performance of your campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
Compare to Previous Years: If you have run BFCM campaigns in previous years, compare your metrics to see how you are performing against your historical benchmarks.
Optimize Regularly: Make adjustments to your campaigns based on your data and insights to ensure you are maximizing your return on investment.
Use a Robust Attribution Model: Select an attribution model that accurately reflects the role of your Google Ads campaigns in driving conversions across different touchpoints.
The importance of measuring campaign performance cannot be overstated. It allows you to make data-driven decisions, optimize your ad spend, and ultimately achieve a better return on investment (ROI). By following these guidelines, you can effectively measure the success of your Google Ads campaigns during BFCM and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns and achieve your business goals.
TLDR;
In conclusion, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are unparalleled opportunities for businesses to boost sales. By implementing the discussed Google Ads strategies, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the holiday shopping season successfully. Remember, the key lies in meticulous planning, targeted campaigns, compelling creatives, and data-driven optimization.
Ready to supercharge your Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe for more valuable insights. Follow us on social media to stay updated with the latest digital marketing trends and strategies.
We know that using new tools can be complicated especially during this stressful season. Check out the Get Started link to learn more about how our team can help you!
- Bluum
Comments