Your Christmas Marketing Strategy
As the festive season approaches, UK businesses need to start planning their Christmas marketing strategies. Whether you’re a high street retailer, a local theatre, or a restaurant, early preparation can give your brand the edge in capturing the attention of holiday shoppers and celebrants.
To make the most of the holiday season, you need a well-rounded marketing plan that leverages both digital and traditional channels. In this blog, we’ll explore why now is the best time to kick off your campaign and how different forms of marketing—from PPC to TV/radio ads—can help your business succeed this Christmas.
The Christmas season is a crucial time for UK businesses to connect with their audience and drive sales. Starting your Christmas marketing strategy in October gives you time to build anticipation, outshine competitors, and capture holiday shoppers’ attention.
Whether you’re utilising PPC ads to target last-minute shoppers, SEO to rank for Christmas-related searches, or TV and radio ads to build broad awareness, a multi-channel approach is key. With the right mix of digital marketing, traditional media, and a focus on festive engagement, your business can make the most of the holiday season and beyond.
Need help developing your Christmas marketing plan? Our team at CMe Media can craft a strategy tailored to your business, blending PPC, social media, SEO, and traditional media to deliver festive success. Get in touch today!
1. UK Shoppers Start Planning Early
Many UK consumers begin their Christmas shopping as early as October, looking for the best deals and trying to avoid last-minute rushes. Whether you’re running a retail store, an e-commerce business, or even a pub preparing for Christmas bookings, starting your holiday promotions now means you can capture this early interest.
2. Utilise PPC Advertising to Reach Active Shoppers
PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising is one of the fastest ways to get your Christmas offers in front of the right audience. With platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads, you can target people searching for holiday deals, gift ideas, or festive events.
- Targeted Campaigns: By creating PPC campaigns around holiday-specific search terms like “Christmas gifts UK” or “Boxing Day deals,” you can attract shoppers with high purchase intent.
- Remarketing: Use PPC remarketing ads to re-engage visitors who’ve already browsed your site but haven’t made a purchase. These ads can remind them of your special holiday offers or items they’ve left in their shopping cart.
Why it works for Christmas marketing: PPC ads provide immediate visibility to shoppers actively searching for gifts or events. They are particularly useful for last-minute promotions or selling out Christmas stock quickly.
3. Optimise Your Website with SEO for Christmas Traffic
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is key for long-term visibility and driving organic traffic to your site during the festive period. With more people turning to Google to find holiday ideas and gift inspiration, optimising your site for Christmas-related searches can increase traffic and sales.
- Festive-Themed Keywords: Incorporate search terms like “best Christmas gifts UK,” “Christmas delivery deals,” or “Christmas shows near me” into your website copy and meta descriptions.
- Content Creation: Publish festive blog posts, such as gift guides or “Christmas shopping tips,” to engage your audience and rank for seasonal searches. For example, a local theatre could write a post about the best Christmas shows in London, positioning themselves as a go-to venue for festive entertainment.
Why it works for Christmas marketing: SEO builds organic traffic, helping your business rank for valuable holiday-related searches and keeping your brand visible even when paid ads aren’t running.
4. Leverage Social Media for Real-Time Engagement
Social media marketing is a must during the Christmas season, offering endless opportunities to engage with your audience, showcase your products, and promote Christmas offers in creative ways.
- Paid Social Ads: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow you to run highly targeted paid ads, reaching users based on their interests, demographics, or even their behaviour (e.g., “Christmas shoppers”). You can showcase festive offers, promote events, or even run exclusive social media-only discounts.
- Organic Social Engagement: Use your organic social media channels to engage with your audience through Christmas-themed posts. Run competitions (e.g., “Share your favourite Christmas memory to win a holiday prize”), showcase your products in festive settings or launch an advent calendar-style promotion.
- Influencer Marketing: Partner with local influencers to promote your Christmas products or events. Influencers can help you reach new audiences in a more relatable way, especially if they have a strong UK following.
Why it works for Christmas marketing: Social media offers real-time interaction, making it ideal for running festive campaigns, building excitement, and creating a sense of community around your brand.
5. Plan Traditional TV and Radio Advertising for Wider Reach
Though digital marketing is crucial, traditional media like TV and radio advertising can still have a huge impact, especially around Christmas when families tune in for festive programmes and local radio stations are full of holiday cheer.
- TV Ads: Christmas TV adverts have become a beloved tradition in the UK, with brands like John Lewis setting the standard. While creating a high-budget, emotional Christmas advert might not be realistic for every business, even a small TV spot during local programming can increase brand awareness and evoke the festive spirit.
- Radio Ads: With many people driving or commuting during the holidays, radio remains an effective way to advertise festive sales, events, or promotions. Local radio is perfect for smaller businesses, offering targeted access to your community at an affordable cost.
- Sponsorships: Consider sponsoring a holiday show, Christmas concert, or seasonal programming. This can be a cost-effective way to increase your brand’s visibility during peak viewing or listening times.
Why it works for Christmas marketing: Traditional media creates mass exposure, and at Christmas, these channels are particularly effective at generating an emotional connection with your audience. This is perfect for building brand recognition during the most nostalgic time of the year.
6. Prepare Now for Boxing Day and January Sales
Boxing Day and January sales are huge shopping events in the UK, where consumers hunt for post-Christmas bargains. Starting your marketing efforts early for these sales will allow you to build anticipation and secure footfall and online traffic right after Christmas.
- Tease Early Offers: Use your email list and social media to tease your Boxing Day sales or New Year’s offers ahead of time. This helps build excitement and keeps customers engaged.
- Cross-Promote: If your business is promoting Christmas products or services, remind customers that they can look forward to more great deals during the Boxing Day and January periods, encouraging repeat business.
Why it works for Christmas marketing: Boxing Day and January sales are key shopping dates, and preparing early ensures you capture customers right after Christmas, helping to clear inventory and boost post-holiday sales.
