With major holidays a few short months away, now is the time to start preparing your website to take advantage of the annual spike in online holiday traffic. According to comScore, in 2011 the online market experienced its biggest week in holiday shopping history when consumer spending reached $6.3 billion. While the week preceding Christmas is easily the most popular time for consumers to be shopping online, the 2012 online shopping season kicks off on "Black Friday," November 23 and spikes again "Cyber Monday," November 27.
Consumers have learned that online shopping allows them to avoid the long lines and hectic environment of crowded retail stores, while gaining the advantage of lower prices and greater online selection. With the added advantage of potential tax-free shopping and free shipping, it’s no wonder why more and more consumers are making the switch over to the web for their shopping needs.
While preparing for the holiday shopping season, it is important not to overlook the smaller holidays and seasonal sales opportunities. Online retailers can take advantage of smaller holidays and shopping periods such as Back-to-School, Labor Day, and Halloween. Some consumers increase their spending during various sporting seasons such as the hunting & camping season and winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. These opportunities are the perfect way to lure new customers to your site, increase your online sales revenue and stay ahead of your competitors.
Attract consumers during the micro-holidays by including promotional emails that incorporate online coupons and promotional codes, aggressive online ad campaigns and a seasonal refresh of your search engine optimization strategy. Print advertising and in-store promotions can also give an added boost to your online business. If you’re looking to try something outside the box you could consider utilizing Quick Response Codes, also known as QR Codes, to drive mobile traffic and increase your conversion rate. QR codes are an increasingly important strategy as traffic from smart phones and other mobile devices continues to grow.
Now is also the time to update your social media channels to fit the upcoming micro-holidays. During the holidays it is important to attract customers to your website through eye catching Facebook, Twitter, and blog posts that promote online sales and discounts. The MaxEXP Discounts tool can help bolster promotional campaigns on your social sites and emails. These special offers are sure to drive traffic back to your site, which is great for SEO and sales. You should also display these holiday shopping deals in your website banners that drive traffic to a specific discounts page. You may want to consider updating your testimonials page or about us page with any news from the year so far. Keeping your content fresh is another great way to help your SEO ranking.
Our team of e-Commerce experts are here to help you with the details so that your holiday seasons rings in good cheer...and the register. Call your account manager today to find out how you can maximize your holiday 2012 sales.