Our Black Friday Marketing Lessons and Strategies for 2024

Wow, Black Friday 2023 just blew the roof off all previous records! Shoppers went wild, spending like there was no tomorrow, and retailers are still catching their breath. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s a story of how retailers and customers overcame serious challenges, like supply chain troubles and crazy high demand.

Our digital advertising team has been strategically bidding for our clients. It’s been intense, but the results are amazing – our clients are celebrating fantastic Black Friday wins!

You might be thinking, “Is Black Friday promotion really worth all the effort?” And the answer is a big YES! We’ve seen that Black Friday can work, and we want YOU to try it out. Steal our successful Black Friday strategies and tips for your biggest payday during the shopping rush.

Table of Contents:

1. Why Black Friday is Important for Business?
2. 6 Effective Black Friday Meta Ads Strategies & Ideas for Your Business
3. Top 9 Black Friday Google Ads Strategies & Tactics for Your Business
4. When is the Best Time to Start Black Friday Marketing Strategies?
5. FAQ about Black Friday Marketing
6. Conclusion

Why Black Friday is Important for Business?

Alright, let’s talk about what really matters – why Black Friday is your best bet if you want to increase brand awareness and attract more leads. It’s so much more than a day of crazy deals and shoppers going wild (although that’s pretty fun!). Just look at these mind-blowing numbers:

• Shoppers in the US spent a record $9.8 billion online on Black Friday 2023
• Over half of all holiday shopping starts on Black Friday
• Small businesses saw their online sales rocket by 62% on Black Friday

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So, what does this mean for you? Let’s break it down:

• Black Friday has the power to help you hit your monthly sales goals in just one single day
• With millions of eyes glued to deals, your brand can get in front of more potential customers than ever before
• Black Friday is the perfect time to turn curious shoppers into loyal fans of your brand
• Black Friday data is valuable information about your customers, their buying habits, and the products they adore; you can use this knowledge to make strategic decisions that will boost your business year-round

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6 Effective Black Friday Meta Ads Strategies & Ideas for Your Business

Meta Ads is a unique opportunity for eCommerce brands to achieve explosive sales growth and attract new customers. However, the competition is intense, requiring careful planning of your strategies. To help you win Black Friday sales, we’ve pulled together some expert Meta Ads strategies so you can generate high-value conversions.

1. Early bird gets the Black Friday deals

This year’s holiday shopping season kicked off much earlier. 40% of consumers started their holiday shopping in November, with a longer and more spread-out shopping season.

So don’t wait until the last minute to start planning your BFCM marketing campaigns! The earlier you start, the better prepared you’ll be to cash in on sweet sales. Starting small and gradually increasing your marketing efforts as the big day approaches gives you more control and allows you to adjust your strategy as needed.

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Remember, it’s always easier to cut back than to scramble at the last minute. Also, a pre-sale period is a great opportunity to test your marketing materials, see what resonates with your audience, and make any tweaks before the big day.

Focus your biggest marketing push on Friday and Monday (Cyber Monday) – the peak shopping days during Black Friday weekend. This is the time when potential customers are actively looking for deals.

2. Don’t wait for Black Friday to fix your problems

If your sales struggle before the big day, don’t hope that your online marketing on Black Friday will work miracles. Take action now! Instead of waiting for a temporary increase in traffic, use this time to identify and address the root causes of your low sales. Here are some questions to think about:

• Are your conversion rates low?
• Are customers abandoning their carts before checkout?
• Are your products and services priced competitively?
• Are your descriptions clear and compelling?
• Do your offers resonate with your target audience?

If your current advertising efforts aren’t bringing in results, it’s time to shake things up. Experiment with different ad formats, targeting options, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience. Make sure your website is user-friendly and optimized for conversions.

3. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Focusing only on BFCM marketing can be a bad idea. It’s a short-term boost that can be unpredictable and puts huge pressure on your company. It can also create unrealistic expectations and make your financial future less stable.

Instead, aim to build a brand that thrives year-round. Here are some ways you can do that:

• Craft a strong brand identity so that people love and trust your brand 365 days a year
• Offer consistent deals and discounts; regular promotions and discounts throughout the year keep them engaged and coming back for more
• Prioritize top-tier customer service
• Explore new opportunities to attract more customers
• Invest in digital advertising services to keep your business top-of-mind with your target audience

4. Don’t reinvent the wheel

Stuck on Black Friday marketing ideas? Look at previous campaigns you ran this year and do something that did convert. Which ones generated the most clicks, engagement, and conversions?

Identify the elements that made your ads successful. Was it the captivating visuals, the compelling copy, or the targeted audience? Once you understand what resonated with your viewers, you can recreate these ads for Black Friday or even get creative with variations to reach an even wider audience.

5. Combine Advantage+ and DPA (dynamic product ads)

Use Advantage+ to skim the cream and Dynamic ads (DPA) to cover broader audiences and boost your sales.

Advantage+ campaigns and audiences are perfect for short-term sales like BFCM because they push your ads on people who are about to make a purchase. Use them with the “Existing customer budget cap” so you don’t overspend on your existing customers’ targeting.

DPAs are very strong, but most advertisers neglect them. Use your evergreen dynamic product ads and launch new ones with BF ad copy and special BF-themed frames.

6. Combine Advantage+ and DPA (dynamic product ads)

A recipe for your best Black Friday campaigns is to take your best evergreen ads and add some BF theme or BF ad copy. Just use your best ads and add a BF banner or experiment with BF messaging in your ad copies.

Top 9 Google Ads Tactics for Your Business on Black Friday

While Meta Ads spark interest, Black Friday demands conversions. Google Ads is great option if you want to zero in on motivated buyers ready for deals. Use our nine tested tactics to turn clicks into conversions!

1. Start scaling your campaigns yearly

Just like with Meta Ads, launching an early Black Friday marketing campaign is a must-have to capture high-intent users actively searching for BF deals.

2. Target BF shoppers with search campaigns & ad groups

Launch a Black Friday search campaign or even ad groups in every active search campaign (depending on the business and GAds structure). This way, you catch highly relevant users looking for BF deals in your industry.

3. Improve your ads with BF assets

Enhance all Search, PMax (Performance Max), Video, and other campaign types with Black Friday campaign assets, also known as extensions (sitelinks, image, promo extensions). Reflect the best deals and select a Black Friday occasion in promo extensions.

4. Create BF text ads

Create a new Black Friday responsive text ad for every ad group in Search campaigns and add it to the rotation with other ads. Make sure to have at least 40% of headlines and 50% of descriptions with Black Friday messaging. Pinned BF headlines can also be tested.

5. Optimize products for visuals

Optimize your products in Merchant Center by updating their main images to be more appealing and impressive:

6. Use Merchant Center promotions

Promotion extensions in the Merchant Center are also a great way to stand out from the competitors and pay more attention to your ads.

7. Power up your Performance Max campaigns

If you have PMax campaigns with assets, make sure to create an additional Black Friday asset group with appealing messaging and BF banners. This asset group can be run as the main one or in the rotation with others (depending on the performance).

8. Prospect & remarket with Discovery & Display ads

Discovery and display campaigns are also a great option to inform your prospecting and remarketing audiences about the current or upcoming Black Friday offers. Make sure to focus on the best deals and incentive messaging to attract new customers and convert your remarketing audience.

9. Optimize BF performance with seasonality adjustments

Seasonality adjustments can be a powerful tool to signal the algorithm when you’re expecting a CVR lift — as well as a drop. It can regulate your bids and budgets during the Black Friday season and automatically increase and decrease the volume for your account within set date ranges.

When is the Best Time to Start Black Friday Marketing Strategies?

The truth is, there’s no single answer that fits every business. The ideal start date for BFCM promotion depends largely on your unique brand, target audience, and overall marketing goals. However, we can offer a helpful timeline to take into consideration:

• Early November: This is a great time to start planting seeds and building anticipation for your Black Friday deals
• Mid-November: Ramp up your efforts and start showing specific Black Friday offers, share sneak peeks of new products, and run targeted ads to reach your ideal customers
• One to two weeks before Black Friday: Intensify your campaigns, plan all the Black Friday tactics, and create a sense of urgency

FAQ about Black Friday Marketing

• What is the meaning of Black Friday in marketing? Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year after Thanksgiving in the US. It’s the start of the holiday shopping season and is known for its massive sales and discounts.
• How do I advertise on Black Friday? Start early and create buzz by announcing your Black Friday deals in advance. If you’re unsure where to start, contact a digital advertising agency that provides Google Ads services and Facebook Ads services to reach a wider audience.
• What is the goal of the Black Friday campaign? The primary goal of a Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing campaign is to boost sales and clear inventory.
• Is Black Friday effective to drive sales? Absolutely! Black Friday is a proven driver of sales for businesses. Consumers are actively looking for deals during the holiday season. And the limited-time nature of offers creates a sense of urgency.
• When is Black Friday in 2024? Black Friday in 2024 will be on Friday, November 29th. Mark your calendars and start planning your Black Friday marketing strategy early!

Conclusion

We learned a ton from this year’s shopping event and are ready to share our Black Friday marketing ideas and insights with YOU. Want to be ahead of your competition and dominate next year’s biggest shopping event? Book a 15 min strategy call with us, and let’s develop a winning Black Friday marketing strategy together. We’ll help you use data strategically, implement innovative ideas, and build a customer-focused approach that guarantees sales success and an unforgettable brand experience. Let’s turn BFCM 2024 into your biggest shopping event ever!