The holidays are approaching, which means its time to get your website in tip-top shape. Whether you offer gift-worthy products or services for the new year, it’s worth taking the time to optimize your website for the holiday rush.
Remember– the holidays are not only an opportunity to boost current performance, but a chance to lay the foundation for a prosperous new year. Make sure your website is up to the challenge with these 8 essential steps and strategies.
Set Up Tracking and Analytics
Before the holiday madness begins, make sure you have the right tools in place to track your website’s performance. Implementing tracking and analytics allows you to gather valuable insights into user behavior, helping you make informed decisions.
Basic tracking tools you’ll want in place:
- Google Analytics: Make sure this is installed and has been updated to GA4.
- Conversion tracking: Define your conversion goals and pathways in Google Analytics.
- Social media integration: If running paid ads, the ads platform will provide a tracking pixel for you to add to your website.
These elements will help you monitor and better understand performance, optimize your campaign in real time, and make data-driven decisions in the future.
Audit Your Website Content
Review your website content with a critical eye. Ideally, you’ll be getting a surge of traffic around the holidays, so be ready to put your best face forward. This is your opportunity to shine and make a lasting impression on potential customers.
Questions you should ask yourself as you go through your website:
- Is your content up-to-date and relevant to your audience?
- Does it align with your current business goals and objectives?
- Does the content address the paint points and needs of your target audience?
- Is there any important content missing…i.e. information your audience needs to know?
- Does your content reflect your “Why”– the deeper reason your company exists?
Take note of priority items you can improve on, and plan to either outsource them or set aside time to tackle yourself.
Go Through the Customer Journey Yourself
Walk in your customers’ shoes by going through the entire purchasing process on your website. Identify any friction points, such as slow page loading or confusing navigation, and address them promptly to enhance the user experience.
Common mistakes to be aware of:
- No clear customer journey or sales/lead funnel in place!
- No “calls to action”, like buttons to sign up, buy now, download, etc.
- Too many calls to action. The customer doesn’t know which to choose!
- Unclear navigation structure. People get overwhelmed easily with messy menu bars!
- Poor mobile optimization. Many of your customers will be browsing from their phones or tablets. Is your checkout process a mobile-friendly experience?
Bonus points if you can get a friend to go through the journey themselves– especially if they’re in your target audience. A fresh set of eyes can reveal a lot.
Create Holiday Bundles, Offers, or Specials
Entice holiday shoppers with irresistible deals and bundles tailored to the festive season. Highlight these special offers prominently on your website to capture the attention of potential buyers.
Here are some examples you can consider:
- Bundle Products: Create special product bundles or kits at a discounted price, increasing both value and convenience.
- Limited-Time Discounts: Offer time-limited discounts or flash sales to create a sense of urgency.
- Exclusive Holiday Products: Introduce limited-edition holiday-themed products or variants to attract seasonal shoppers.
- Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO): Run BOGO promotions, where customers get a second item for free or at a reduced price.
These strategies can help boost sales and create excitement around your holiday offerings.
Create a Gifts Guide
Make gift shopping a breeze for your customers by curating a holiday gift guide. Create a page or blog post highlighting products that would make fantastic gifts. You can group them by recipient, category, budget… whatever makes sense for your brand and audience.
Here are some examples you can consider:
- Recipient-Based Guide: Depending on your audience (and who they’re likely to be shopping for), consider rolling out guides like “Gifts for Him,” “Gifts for Her,” “Gifts for Kids,” etc.
- Gifts Under $50: Curate a selection of budget-friendly gift options for price-conscious shoppers.
- Luxury Gifts: Showcase high-end and luxury gift options for those looking to splurge.
- Eco-friendly Gifts: Curate a selection of eco-friendly products.
Gift guides are fun to browse through, and can help shoppers find the perfect presents. Of course, this is also a great way to drive sales. As an added bonus, gift guides also tend to be great for SEO! (Just be sure to pick your keywords strategically if you’re going after organic search traffic.)
Offer Gift Cards
Gift cards are a great way to drive both immediate sales and future business. They’re convenient for the customer, fun to receive, and can introduce your brand to new customers that found you through word-of-mouth… the best possible way.
Consider offering incentives to sweeten the deal, such as:
- Bonus Gift Card: Offer a bonus gift card when customers purchase a gift card of a certain value. For example, “Buy a $50 gift card, get a $10 bonus gift card.”
- Discounted Gift Cards: Provide a discount on gift cards during the holiday season. For instance, “Get 10% off on gift cards over $50.”
- Free Gift with Purchase: Include a free small gift or product. For instance, “Receive a free holiday-themed mug with the purchase of a $25 gift card.”
- Charity Donation: Pledge to donate a portion of each gift card purchase to a charitable cause during the holiday season. For example, “For every gift card purchased, we’ll donate $5 to a local charity.”
These incentives can encourage customers to buy gift cards and make them feel like they’re getting extra value during the holiday season.
Stay Top-of-Mind with Retargeting
Bad news: It takes customers on average 7 interactions with a brand before a purchase takes place. Good news: You can “retarget” people who interacted with your brand with tailored advertisements.
Here are some effective retargeting strategies to consider:
- Website Retargeting: Re-engage previous website visitors with display ads, linking them back to products they viewed or relevant products.
- Email Retargeting: Send personalized emails to shoppers who abandoned their carts, highlighting holiday deals and encouraging them to complete their purchase.
- Social Media Retargeting: Showcase holiday promotions to users who have engaged with your brand on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Search Engine Retargeting: Target users who have performed relevant keyword searches on search engines, ensuring your holiday products or services appear prominently in their search results.
These retargeting tactics can significantly boost your holiday sales and conversion rates, making sure your brand stays on the radar of potential customers throughout the festive season.
Engage with Automated Email Campaigns
Don’t leave your customers hanging after they click buy (or whatever action you want them to take). Set up email automation to thank customers for their purchase, offer related products, and gather valuable feedback for future improvements.
Here are some common email automations to consider:
- Thank You Emails: Send automated thank-you emails to express gratitude for customers’ purchases, fostering a positive post-purchase experience.
- Recommend Related Products: Use email automation to suggest complementary or related products based on the customer’s purchase history, encouraging additional sales.
- Share Your Story: Get personal and share your story and/or the story of how your company came to be.
- Gather Feedback: Seek feedback through automated surveys or reviews to understand customer satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and enhance future shopping experiences.
Engaging with customers after their purchase is essential for building brand loyalty and encouraging repeat business. You only need to set these up once and they’ll do the work for you with every new customer or subscriber!
Are you ready to implement these tips in time for the holidays?
In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, your website can be your most valuable asset for attracting and retaining customers. By following these eight easy steps to prepare your website, you can maximize your traffic, sales, and overall success during this crucial time.
Need a hand getting your website ready for the holidays? We can help. Browse our services to learn more about our offerings and make this holiday season your most successful one yet.