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Strategise an online edge to Christmas and beyond
ONLINE business is at its peak right now through Christmas and beyond into the New Year sales period – but many businesses are not maximising their markets.
This is where the rubber hits the road for most online retailers, according to digital marketing specialist SponsoredLinx CEO Ben Bradshaw. In his experience, the online retailers who win most at this time of year are those with an effective strategy, adapted to this period. 
In fact, he has five useful tips that he and SponsoredLinx teams use to help give businesses an online edge during the Christmas rush.
Use seasonal keywords
“In the lead-up to Christmas, online shoppers will begin using holiday related search terms and phrases such as ‘Cheap Christmas gifts ideas’ or ‘top gadgets for Christmas 2015,” Mr Bradshaw said. “Make sure these relevant keywords are included in your AdWords campaign and also within website content for SEO purposes.”
Don’t be afraid to increase your ad-words budget
“Many businesses fail to adjust their Google Ad-Words budget in the lead up to Christmas which puts a cap on their potential web traffic,” Mr Bradshaw said. “Businesses should look to boost their AdWords spend as Christmas approaches and closely monitor their sales. If increasing your budget doesn’t achieve results, you can quickly reduce your spend back to normal levels.”
Tailor your homepage content
“Adobe’s 2015 Digital Index suggests that the key drivers for Australians to shop online are the prospect of lower prices, good deals and free shipping,” he said. “During Christmas time it’s particularly important to emphasise these messages on your homepage.”
Less is more at Christmas time
“Chances are your customers are stressed in the lead-up to Christmas as they balance social engagements with wrapping up work projects and shopping,” Mr Bradshaw said. “They are also likely to be receiving a mass of emails featuring Christmas promotions. With this in mind, ensure your emails are targeted, brief and informative for your customers.”
Data collection
Mr Bradshaw said an increase in website traffic also provided an opportunity to gather increased data about customers. “Ensure that you are capturing accurate information about your campaigns and website traffic. If you can set up daily reports, you can make continual adjustments to your AdWords campaign and website to maximise sales,” he said.
Mr Bradshaw advocates a versatile, multi-faceted approach year-round in digital marketing strategy, interweaving Google AdWords, SEO, mobile marketing, social media, app marketing, mobile websites and astute web development. The focus must adapt to the Christmas period, he said.
“We provide digital marketing services to thousands of clients across Australia and there is no doubt that Christmas is the busiest time of year for the majority of online retailers and also many companies selling services on the web,” Mr Bradshaw said.
“However while there might be a spike in online shopping in the lead up to Christmas, there is no guarantee your business will experience a corresponding increase in web traffic or sales. Christmas shoppers don’t necessarily behave in the same way as your customers at other stages of the year.”
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