Why your Black Friday PPC strategy might Already be too late

Over the years, we’ve seen Black Friday go from a single day, to a weekend, to a week, and now even longer. Brands are cashing in on the evolution of consumer behaviour as they look for deals earlier and wait longer to purchase. PPC is a widely used marketing channel that, unlike organic search, can provide immediate visibility and help brands to more quickly build a user base and generate traffic to their website. Ahmed Chopdat, Commercial Director at Circus PPC Agency, reveals how brands can effectively tap into user behaviour, bolstering their brand awareness to eventually drive all-important Black Friday conversions with PPC. “63% of shoppers plan their shopping needs ahead of time.” According to a recent survey by YouGov, over 3/5 (63%) of shoppers plan their shopping needs ahead of time, and when it comes to both luxury and essential purchases, 42% and 33% (respectively) of shoppers will hold off on making a purchase in the hope the product will go on sale. This means that whilst brands can expect an increase in conversions during the Black Friday period, making sure that their PPC ads are well-crafted and visible during the research and consideration period of the buyer journey is crucial. One common error that brands make with their Black Friday PPC is mistaking a lack of conversions in the research and consideration period for failure, and in turn, removing investment. However, knowing what we know about the ever-changing buyer journey, it’s all about setting and managing expectations, playing the waiting game, and not panicking when you don’t see an immediate uptick in conversions when your promotions go live. It’s also essential that tracking is implemented effectively and early. Attribution can take us back as far as 90 days, so this is where we’ll see those conversions that can be traced back to the research and consideration period. “60% of search queries include the brand name.” Back in May, Google revealed at their annual Google Marketing Live conference that ‘60% of search queries include the brand name’ – meaning that brand awareness throughout these early stages is an important part of driving those eventual conversions. Prolonged research and consideration periods for buyers isn’t only an opportunity for brands to stand out when it comes to price point, but also to build trust and target new audiences by pushing budgets and reaching the upper funnel. In fact, Klaviyo recently reported in their Black Friday Trends Report, that amongst the top 10 factors for shoppers when looking to purchase a gift for the holidays were ‘retailer/brand reputation,’ ‘reviews,’ and ‘online/website experience.’ All important aspects of building trust, respect and authority with an audience, and becoming a recognisable and trusted name for those looking for specific products or services. Those earlier stages of the buyer journey work not only to highlight your promotions during the extended Black Friday period, but also to raise the brand awareness and relevance needed for the 3/5 search queries that are brand associated. Key Takeaways As the saying goes, ‘the early bird gets the worm,’ – and in the case of Black Friday PPC campaigns, it couldn’t be truer. To recap: Start early: If there’s one thing you take from this article, I’m sure it will be - the earlier, the better. Confirming strategy, promotions, budgets as soon as possible is crucial to ensure that you’re prepared for the inevitable uplift in shoppers before, during, and after the Black Friday period. Build trust: Visibility is one thing, but resonating with an audience is another. To raise brand awareness and build trust, be transparent and authentic with reviews. Make sure your website experience, especially landing pages, align with your ads. Be patient: Not seeing those immediate conversions in the run-up to Black Friday admittedly, can be disheartening. But with attribution now able to take us back 90 days, and a better understanding of shopper behaviour – trust the process and don’t make any last minute or hasty budget decisions. Final Thoughts I’ve spoken a lot about the benefits of getting ahead with PPC, making sure your ads are visible for as long as possible prior to Black Friday, and the importance of brand awareness and driving conversions. However, I’ve only scratched the surface. There are so many things to remember (and things to do!) in the run-up to Black Friday, and anyone managing PPC campaigns for this period knows how big their to-do list is going to be – or likely already is. The team at Circus PPC Agency have put together their ‘Black Friday Blueprint’ for 2024 – a clear, no-nonsense and insightful guide to driving the best possible results this sale season. Don’t get left behind – download the full guide for free here.