As the holidays approach, retailers kick into high gear with their holiday search tactics in marketing. The National Retail Federation reveals that holiday sales are expected to see an increase of 4% this year compared to 2018. The federation also expects consumers to be particularly price-conscious. Here is a look at the retail industry and the trends expected to be an influence.
Seeking Gifts Early
Google Trends reveals just how early shoppers start considering holiday shopping. The latest data shows that keyword searches related to keywords that involve holiday shopping began to see an increase in September. As Google’s searches for keywords pertaining to holiday shopping tend to drop off after the 15th of December, marketers have a limited amount of time for their holiday search campaigns to run. Many retailers have begun their campaigns with online discounts and promotions to incentivize the early completion of holiday shopping.
The Popularity of Gift Guides
In an emerging category for search marketing, gift guides draw the interest of consumers because they offer lists of ideas for gifts for every family member. Historically, it has been more difficult for shoppers to browse online as they would in a store. Lacking the ability to roam through a store’s aisles, gift-givers may find themselves uncertain as to what to buy. Wise marketers follow this trend by publishing unique online gift guides with personalized links and advertising copy.
Marketing Differently for Christmas & Hanukkah Shoppers
Delving deep into shopping trends grants retailers an understanding of how the habits of different groups differ in giving gifts. Among the trends influencing the way retailers are marketing to shoppers this season is one that pertains to the differences in patterns between Christmas and Hanukkah shoppers. A Microsoft Advertising analysis found that about 70% of Christmas shoppers take multiple days to complete transactions, while Hanukkah shoppers convert on the same day in the same percentage.
Testing Google’s Shopping Experience
Earlier in November, the updated Google Shopping experience rolled out in the U.S.; merchants eagerly await to see the impact it has on their e-commerce sales for the holidays. It offers shoppers experiences with personalized product recommendations, the ability to make purchases from merchants using Google’s checkout system, and price alerts.
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