Black Friday Marketing: Strategies to Stand Out in 2023

The day after Thanksgiving is known for blowout deals and doorbuster sales – it’s Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. As a marketer, you know that Black Friday and the following Cyber Monday represent a prime opportunity for eCommerce to drive massive sales and acquire new customers.

However, with so many retailers flooding inboxes and social feeds with promotions, it can be challenging to make your brand stand out.

In 2023, taking a strategic, creative approach to your Black Friday marketing is key. This article outlines tactics and advice to help your business have its best Black Friday yet.

So, let’s explore how to craft compelling campaigns that cut through the noise this holiday season.

Readers Also Enjoy: The History of Black Friday – DevriX

What Is Black Friday Marketing?

Black Friday marketing refers to the advertising and promotional strategies brands use to maximize sales on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Effective Black Friday marketing starts weeks or even months in advance. It involves using both traditional and digital tactics to generate hype around upcoming deals. The goal is to drive website traffic, increase brand awareness, and incentivize purchases on that day.

Black Friday Trends 2023

This year, the two most notable trends are the growing importance of starting early and the expanding use of AI in content creation. Hence, to achieve successful campaign outcomes, it is essential to act promptly and adapt as needed.

Here are a few Black Friday trends you should be aware of:

Earlier Online Focus

In 2023, anticipate a greater number of consumers transitioning to online shopping earlier in November. Therefore, retailers should concentrate on promoting digital offers several weeks ahead of Black Friday, with a particular emphasis on Cyber Week.

Social Commerce Growth

As per Statista’s online data, global sales through social media platforms are projected to reach a total of $1.298 billion in 2023. As a matter of fact, shoppable live streams, TikTok haul videos and influencer brand collaborations will drive.

Personalization Advancements

Leveraging data and AI, retailers will tailor deals to customer interests and behaviors. Personalized outreach boosts engagement.

Values-Based Positioning

Sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and ethical business practices hold significant resonance. Lead with purpose, not just discounts. This is particularly relevant for Gen Z consumers, who prioritize buying products or services from brands with ethical values.

AI Assisted Content Creation

Artificial intelligence is transforming e-commerce content creation, allowing for higher output of optimized, personalized messaging that resonates with buyers.

Interactive Experiences

AR try-ons, virtual showrooms, live chat support and interactive content not only blend entertainment with shopping but engage shoppers.

Mobile Optimization

With smartphones dominating online sales, ensure mobile-friendly websites, messaging and UX. Therefore, make sure you optimize checkout for smaller screens.

Social Media Marketing Strategy for Black Friday 2023

Given the trends, it is becoming evident that one of the primary areas of focus should be your social media marketing strategy. There are significant opportunities for brands to engage with bargain hunters on social media during this Black Friday.

Take these strategies into account:

Leverage Video Marketing

Produce fun, engaging video content around your top deals and products. Promote natively on TikTok and YouTube. Target deal-related keywords.

Run Shoppable Live Streams

Broadcast live demoing and/or unboxings. Highlight instant shopping and key offers in the on-screen graphics.

Partner With Influencers

Collaborate with influencers to create authentic promotional posts. Give them early access to deals or discount codes to share.

Utilize Audience Targeting Tools

Use your platforms’ age, location and interests to reach the most deal-motivated shoppers. Focus ad budgets on converting buyers.

Share User-Generated Content

Encourage customers to post themselves with your brand with a hashtag. Then, repost this authentic social content.

Monitor and Respond in Real-Time

Track social mentions, tags and DM questions. Be ready to respond to customers’ queries as well as instantly provide customer assistance.

Readers Also Enjoy: Ecommerce Content Marketing: Creating Content That Drives Sales – DevriX

Planning and Executing for Black Friday

The key to a successful Black Friday is good planning. Thanks to heavy consumer demand and a spike in sales Black Friday is an opportunity for businesses of all sizes to improve their revenue and acquire new customers. Small businesses can capitalize on the shopping frenzy too by creatively marketing deals and offers.

Know Your Goals and Budget

The first step in Black Friday planning is defining your specific marketing goals and budget.
So, consider questions like:

• What sales, traffic or email signup targets do you want to hit? Set numeric goals.
• How much can you invest in Black Friday ads, promotions and staffing? Map your budget.

Choose Black Friday Discounts Strategically

The deals and promos you offer can make or break your Black Friday. When planning:

• Pick popular staples and new arrivals, not just outdated stock.
• Mix deep discounts on feature items with smaller sitewide sales to appeal to bargain hunters.
• Limit availability of flash discounts to create urgency.
• Ensure your eCommerce platform can handle an influx of discount shoppers.
• Clearly communicate any exclusions, minimum spends or expiry dates on offers.

Develop Original Ad Creative

Generic ads get lost amid the Black Friday noise. Hence, make sure to invest in custom creatives that are:

• Eye-catching and cinematic and tailored to your brand.
• Witty, humorous or emotional – avoid dry product pitches.
• Influencer collaborations can bring to life.
• Centered around gifts or the holidays.
• Include interactive content elements like polls, quizzes and user-generated content.

Leverage New Social Platforms

Expanding beyond traditional channels like Facebook and Instagram allows you to reach broader audiences and get ahead of competitors.

So, consider these ideas:

• Promoting holiday gift guides and hauls on TikTok using viral video formats and trending audio.
• Building buzz and FOMO through Snapchat stories and AR lenses.
• Running shoppable live streams highlighting deals on new platforms like NTWRK.
• Advertising in game deals using in-app ads or creator partnerships.
• Offering deals or early access to loyal followers.

Optimize for Mobile

With smartphones dominating holiday shopping, it is essential to optimize your Black Friday promotions and experiences for mobile users. Consider these tactics:

• Ensure your website is mobile-responsive with tap-friendly navigation and elements sized properly for smaller screens. Test site speed over cellular connections.
• Streamline the checkout process for mobiles by reducing form fields and clearly labeling required information. Auto-advance between steps.
• Set up links between ads and product pages so clicks take users directly to the deal they saw marketed.
• Design ads with thumb-stopping creative and short, scannable copy tailored for small displays. Prioritize prominent call-to-action buttons.
• Make emails responsive templates with easy-to-tap links to deals. In addition, optimize subject lines for preview text.
• Develop seamless omnichannel experiences between mobile web and in-store. Also, provide barcodes or QR codes to retrieve carts.
• Implement persistent navigation and on-site messaging about deals to reduce cart abandonment on mobile.
• Use location targeting so mobile ads drive foot traffic to nearby stores. Geo-fences around store locations.

Personalize Your Outreach

Leverage data and segmentation to tailor your Black Friday communications. After all, personalization drives higher engagement, conversions and customer satisfaction.
Tactics include:

• Sending early access VIP deals to top customers.
• Reminding shoppers of abandoned items still in their cart.
• Recommending deals based on purchase history and product affinity.
• Providing exclusive offers to loyal subscribers vs new customers.
• Customizing messaging according to demographic factors like location or age.

Spotlight Values Around Sustainability

In 2023, purpose-driven messaging resonates more with people than hard sells. Therefore, you should align your offers with your commitments, which should include:

• Sustainable sourcing and manufacturing processes.
• Charitable donations or community give-back programs.
• Reduced packaging and greener shipping options.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion principles.
• Ethical labor practices and fair wages.

Provide Omnichannel Choice

Omnichannel experiences meet a wide range of customer needs and preferences and reduce friction. It gives shoppers the flexibility to :

• Shop in-store, online,or use contactless pickup for online orders.
• Use AR try-on tools and digital product sampling.
• Order online, return in store without hassle.

Traffic surges, website crashes or slowdowns.
Checkout abandonment rates indicating issues.
Email openings and conversion rates by campaign.
ROAS, CPA and other advertising KPIs.
Customer sentiment and reactions across channels.
Wrap Up
Black Friday represents a major opportunity for brands to drive up sales and acquire new customers through strategic marketing campaigns. By leveraging trends like social commerce, personalization, and mobile optimization, while employing innovative formats like video and live streaming, businesses can connect with audiences and stand out this holiday season.

 

 

Readers Also Enjoy: Omnichannel Marketing: The Definitive Guide – DevriX

Prepare Operations Accordingly

By preparing beforehand, you can anticipate any problems that might arise on Black Friday. Such preparations include:

• Warehouse staffing and order fulfillment bandwidth. Plan inventory and staff needs.
• Customer service and support through peaks in inquiries. Expand availability.
• Website hosting capacity and traffic spike readiness. Stress test your site.
• Payment processing with various providers to prevent bottlenecks.
• Refund and return rate upticks – have policies and staff ready.

Monitor Performance in Real-Time

Set up real-time dashboards to monitor key marketing and sales metrics on Black Friday like:

• Traffic surges, website crashes or slowdowns.
• Checkout abandonment rates indicating issues.
• Email openings and conversion rates by campaign.
• ROAS, CPA and other advertising KPIs.
• Customer sentiment and reactions across channels.

Wrap Up

Black Friday represents a major opportunity for brands to drive up sales and acquire new customers through strategic marketing campaigns. By leveraging trends like social commerce, personalization, and mobile optimization, while employing innovative formats like video and live streaming, businesses can connect with audiences and stand out this holiday season.