Google’s Chris Hodgson gives five tips to capitalize on holiday search
Businesses large and small have one thing in common: the need for customers. In the internet age, there are many new and exciting ways to connect and communicate with consumers, yet search advertising remains one of the most effective and efficient tools for finding customers new and old.
Shopping for products and services is the most popular activity online in Canada next to e-mail. Statistics Canada reports that 74% of Canadian internet users window-shopped online in 2010 – well ahead of the 58% who used social networks, the sixth most popular activity on the list. With 3.7 billion searches per month in Canada, that’s a whole lot of searches that could be for the products and services you offer.
Here are five things you should do to get the most out of your search advertising this holiday season:
Find out what your customers want for the holidays
Searches for ‘Black Friday’ have increased more than 400% since the middle of October, and searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ are up more than 600%. Web search trends and behaviour can be a window into the mindset of the consumer and can help inform your marketing strategy, both online and offline. Make sure you’re capturing Canadians’ increasing interest in holiday shopping and discover what else Canadians are searching for.
Be found and remembered
Canadians are, by and large, brand agnostic, with 74% of holiday shoppers searching without a specific brand in mind. This year, three out of four Canadians say online research will have a significant impact on the brands they buy, the retailers where they choose to shop and the type of gifts they purchase.
As a result, there is an opportunity to influence consumers by making sure your brand appears when they are searching for your products and services. It’s no longer enough to appear in the first position when someone searches for your brand. It is now essential to ensure you’re appearing at the top for all related searches as well.
Don’t be late to the party
Think the holiday shopping season is just getting underway? It’s already in full swing. Two-thirds of Canadians have already started researching and buying holiday gifts. Research is an especially important component of holiday shopping this year, with the average shopping budget expected to be down from last year.
Consumers will be spending more time researching online and on their mobile devices, and studies of have shown that more than 80% of shoppers make purchase decisions before they enter the store. Make sure you’re present at those key decision points.
Leave the lights on
Your business may keep regular hours, and even extended hours through the holidays. Just because your doors are closed does not mean consumers stop searching for your products and services. The internet is your 24-hour, seven-days-a-week storefront. Whether your site is e-commerce enabled or you only sell in-store during business hours, consumers research online at all hours of the day. Make sure to leave the lights (and your campaigns) on so they can find you when it’s convenient for them.
Stay until the end of the show
While the early surge in search activity provides a great opportunity to influence consumers leading into the holidays, it’s just as important to ensure you’re found once the holidays have come and gone. More than half of Canadians say they plan on taking advantage of post-holiday sales.
Last year, searches for ‘Boxing Day’ surged more than 15% higher than in 2009, and with sales, discounts and promotions taking a larger focus this year, we expect that trend to continue. Make sure your campaigns are set up to handle this secondary surge in traffic.
When consumers search online, they are in effect knocking on your door saying, “I’m looking for your product or service.” This holiday season, there are more people than ever knocking on the door. Make sure you’re there to answer it.
Chris Hodgson is head of industry, retail for Google Canada. He is an entrepreneur and executive with 18 years of experience covering corporate strategy, financial planning and business creation in a range of industries. He was also a founding member of two successful start-up ventures.
