How to Keep Your Marketing Campaign Ticking Away Over the Christmas Break

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Dec 20, 2024 / by
How to Keep Your Marketing Campaign Ticking Away Over the Christmas Break

The festive season is a time to unwind, celebrate, and recharge for the year ahead. But as a marketer, it can sometimes feel like an unforced break you could do without, particularly if you have several campaigns running. The good news? By following our handy guide, you can keep your campaigns active and effective while you sit back and gorge yourself on mince pies.

Schedule and Automate Content in Advance

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to keep your campaign running smoothly is to schedule content in advance. Most social media and content management tools offer scheduling options, so you can line up your posts, emails, and ads to go live at specific times throughout the holiday season.

  • Social Media Scheduling: Platforms like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social allow you to plan and schedule posts across multiple channels. Include seasonal messages, holiday greetings, and engaging content that will resonate with your audience.
  • Email Marketing Automation: Set up email sequences with platforms like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign to handle holiday promotions, updates, or festive greetings. Ensure that the timing aligns with your campaign goals, whether it’s a flash sale, end-of-year discount, or customer appreciation message.
  • Content Management System (CMS): If you manage a blog or website, schedule new content through your CMS, allowing you to publish updates or relevant articles without manual input. This ensures a steady flow of fresh content even while you’re offline.

Implement Automated Ads and Budget Optimisation

Running ads during the holidays can be tricky, as costs fluctuate, and engagement rates vary. By setting up automated rules for your campaigns, you can ensure they continue to perform without constant supervision.

  • Ad Scheduling and Bidding Rules: Platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads Manager allow you to create rules for adjusting bids, budgets, and targeting based on performance. Set parameters for pausing low-performing ads or reallocating budget to higher-performing ones automatically.
  • A/B Testing: Set up A/B testing on your ads before the holiday break to determine which creatives and messaging perform best. Use the winning variations for the duration of your campaign to maximise effectiveness while minimising the need for adjustments.
  • Retargeting Ads: Retargeting is a great way to remind customers of their interest in your products. By setting up retargeting ads that run automatically, you’ll keep your brand in front of potential customers without additional effort.

Use AI Chatbots for Customer Interaction

Customer inquiries don’t stop during the holidays, so using AI-powered chatbots can help maintain communication without requiring you to be online.

  • Chatbots on Your Website: Platforms like Drift, Intercom, and Chatfuel offer bots that can answer frequently asked questions, assist with common issues, and even guide customers through the purchasing process.
  • Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Bots: Deploy bots on your social media messaging platforms to provide instant responses, handle basic inquiries, and support holiday shoppers with helpful links or information.
  • Proactive Notifications: Set up notifications for when a user interacts with the bot or if a question is beyond the bot’s ability to answer. This allows you to follow up with important leads once you’re back, without letting potential customers slip through the cracks.

Enable Automated Reporting and Alerts

To keep track of campaign performance and prevent any issues from going unnoticed, set up automated reports and alerts.

  • Performance Alerts: Most ad platforms offer options to set performance alerts. For example, you can set an alert if your campaign’s cost per click rises above a certain threshold or if your ad reach significantly drops. This ensures you’re only notified of critical issues and can enjoy your break without constant interruptions.
  • Automated Reports: Tools like Google Analytics and Data Studio allow you to generate regular reports on website traffic, conversion rates, and other key metrics. Schedule reports to be sent directly to your inbox so you can quickly review them at your convenience.
  • Traffic Spike Alerts: Setting up traffic spike alerts can be helpful if your content suddenly gains traction. This could be particularly useful if you’re running a holiday-specific promotion, as it allows you to monitor the campaign’s success without being constantly online.

Use Dynamic Content to Stay Relevant and Fresh

Dynamic content keeps your messaging relevant without requiring manual updates, making it a powerful tool for marketing over the holidays.

  • Personalised Email Content: Use dynamic content in your emails to tailor messaging based on the recipient’s past behaviour, location, or preferences. Many email platforms allow you to set up content blocks that change automatically based on the reader’s profile.
  • Dynamic Website Content: Platforms like WordPress and Shopify offer plugins that allow you to serve personalised content or product recommendations based on the user’s browsing behaviour. This is particularly useful for e-commerce brands, as it can keep your offers fresh and relevant for returning customers.
  • Location-Based Messaging: If your business has a local component, consider using location-based dynamic content to show different messages to users based on their region, such as specific holiday promotions or local delivery timelines.

Set Up Holiday Promotions and Special Offers

Planning promotions ahead of time allows you to capture holiday sales without needing real-time adjustments.

  • Discount Codes and Holiday Deals: Launch any holiday discounts or promotions in advance. Set these promotions to start and end automatically using e-commerce tools on platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
  • Countdown Timers: Adding countdown timers to your website or email campaigns can create a sense of urgency around limited time offers. These can run independently, encouraging conversions while you’re offline.
  • Gift Guides and Bundles: Pre-schedule any holiday content like gift guides, product bundles, or holiday-themed collections that drive seasonal sales. Promote these across your channels to keep your audience engaged with relevant content.

The key takeaway here then? Automation is your friend and is more powerful and dependable now than ever before. So, don’t feel guilty about switching off for a couple of weeks. Treat yourself to a peaceful, productive and profitable Christmas!

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