How to prepare your online store for the holidays?
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 8:04 am
It seems simple: a Christmas tree with LEDs, baubles, stars and "Last Christmas" played alternately with "There is such a day". That would even work, but only in relation to a classic store. The pre-holiday rush in e-commerce uses other ways to attract customers and traffic. Come, I'll show you how to prepare an online store for THESE holidays.
The article answers the questions:
What elements should you take care of in your online store before the holiday season?
What impact do order processing time and shipping method have on online store sales?
How to use newsletter and social media?
Contents:
To wishful thinking, say: Lullaby…
Historical analysis of the movement. When and how much did it grow?
Most visited categories? What dominates for me?
Top products. What did they buy a year ago and what do I currently have on offer?
Alternative Products. Give Something Back
Exclusive products. What can only be bought from you?
Christmas offer on the front. Shine prices already on the main page of the store
Landing page with the best deals. Shortcuts
Guide content. About the need to write new and about recycling
Shopping without registration. For those in a hurry
Delivery time and shipping method. The customer likes specifics
Newsletter and social media support
Crisis Communication: Sometimes it pays to worry in advance
Christmas creations. Definitely in warm styling
To wishful thinking, say: Lullaby…
Based on unpleasant and difficult experiences with customers, I can uk companies email list that one of the most common problems is wishful thinking. It is based roughly on the approach assuming: Why should I change anything in the online store? After all, if they want it, they will find it and buy it.
The store data reliably indicates that there were buyers, and there was also revenue. In theory, everything is correct. However, this was a year ago, and the balance of power in SERP sites may have changed dramatically if your e-commerce does not devote enough attention to
SEO (unlike the competition).
That is why we should firmly distance ourselves from the thinking: If they want to buy, they will buy – in favor of the actions I have included below.
Historical analysis of the movement. When and how much did it grow?
For a good start Google Analytics
There is no point in guessing, you have to rely on hard data. So take a look at the Google Analytics panel, because it will tell you the truth about when in previous years (or at least a year ago) you could notice increased traffic on the site.
Then, check how much traffic increases before the holidays compared to other months. This information will help you predict how much work you will have to put into fulfilling orders. It is no secret that December tests customers' patience, and their dissatisfaction can quickly turn into unfavorable opinions.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics Pageview Report (source: Google)
Search Console and its (almost) secret knowledge
A few moments later, visit Google Search Console. In this magical tool, play around with the filters for a while, first marking the end of the previous year, then go back to the next year, etc. Why all this? Then you will see the most common queries for which your store was displayed in SERPs, along with the number of clicks and views.
Click the Pages tab, you will see the top products from that period. Also take a look at the Devices section - how many people visit you via computers, how many via mobile. This knowledge allows you to make the content in the e-shop more user-friendly (without hiding behind the claim: If someone wants to read, they will read it on everything).
"Performance" report in Google Search Console (source: Google)
Google Search Console Performance Report (source: Google)
The potential of the search is in Google Trends
Don't stop there, but also analyze the strength of the trend in recent years. For this purpose, use the Google Trends tool. It will tell you whether interest in a given product category or topic is growing, maintaining a similar level, or maybe falling. For example, the downward trend affected Black Friday, aka Black Friday, replaced by related campaigns such as Black Week and Black Month.
Google Trends will protect you from wasting your energy and resources on something that no longer has a reason to exist, and instead exists only in your head as wishful thinking (if BF is on the calendar, they will definitely buy something that day!).
Of course, don't stop there. Since you have Google Trends up and running, compare related phrases. Maybe one of them has gained and is worth investing in this year, optimizing content in your online store? And if you have the tools (Senuto or SEMSTORM), browse them in search of long tails.
Senuto
It is worth analyzing the competition and popularity of selected keywords (source: Senuto)
Leave nothing to chance
Now gather the information you have collected, create a schedule, and place the activities on a timeline. Determine what you will prioritize and what can (sometimes must) wait. Set the scope of work for each day, noting progress as you go. The more you do, the better. Remember that these will not always be colossal or revolutionary changes. Many tasks will turn out to be details and cosmetics.
However, do not underestimate any of the actions or trivialize them. A number of details add up to significant effects, which you will see reflected in the sales peak – also in the one preceding Christmas.
Finally, don't forget that your competition also reads guides on how to prepare an online store for the holidays and uses advice from SEO specialists . They do this because, just like you, they want to increase their turnover. You can be sure that they will not skimp on work to achieve this effect.
The article answers the questions:
What elements should you take care of in your online store before the holiday season?
What impact do order processing time and shipping method have on online store sales?
How to use newsletter and social media?
Contents:
To wishful thinking, say: Lullaby…
Historical analysis of the movement. When and how much did it grow?
Most visited categories? What dominates for me?
Top products. What did they buy a year ago and what do I currently have on offer?
Alternative Products. Give Something Back
Exclusive products. What can only be bought from you?
Christmas offer on the front. Shine prices already on the main page of the store
Landing page with the best deals. Shortcuts
Guide content. About the need to write new and about recycling
Shopping without registration. For those in a hurry
Delivery time and shipping method. The customer likes specifics
Newsletter and social media support
Crisis Communication: Sometimes it pays to worry in advance
Christmas creations. Definitely in warm styling
To wishful thinking, say: Lullaby…
Based on unpleasant and difficult experiences with customers, I can uk companies email list that one of the most common problems is wishful thinking. It is based roughly on the approach assuming: Why should I change anything in the online store? After all, if they want it, they will find it and buy it.
The store data reliably indicates that there were buyers, and there was also revenue. In theory, everything is correct. However, this was a year ago, and the balance of power in SERP sites may have changed dramatically if your e-commerce does not devote enough attention to
SEO (unlike the competition).
That is why we should firmly distance ourselves from the thinking: If they want to buy, they will buy – in favor of the actions I have included below.
Historical analysis of the movement. When and how much did it grow?
For a good start Google Analytics
There is no point in guessing, you have to rely on hard data. So take a look at the Google Analytics panel, because it will tell you the truth about when in previous years (or at least a year ago) you could notice increased traffic on the site.
Then, check how much traffic increases before the holidays compared to other months. This information will help you predict how much work you will have to put into fulfilling orders. It is no secret that December tests customers' patience, and their dissatisfaction can quickly turn into unfavorable opinions.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics Pageview Report (source: Google)
Search Console and its (almost) secret knowledge
A few moments later, visit Google Search Console. In this magical tool, play around with the filters for a while, first marking the end of the previous year, then go back to the next year, etc. Why all this? Then you will see the most common queries for which your store was displayed in SERPs, along with the number of clicks and views.
Click the Pages tab, you will see the top products from that period. Also take a look at the Devices section - how many people visit you via computers, how many via mobile. This knowledge allows you to make the content in the e-shop more user-friendly (without hiding behind the claim: If someone wants to read, they will read it on everything).
"Performance" report in Google Search Console (source: Google)
Google Search Console Performance Report (source: Google)
The potential of the search is in Google Trends
Don't stop there, but also analyze the strength of the trend in recent years. For this purpose, use the Google Trends tool. It will tell you whether interest in a given product category or topic is growing, maintaining a similar level, or maybe falling. For example, the downward trend affected Black Friday, aka Black Friday, replaced by related campaigns such as Black Week and Black Month.
Google Trends will protect you from wasting your energy and resources on something that no longer has a reason to exist, and instead exists only in your head as wishful thinking (if BF is on the calendar, they will definitely buy something that day!).
Of course, don't stop there. Since you have Google Trends up and running, compare related phrases. Maybe one of them has gained and is worth investing in this year, optimizing content in your online store? And if you have the tools (Senuto or SEMSTORM), browse them in search of long tails.
Senuto
It is worth analyzing the competition and popularity of selected keywords (source: Senuto)
Leave nothing to chance
Now gather the information you have collected, create a schedule, and place the activities on a timeline. Determine what you will prioritize and what can (sometimes must) wait. Set the scope of work for each day, noting progress as you go. The more you do, the better. Remember that these will not always be colossal or revolutionary changes. Many tasks will turn out to be details and cosmetics.
However, do not underestimate any of the actions or trivialize them. A number of details add up to significant effects, which you will see reflected in the sales peak – also in the one preceding Christmas.
Finally, don't forget that your competition also reads guides on how to prepare an online store for the holidays and uses advice from SEO specialists . They do this because, just like you, they want to increase their turnover. You can be sure that they will not skimp on work to achieve this effect.