Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte is officially out and we’re inching closer towards an advertiser’s most lucrative shopping season of all time: Holiday Season. However, with COVID-19 continuing to change the consumer shopping landscape for brands and shoppers alike, how can advertisers adapt while they plan for the holiday season? As the unknowns continue to pile up, here are some tips on how you can stand out and navigate the upcoming holiday season on Facebook, Pinterest and Snapchat.

Facebook: BOPIS (Curbside Pickup)

As businesses navigate store traffic, physical distancing measures continue to be a challenge. As such, offering Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) with curbside pickup has become a must for many advertisers’ holiday strategy. BOPIS does not only promise ease but also promotes a safe and sanitary shopping environment.

In fact, this increased reliance on eCommerce was also seen in a recent survey by YouGov, which found that an average of 56% of holiday shoppers are interested in a BOPIS option when shopping, up 19% from 2018-2019. Similarly, an average of 56% and 45% Gen X and Boomers surveyed cared about the ability to buy online and pick up in-store when shopping.

Advertisers are able to utilize the months ahead of the holiday season to plan for a seamless curbside pickup model. Incorporating BOPIS messaging in all campaign funnels ensures a seamless transition from awareness to consideration and finally, conversion – as seen below.

With BOPIS, advertisers can still leverage both the Conversion and Store Traffic Facebook objective. However, given the circumstances with in-store purchasing (or lack thereof), Facebook has suggested using the Send Message, Call Now, or Order Now CTA for the Store Traffic objective versus driving users to a Store Locator or Map as the first destination.

holiday planning 2020

Snapchat: Lens AR Experience

80% of Snapchatters plan their holiday gift giving using Snapchat. Since holiday shopping will look much different this year, it’s important for advertisers to think about creating experiences for their audience during the gift giving season.

This year, Snapchat is focusing on expanding their lens capabilities which advertisers can use within their advertising mix by increasing brand interaction and visual storytelling. Utilizing Lens AR Experience is a great way to increase consideration by focusing on creating an interactive experience and making the purchasing process attractive. We recommend targeting: Shopper Audiences, Snap Re-Engagement Audiences and Snap Lifestyle Categories (SLC).

The example below shows how Gucci created a Lens AR Experience for Snapchatters to try on different pairs of shoes while easily driving to the shoes landing page to complete the purchase.

Snapchat lens AR experience

Pinterest: Leveraging the Inspiration Stage

Seeking gift giving inspiration plays a major role during the holidays and often gets forgotten when planning for the Holidays. Shoppers that seek inspiration when researching for gifts are sometimes missed during the audience ideation phase. Before the awareness phase comes the willingness to seek inspiration and that’s how you can succeed on Pinterest – the term “Pinners are Planners” comes alive during big moments like the Holidays.

The browsing and discovery period is trending earlier in 2020 than ever before. This means shoppers are open to making gift giving commitments 2-3 months earlier.

holiday planning on Pinterest

Advertisers can utilize the traditional planning months to inspire users with early bird messaging. A strong campaign starts with cohesive messaging throughout big advertising periods like the Holidays and advertisers can begin with inspiring Pinners with creative messaging that gives a sense of excitement and anticipation and further re-engaging these users throughout the season.

Holiday planning on Pinterest

Holiday Planning 2020: Conclusion

Navigating through these uncertain times can be overwhelming for some advertisers. However, it’s important to put the safety of your audience first while continuing to support big moments in their life like the holiday season. By leveraging BOPIS on Facebook, engaging users with Snapchat’s AR experience or inspiring gift-seekers on Pinterest, you can set up your holiday campaigns for success.

If you are interested in taking your holiday campaigns to the next level, let’s chat. We’re here to help!

The post Holiday Planning 2020: How to be Successful this Holiday Season appeared first on AdParlor.