It's over half way through October already! And as Christmas creeps closer, every good PPC specialist should be preparing their festive campaigns. If you have started... or not, here are 5 tips to check out before launch.

Last Christmas

Were you running Christmas campaigns last year? If so, how did they perform? Take some time to analyse your data to see which campaigns and products performed well, when the majority of sales took place, and whether they were completed on mobile or computers.

It’s important to check last years’ campaigns to see if you can build upon similar successes, or whether you need a brand new approach.

Planning With Plenty Time To Spare

If you are sending items out to customers, when is the last date for your company to guarantee delivery for Christmas? Using this date and working backwards could give you a good idea of when the main focus of your festive campaigns should be. Also bear in mind that CPCs will increase as we get closer to Christmas, so prepare your budget accordingly.

With the increase in interest over the weeks to Christmas, it’s vital to make sure that your website can handle the surge in traffic! Check that your site is optimised for mobile, as shoppers prefer to browse gift ideas and more on their phones. The idea should be that the purchasing experience as smooth as possible.

Understanding Your Target Audience

No matter who might be in your target audience, they are still likely to do online shopping in preparation for the festive season, and will be expecting promotions at this time of year too.

Take a bit of time to check your target audience, has it changed over the past year? Decide on what imagery or headlines would suit the different segments of your audience. Whether it’s for new or existing customers, you can create a few different campaigns to target people in different stages of the buying funnel.

If this is your first time running Christmas campaigns, it can also be a good idea to try some A/B experiments early on, and see which versions to focus on closer to Christmas.

Remarketing Across Platforms

In general, although more so in the festive season, as there can be a prolonged conversion window, shoppers add items to cart and then don’t complete checkout. So you need to remind them to complete their purchase and get your product under their Christmas tree.

Your remarketing campaigns can be via Google Ads search and display, or via Facebook and Instagram. Set up a 30-day remarketing audience on Analytics, check your Facebook pixel is working properly so you can set up one on Facebook too.

And Once Christmas Is Over?

Stop! Maybe don’t be so quick to switch off promotional campaigns. Lots of people might have received vouchers and money as gifts, and are often looking to use them immediately. Swap out your Christmas campaigns for more post-festive themes for a few weeks, especially if you have any January sales and promotions planned. This decision is up to you, so make sure your budget covers this extended festive period if needed.

Get planning, and happy holidays!