Thanksgiving and Black Friday are two of the biggest retail events in the U.S, with billions of dollars spent online during these days. Digital ads play a critical role in driving sales online and in-store. But to take full advantage of these shopping shenanigans, it’s imperative to plan your campaigns strategically. So, when is the best time to start, and when is it too late?
Ideal Time to Plan Thanksgiving and Black Friday Ads
Start Planning Early: September to Early October
The best time to start planning your Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads is in late September through early October. By this time, shoppers have started thinking about holiday purchases, and many begin researching deals and comparing prices of different companies. This is when you want your brand to be top-of-mind.
- Campaign Strategy Development (September): Begin by outlining your goals, target audience, and budget. Analyze last year’s performance to see what worked and what didn’t.
- Content Creation and Approval (Early October): Design eye-catching graphics, write compelling copy, and ensure your landing pages are ready. This gives you plenty of time for revisions and approval, ensuring your campaigns are polished and professional.
- Audience Testing and Segmentation (Mid to Late October): Before the November rush, test different audiences and ad creatives. Use October as a period for A/B testing, optimizing for conversions, and narrowing down your most responsive segments.
When to Launch Your Thanksgiving and Black Friday Ads
November 1st to November 15th
By November 1st, consumers are actively searching for deals, and you want to capture this early intent. Here’s why this timing works:
- Early Bird Shoppers: Some shoppers like to get ahead of the rush, so running ads in early November can capture those looking to avoid the last-minute frenzy.
- Awareness and Engagement: By mid-November, you’ll want to start ramping up engagement-focused ads—especially on social media and email. These ads should focus on creating excitement and urgency for your upcoming deals.
- Remarketing and Last-Minute Shoppers: As Black Friday approaches (November 20th-23rd), shift your focus to remarketing ads, targeting customers who visited your site or added items to their cart. You want to remind them of your best offers and encourage them to finalize their purchases.
When It’s Too Late to Launch Ads
After November 20th
While you can still launch ads after November 20th, it’s often too late to build significant lift. At this point, many customers have already made up their minds about where they will shop. Last-minute ads may not deliver the return on investment (ROI) you’re hoping for, especially if you haven’t already nurtured your audience.
- Rising Costs: Ad costs significantly increase the closer you get to Black Friday due to high competition. Platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok, and Google see a surge in demand, leading to inflated cost-per-click (CPC) rates. Starting late can mean burning through your ad budget quickly with less impact.
- Limited Reach: Without a proper warm-up period, your ads might not resonate as well with potential customers. People are bombarded with offers during this time, and if your brand is showing up for the first time in their feeds days before Black Friday, it’s harder to stand out.
Key Takeaways
- Plan Early: Start planning your Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads in late September to early October to give yourself enough time for research, strategy, content creation, and testing.
- Launch Early: Get your ads live by early November to build awareness and anticipation. Focus on early engagement with your audience through targeted campaigns.
- Don’t Wait Until the Last Second: While you can still run ads closer to Black Friday, after November 20th is often too late to see maximum results. Competition is fierce, and ad costs increase significantly.
By giving yourself enough lead time to create an influential campaign and launching early, you’ll be better positioned to capitalize on one of the biggest shopping events of the year for Americans. So, mark your calendars, get your creative team in gear, and start prepping for a successful holiday season!
Want to get a head start on your Black Friday and holiday season digital campaigns? Contact info@marketingmaven.com.