The 2024 holiday season is approaching fast and, by all accounts, it’s going to be one of the biggest the industry has ever seen. In the U.S. alone, holiday spending is expected to reach $1.353 trillion, and a lot of that spend will be focused on mega-shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Last year, U.S. consumers spent an estimated $10.47 billion on Black Friday, and another $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday. This year, both of those figures are expected to grow. But is your marketing organization prepared to capture its share?
These days, the digital noise around Black Friday and Cyber Monday is louder than ever. Breaking through that clutter requires not only the right promotions to appeal to deal-hungry holiday shoppers, but also the right audience data to target them effectively. Let’s look at the few ways brands and agencies can ensure they’re reaching the right shoppers this holiday season, as well as some specific audience segments that have been proven to drive real-world sales and conversions.
Connect with Gift Givers
Gift givers are often the primary drivers of holiday shopping, motivated by the desire to find the perfect present for family and friends. These shoppers are valuable to brands because they typically spend more, often purchasing multiple items across different categories. To connect with gift givers, advertisers should leverage data insights to identify purchase patterns and preferences, then craft personalized messaging that highlights popular or trending gifts. Dynamic creative strategies, such as showcasing gift guides or “top picks,” can effectively capture their attention and guide them toward the right purchase.
Gift Giver Targeting Tip: Looking to connect with gift givers who have young ones on their list this year? Consider leveraging an audience segment like “Global Intuition - Intent - Children’s Gifts, Toys, Play.”
Connect with Online Shoppers
Online shoppers prioritize convenience and value the ability to compare prices and read reviews before making a purchase. They are increasingly shopping via mobile devices and are highly influenced by digital advertising. For brands, online shoppers represent an opportunity to drive direct sales through e-commerce platforms. To engage this audience, advertisers should focus on digital channels, including social media, search, and programmatic display, using audience data to target based on past browsing and buying habits. Offering exclusive online discounts or free shipping can further entice these shoppers to convert.
Online Shopper Targeting Tip: Looking to connect with online shoppers who prefer to avoid stores altogether? Consider leveraging an audience segment like “Global Experian Worldview - Retail - Online Shopping - Prefer to shop online to in-store.”
Connect with In-Person Shoppers
Despite the growth of e-commerce, in-store shoppers remain a significant segment, particularly on Black Friday. These shoppers often enjoy the tactile experience of shopping and the immediacy of taking their purchases home. Promoting in-store-only deals or limited-time offers can drive foot traffic, while in-store events or demonstrations can enhance the shopping experience and encourage higher spending.
In-Person Shopper Targeting Tip: Looking to connect with in-store shoppers who are on a budget? Consider leveraging an audience segment like “Global Affinity Answers - Intent - Retail - Discount Stores.”
Connect with Holiday Shoppers
Holiday shoppers are a diverse group, often motivated by a combination of sales, festive spirit, and last-minute needs. They tend to shop both online and in-store, depending on convenience and urgency. This audience is valuable because of its flexibility and willingness to explore different brands and products during the holiday season. To connect with holiday shoppers, brands should use cross-channel marketing strategies that combine both digital and physical touchpoints. Leveraging audience data to understand their preferences and shopping behaviors allows for tailored campaigns that can offer personalized holiday deals, exclusive product bundles, or time-sensitive offers to create a sense of urgency and drive conversions.
Holiday Shopper Targeting Tip: Looking to connect with holiday shoppers with an eye for fashion? Consider leveraging an audience segment like “Global ShareThis - Seasonal - Christmas - Clothing Shoppers.”
The Audience Guide to Drive Your Holiday Campaigns
By leveraging high-quality audience data and understanding the unique motivations of these shopper segments, brands can create targeted, effective campaigns that resonate with their audiences and maximize sales during the critical Black Friday and Cyber Monday period.
Whether it’s one-to-one targeting or driving awareness at a massive scale, Eyeota’s “How to Target Black Friday & Cyber Monday Audience Guide” is the blueprint to power your advertising campaigns with Black Friday and Cyber Monday audiences from best-in-class data brands and partners.
Browse our selection of Black Friday and Cyber Monday audiences segments built from behavioral, demographics, interests, intent, lifestyle and ownership insights. Activate our audience segments on all major demand-side and supply-side platforms to identify, reach and engage your best target customers on audio, connected TV, display, digital out-of-home, mobile and social channels.
Discover addressable digital audience profiles to target your ideal customers such as:
Connect with the Data Desk team to request your custom audience targeting strategy today!