Retail e-commerce sales have increased by 82% from £9.8 billion in 2006 to £17.6 billion in 2007, according to research undertaken by IMRG. Christmas Day alone attracted 4.4 million people online in the UK, spending a total of £84 million, up 269% compared to Christmas day in 2006.

Understandably it is expected that 2008 will attract even more shoppers online. Supported further by the fact that, despite the slumping high street sales, online shopping was 38% higher in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

In this issue we would therefore like to give you some tips to help you capitalize on the growing number of Christmas shoppers heading online.



Screenshot taken from http://www.google.co.uk/trends

As you can see in the screenshot above, searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ and ‘Christmas presents’ start to occur towards the end of August. To catch that increase in traffic it's important to prepare both your Google Adwords account and your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) campaign.

In this article we will focus on the optimisation of your PPC campaign. Of course, if you're a client, get in touch with your account manager to discuss your goals… and let Sayu optimise your online marketing campaigns for this important period.

Tip # 1 – Have Seasonal Keywords and Adverts Prepared

Seasonal words in the advert will help to improve the CTR (click through rate).

If you have a range of products unique to the Christmas period (such as hampers, trees and so on) it is a good idea to set up new campaigns dedicated to this important period.

Tip # 2 – Sep up New Ad Groups in Existing Campaigns to Promote Products for Christmas

This way you can ensure the whole of your product range is covered for Christmas; all with a Christmas twist for this target market. It's not all about Christmas hampers!

Equally, with tightly themed ad groups, you can have better control over your daily spend and maximum CPC (Cost per Click) at this important period… which leads us onto our next tip.

Tip # 3 – Set Aside a Dedicated Budget

In the immediate run up to Christmas, in order to capture the significant increase in traffic, it may be necessary to increase CPCs. Of course, it's important to calculate whether or not this increase in CPC will result in an increase in profit. If you're a client of ours, you can rest assured that we will handle this on your behalf – we are able to ensure that maximum profit is made from your campaigns.

Tip # 4 – Make Sure Long Tail Keywords Are Fully Used

Internet users research before they buy, meaning a lot of shoppers, when they're ready to buy, know model numbers and names. Make sure your keywords are fully expanded to capture this audience at the best possible CPC.

Tip # 5 – Make the Shopping experience as Painless as Possible

Finally, make the process of buying online seamless.

First, entice the shopper with a targeted advert.
Second, hand-pick the ideal landing page.
Next, ensure the landing page is as usable as possible – is it effortless to add the product to the basket and checkout?

Getting the most out of adwords is especially important when seasonality is on your side, so it's time to begin preparation! Get in touch with your account manager today to discuss your Christmas goals.