Talking Turkey: 5 Quick Tips for Seasonal Success

The holidays are upon us, and as the mad sales dash toward the end of 2021 ramps up online, the time to update your website and get ready for the holiday rush is running out.  

With record-breaking eCommerce traffic expected over Cyber Weekend and more people planning to shop online this holiday season than ever before, it’s important to take a look at your site design and functionality to ensure everything is as user friendly as possible.

In this article, we’ll outline a few important changes you can make to your site right now to ensure it’s up to par  before Thanksgiving so you can kick the holiday season off right!

Cut Straight to the Bone

When a user clicks onto your site, they want to see the information they came for upfront. Think about all the Thanksgiving recipes you’ve likely been looking up lately. Few things are more frustrating than a recipe blog that has three video pop ups and a 700-word, SEO-infused story about the history of their great grandma’s recipe before you even get to the ingredient list. 

Given the option, your users will want to skip the fluff and get straight to the good stuff. They’re not here for side dishes and appetizers—your users are after the meat and potatoes of your content. Make sure they can find it easily.

Deck the Digital Halls

Everyone loves a little holiday decoration, and you can use that to your advantage online! Take high-quality seasonal photos of your products that you can use across your digital channels. To get the best shots, make sure you’re using a tripod to get stable shots and keep your lighting even, whether it’s artificial or natural. 

You can also change up the overall look of your site! Here’s some Thanksgiving-themed design resources you can use to spruce up your seasonal style.

Important note: When you’re making these tweaks, be sure to update your website, social media channels, and all other online channels with any holiday-related changes to your hours of operation.

Make New Friends and Keep the Old

The holiday season is a great time to introduce a referral program! In the spirit of togetherness and giving back, use this opportunity to leverage your current customers to bring you new ones. A good referral program allows you to simultaneously give back to your customers through a discount or special offer while also bringing new buyers straight to your digital door. 

The best part? A referral buyer is one who has already heard firsthand how great your products or services are from an existing customer!

Organize Your Bargain Buffet

During the holidays, it’s important to prioritize the promotions and content you publish. There’s typically a lot going on this time of year. Some companies throw annual clothing drives or gather canned goods for food banks. Simultaneously, you’re likely celebrating in the office with your employees or maybe even offering seasonal discounts. 

This culminates in a busy couple of months during which you’ll have a lot to say, but probably not enough website real estate to tell the whole story. Because of this, you’ll need to prioritize what’s most important. 

On your website, stick to things that affect your customers—this could include discounts, special offers, or flash deals. Your social channels are a great place to put any additional content about your company culture or celebrations.

I Saw Three Ship(ments) Come Sailing In

If you don’t currently offer free shipping, the holidays are a time to consider making the switch. In a world in which 60% of customers who abandon their carts do so because of extra charges—including shipping costs—free shipping can help increase conversions.

In most cases, you’ll be able to offset the cost of free shipping as a business owner by raising your prices as little as a dollar or two. Whether you choose to enact free shipping on all orders or only orders above a certain amount, it can be a huge boon for your business. 

Set Your Site up for Seasonal Success

Black Friday is only days away, so use these tips to improve your site’s performance before the busy holiday season truly takes off. Have any more tips for digital improvements to make during the holidays? Leave a comment below with your best advice!