Get your pencils sharpened and your campaigns buttoned up – back-to-school shopping season will be here before you know it! Parents have been fretting for months about sending their children back to school, if they are not checking out websites like the School Guide for help with making decisions, they are searching for the right pens, notebooks, stationary, etc. so they can get them in enough time before they are sold out. Did you know shoppers spend more on back-to-school and back-to-college than consumers spend on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day combined?! (NRF) And 72% of consumers will shop online at least once during the back-to-school season which is a very large majority! We have 7 things to keep in mind for back-to-school campaigns – and no, we won’t quiz you on it later (maybe).
1) Know the Biggest Shopping Days
According to RetailMeNot, the 3 biggest back-to-school shopping days are:
- Amazon Prime Day (mid-July).
- The first weekend of August (August 3rd-5th).
- Labor Day Weekend (August 30th-September 2nd)
If you’re not Amazon, that doesn’t mean your campaigns should get the day off! A quarter of back-to-school and college shoppers plan to use Prime Day to shop online deals at other retailers (NRF). For the first weekend of August and Labor Day weekend, plan to offer deals and content like articles with suggestions, inspiration, and trends ready to share (tip: try a listicle!)
2) Offer Deals
Back-to-school buyers are looking for deals. 65% of shoppers said that final price is the biggest determining factor in their back-to-school purchases. One reason why online shopping is so prominent in back-to-school shoppers is thanks to marketing strategies like Macy’s coupon deals which encourage them to go online. 70% of consumers said they look for more savings during this season than they do during other times of the year, including certain holidays where gifting is customary. So don’t get left behind: 80% of retailers will offer discounts. (RetailDive). Now is the time to offer enticing discounts and place them in your headlines and creative copy.
3) Location Matters
Remember that the first day of school differs by region! Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest schools tend to open their doors in early September, while the South, Northwest, and Alaska begin mid to late August. Parts of Arizona and Hawaii start as early as Late July. Plan your sales and target your campaigns to regions accordingly. (Check CNN’s handy start date map
).
However, before planning any campaign, you might want to consider your company’s financial situation and plan the campaign accordingly. You may even need to hire someone from a company that can provide bookkeeping services brampton or wherever your business is located, but that kind of investment will most likely be worthwhile. Bookkeepers are in charge of handling all of the accounts for small to medium-sized businesses. They hold the responsibility of reporting directly to the company’s owner or financial manager. Hence, it could become much easier to estimate the cost of campaigns and how much you can spend on advertising if you have a bookkeeper who can manage your accounts and finances.
4) So Does Time of Day
Who’s your target? Moms? Kids? College-age sophomores? For example, consider “dead times” like after school pick up and morning drop off might not be a great time to target your content; shoot instead for midday or evening shopping times.
→ For tips on driving awareness and sales, check out How To Drive Awareness and Sales: E-Commerce + Native Best Practices
5) Mobile Matters
More than half browse back-to-school items on their smartphones because they can do it on the go, and 46% prefer mobile shopping because it allows them to multitask (RetailMeNot). Adjust accordingly!
→ For more mobile-related stats and advice, check out our Mobile is the Move blog post and Infographic.
6) Yes, You Have Content
Before you say you don’t have content – you do!
You have a name and you have a website! Even if you do not have a great website, there’s no need to fret – you can hire reputable web designers to create one for you. For back-to-school season, create some articles or videos that inspire shoppers and establish you as a source of expertise.
Some ideas: back-to-school fashion trends, child safety, wellness, and nutrition tips, money-saving tips, time-saving hacks, and advice from parents and experts like pediatricians or teachers!
7) Maximize Your Content
“If content is King, then content distribution is King Kong,” Bidtellect’s CEO Lon Otremba says. Use a Native Advertising strategy to create content previews that match the form and function of the site they’re placed on. Contextual targeting ensures they are placed on relevant sites that readers will want to engage with, and Native Ads intrigue readers even when they have “banner blindness.” Did you know Native ads register an 18% higher lift in purchase intent than standard banner ads and have proven to boost in-store traffic by 21% (Sharethrough)?
→ For more on Native, check out 5 Answers to the Question “Why Native?”
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