Holiday Advertising 2020: Top 3 Best Practices for Digital Advertisers

Holiday Advertising 2020: Top 3 Best Practices for Digital Advertisers

If planning your holiday campaigns feels overwhelming – fear not. Arm yourself with these best practices. For ways to update your creative assets, read this. For top trends this year, click here. For down and dirty stats to copy & paste, click here.

The most reach is critical for holiday advertising. Now is the time to go big or go home. Set aside a large budget. If you are a small business and are trying to generate leads through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Tik Tok, then you may want to see how utilizing resources like buying followers and likes from websites such as Getviewed.net as well as others, can help with visibility ready for the advertising season, so people online can take notice and potentially check you out.

Run nationally-targeted campaigns utilizing all 3 ad formats (in-feed, recommendation widget, and in-ad) across all 3 devices (desktop, tablet, and mobile) to ensure we are able to find relevant users at any time on any device. If need be, you can also reach out to digital marketing experts (such as the ones at Ballantine Digital, for instance) and ask their professional help on how to run the campaigns on targeted platforms. You can take your brand to the global level through online ad campaigns, but if you might not be able to ship your products, it can lead you to lose those potential customers. For a small business, it could be difficult to take care of stocks, shipping, and payment processes. A dropshipping company can help you to deal with various problems like stock management, packaging and delivery of products and even with automated payments. This could be a great assistance in getting worldwide recognition for your business.

Get access to as many placements as possible. Bidtellect is partnered with more than 30 supply partners for the most expansive network in the ecosystem, which means access to 58 million distinctly targetable placements and 55 billion Native auctions daily.

Reach outside social: Social promises contextually-relevant native ads that match their environment. Bidtellect promises the same, but across the open web in premium native environments with the ability to avoid undesirable content. Reach more consumers, safely. Native advertising outside social networks and programmatic Native Advertising are the fastest-growing categories of Native (eMarketer). Social media is the least trusted media source (Edelman Trust Barometer).

Online shopping will be even more popular than years past: 2019 holiday online sales were already record-breaking, and ecommerce, strengthened and solidified during the covid-19 pandemic, will continue to dominate consumer shopping.

  • 71% of US adults said they planned to do more than half of their holiday shopping digitally this year (daVinci Payments via eMarketer).
  • 60% of consumers plan to shop less in-store this season due to fear ofCOVID-19 exposure (Radial survey via MarTech Series).
  • 44% of respondents plan to shop more online during this year’s BlackFriday, Cyber Monday and Christmas holidays compared to last year’s holiday season (Quibit study via eMarketer).

Higher mobile engagement this year: It should be obvious, but maybe it isn’t. Mobile usage and engagement continues to grow rapidly. Before setting up holiday advertising campaigns, check that the landing pages you will be directing traffic to are as mobile-friendly as possible, from easy scrolling to readability to ease of purchasing products.

Mobile shopping: the new way to online shop: Expect mobile usage to be higher than ever this holiday season. That includes shopping online and via apps, comparing prices, and even using click-and-collect options. Make sure checkouts, landing pages, and content are mobile-friendly, and adjust holiday advertising to mobile.

  • 37% of US adults said they were more interested in mobile app shopping than they were last year (Salesforce via eMarketer).
  • Mobile shoppers spent an average of $197 on mobile orders during the2019 holiday season, a 17% increase over 2018 (Button research via Digital Commerce 360).

Target and retarget: Since a consideration cycle is generally required to make a purchase – especially with so many choices and sales during Black Friday weekend – supplement a prospecting strategy with retargeting to drive prospects back to the site to purchase. If you would like, you could use offline marketing and prospecting strategies like cold calling and hire outsourcing cold calling companies to make your holiday campaign a little easier for you. From the perspective of the site, you could make it even easier for buyers to shop online and pick up in-store, too.

Holiday shopping (and sales) will start earlier: Start early, like really early. Shoppers plan to start their holiday shopping earlier this year, and big retailers have sales planned for October. Plus, consumers are less likely to shop in-store and are worried about packages arriving on time in the current climate. They are also more concerned with budgets than in years past. Start sales, holiday gift ideas, content, and retargeting as early as possible.

  • 39% of shoppers plan to start shopping for the holidays in October into early November, and 30% plan to start on Black Friday/Cyber Monday (Radial survey via MarTech Series).
  • 41% of shoppers say they don’t plan to shop any earlier for holiday gifts (Radial survey via MarTech Series).
  • Target will kick off holiday sales in October (Target via The WashingtonPost), while Amazon is considering moving its postponed Prime Day to October (CNBC via The Washington Post).
  • 47% of Americans say they may need to start saving earlier for Christmas presents (The Christmas Company).

Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

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Coronavirus Impact on the Financial Vertical. Our advice? Build trust.

Coronavirus Impact on the Financial Vertical. Our advice? Build trust.

How has the coronavirus crisis has impacted the financial vertical? What has and will emerge is greater attention to savings thanks to financial strain and high unemployment. How should advertising efforts continue and what can we learn from the ’08 crisis?

Predictions for the financial industry

According to Business Insider Intelligence’s research director Dan VanDyke, coronavirus’s impact on financial institutions is likely to include a couple of things. Firstly, the lending needs of (individuals and businesses) will heighten. Not only would businesses need funds possibly in the form of business loan in order to stay afloat, but they would also require some to provide for any coronavirus patients in their workforce.

The main drawback of this is that some companies might fake having employees with coronavirus in order to get some extra money. The company can be reported by an employee for falsifying covid legal claims, but most of the times these allegations are never raised due to fear in the worker. The next thing that might happen is that more banks will temporarily suspend or amend loan repayment requirements and fees, and falling interest rates will bring down savings rates, but will also fuel a boom in mortgage and auto financing (eMarketer).

As for other fintech sectors: funding totals will be down, stock market volatility will chill consumer investing and digitally-minded insurers will benefit from increased awareness and demand for their services (eMarketer).

Mobile, online, and remote banking options will succeed

The financial services sector is currently facing challenges on multiple fronts: shelter-in-place and social distancing requirements mean that few customers are able to be served in physical branches, putting additional strain on channels like telephone support, online and social media. All of this could be potentially replaced by a mortgage crm software which can help build customer-lender relations better. Those well-equipped to handle remote/online banking will be well-prepared to weather the crisis, and fintech companies are well-placed to deal with digital demand and remote working requirements (Econsultancy).

  • 29% of US internet users conduct mobile banking on a phone; 27%sometimes (eMarketer, February 2020)
  • 89% of adults in India consider banks an essential service (eMarketer, May 2020)

Young adults are especially worried about the financial impact

With the unemployment rate now at a record 14.7% due to the crisis, consumers are rightfully worried about their personal financial situation, including keeping up with basic expenses. Though this can be easily resolved by looking into this goldshell kd5 price and subsequently learning how to mine for alternative types of currency, this is something that people like to do when they find themselves in a comfortable situation. Unfortunately, this is something that many youngsters are currently concerned about. Studies show millennials are feeling more worried than their older cohorts. Several surveys support this notion:

  • 25% of 18-to-29s reported being “financially affected by the coronavirus,” along with 24% of 30-to-44s, 28% of 45-to-64s, and 21%of those ages 65 and older (Economist/YouGov polling via eMarketer, April 2020)
  • 80% of 25-to-44s said they were worried about their “personal financial situation,” vs. 78% of 18-to-24s, 74% of 45-to-64s, and 62%of those 65 and older. (Elon University survey via eMarketer, March 2020)
  • 47% of 18 to 34-year-olds are concerned about paying for basic needs without going into debt (LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey via eMarketer, May 2020)
  • 51% of 18 to 34-year-olds are concerned about paying rent/mortgage as compared to 38% and 14% (LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey via eMarketer, May 2020)

How to Advertise: Takeaways from ’08

Budget Shifted to Digital:

After ‘08, U.S. ad spending plummeted but accelerated the shift to digital advertising, particularly online video and mobile usage. In 2011, Geoff Ramsey, the chief executive of eMarketer, made a statement to the New York Times: “The bad economy has actually accelerated the shift to digital advertising. Online ads, especially search ads, are increasingly seen by many marketers as a more reliable bet than print ads, which are often difficult to tie to a measurable financial result.” (New York Times, 2011) In the same article, Brian Wieser, executive vice president and director of global forecasting at Magnaglobal reiterated, “The fastest-growing media will be online video and mobile” (New York Times in 2011). Similarly, we have already seen a massive increase in internet usage and online news consumption.

Post-’08 Examples: “Bank Solid. Bank U.S. Bank.” Readers understand the implicit call to action: “You should be banking at US Bank.” Similarly, the short message “Had Enough Excitement?” offers a cheeky take on the same ‘safe and sound’ message that communicates mutual understanding. “When turbulence and uncertainty surround us, we look to those who have proven themselves over time” offers a grownup, somber tone that shows prudence, reliability, and trustworthiness.

“Safe and Sound” Today, the brands that will make the greatest impact and weather the storm are those that can get positive, educational, and valuable content in front of people. Financial institutions and fintech, in particular, need to prioritize building trust, offering sound advice, and pushing longevity and experience; consumers are craving steady, stable, “safe and sound” figures that care deeply. Further, in times where our security is threatened, people are hardwired to seek clarity and calm, according to Econsultancy.

The importance of trust

Not only should trust, reliability, and compassion factor into brand messaging, but halting messaging completely will break trust with the consumer. Says eMarketer, institutions that were slow to respond will face a deficit of consumer trust in the coming months-and depending on their role, tough questions to answer.

  • 29% of Americans have already begun using a brand due to the innovative or compassionate way they’ve responded to the COVID-19 crisis. (Edelman)
  • 43% say they want messages that are reassuring from brands they know and trust (AAAA)
  • Millennials are 44% more likely to trust experts, who happen to be strangers, than advertisements. (Hubspot, 2019)
  • 75% saying brands should inform people of what they’re doing (Kantar Research)
  • Key takeaways: Build trust, Offer sound advice; Steady, stable, “safe and sound;” Longevity, experience; Prudent Approach – Care deeply
  • Trust Native Over Social Native ads garner greater levels of trust among consumers with a third (33%) more likely to trust native advertising than traditional advertising, and that clicking on a native ad driver on a premium content website has a greater impact than clicking via Facebook. (NAI study)

Bottom line: the coronavirus crisis’s impact on the financial vertical will likely be felt for a while. In this uncertain time, it’s important for financial services to build trust with the consumer, stay present, steady, and don’t go radio silent.

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Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

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How to Refresh Your Coronavirus Ads to Connect With Consumers and Bring Hope

How to Refresh Your Coronavirus Ads to Connect With Consumers and Bring Hope

Consumers want to hear from brands, but are your coronavirus ads alienating rather than connecting with them? Are they just… impossibly stale and generic? Below are best-practices from [b]+studio to refresh your creative assets to (dare we say it?) bring a smile to their faces.

It’s been over a month of self-quarantine and consumers are getting restless.

Notice how coronavirus ads all start with “We are here for you…” followed by tug-at-your-heartstring b-roll, slow music, and sad faces…. Every email starts with “Hope you’re healthy” or “Crazy times!” or “In these uncertain times…” It’s all starting to look and sound the same. Are your ads making your audience uncomfortable or excited?

We need to find ways to connect and build trust with our audiences in spite of this isolating pandemic. Terms like “covid-19,”
“coronavirus,” “pandemic” etc., are creating distance and alienating consumers, not building an emotional connection with the brand. How can you speak to your audience during a global pandemic without sounding robotic and somber?

via GIPHY

Last month was the month of empathy. Now, more than ever – it’s about value.

Consumers want to be uplifted, they want to $ave, and they want to smile again. Let’s instead re-direct messaging to stay positive during such an unprecedented time. Why not (tactfully) calm the nerves of your audience with comfort and reassurance? Connecting and even evoking a smile in such unpredictable times is a powerful gift. You can do that by updating your email list and sending bulk emails to your users with the help of email management services (like the ones offered at simplelists.com/). Try including an assuring and motivating message that can make them feel good during this time of uncertainty.

However, while promoting the value and monetary benefits of your business products, don’t let go of that empathetic element from your ads and marketing strategies. The pandemic has made people more conscious of each other’s health and wellness. So, while promoting your sale and discounts, include emotional factors about your delivery partners, transportation and logistics employees, etc., and how you have special provisions in place (check out the Top HGV insurance quote in minutes by exploring such services online) to ensure their safety during the Covid crisis.

Your online business highly depends on how you promote your services, and products. So, using only one type of emotion in ads to activate customers’ cultural mindset might not be enough in such circumstances. You have to speak their emotional language to attract the attention of potential customers. People are loyal and safe with familiarity, but with the right tools, your advertising campaigns can flourish and attract new consumers. Bidtellect’s in-house creative team, [b]+studio has been testing and measuring the shift in creative in real-time. Here’s what’s working this week.

Polish up with this new set of best practices for your coronavirus ads to bring hope and value:

1. Reposition your creative with witty and trendy adjectives; use abbreviations such as “WFH” or “QuaranQueen” to make light of the situation (tactfully, of course). There are ways to remind us of our current situation without making us sad about it.

2. If you have a loyalty program, announce it. Audiences are more likely to purchase if there are loyalty incentives.

3. SALES! DISCOUNT CODES! FREE SHIPPING! With the uncertainty of economic turmoil, consumers are responding to sales. Brand loyalists are going for a less expensive product and it’s all happening online. Besides, who doesn’t love a sale? Build their trust and your audience will $ave.

4. Try to focus not on selling but on helping your audience with a solution. For example: How Long Has Your Dip Nail Polish Been On? You’re ready for a new color. Try XYZ. (This creative is letting the audience know it’s been a while since we’ve all been to the nail salon and offering a solution to give the audience comfort).

5. Imagery is always important in creative. Bright colors, pleasing images, and happy people as the main focal point always perform well. Cinemagraphs and .gifsdraw attention against the parallel somber images on a webpage.

6. Drive it home with positive and compassionate content, including relevant hashtags: #StayHome

The wave of somber advertising is gently passing and while we are headed into the unknown, one thing is for certain: people want to smile again – even if it’s for a brief moment. Your messaging can easily be tested and updated within minutes on our platform. Between our sophisticated optimization technology and creative refreshes, we are working diligently to put your campaigns to work and get the best results possible.

Want more need-to-know info? Subscribe to our monthly Bidtellectual newsletter!


Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

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