With the holidays just around the corner, you’ll want to increase your online marketing efforts to get that extra revenue. E-commerce sales are projected to grow 18 to 21 percent over last year, with a projected 25 percent of e-commerce sales coming from mobile. So how can you take full advantage of this opportunity? Here are some SEO tips to consider for the holidays.
- Become more active on social
Social media continues to become more influential for consumers (with 47 percent of millennials saying their purchases are influenced by social media). If you’re not too active on social media, consider increasing your presence. If you’re active but not seeing much engagement, rework your social media strategies. Look at the trending hashtags in your industry to reach other users who aren’t following you, see if you can work with influencers in your industry and make engaging posts. If you want conversations with your customers, lead those conversations (ask questions, likes for agreements, etc.).
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- Research and target trending keywords
According to Google Trends, the terms “stores,” “sales,” “gifts,” “discounts” and “deals” spike in mid-November to late-December. Target these keywords by updating your product pages, website, social media posts and online bios. You should also include banners to add on your website that show what discounts you’ll be offering and when. Incorporate these keywords in your title tags, H1 tags, meta descriptions and more.
- Update your meta data
Temporarily update your meta description tags to target trending keywords for the season. Include terms about deals for different product pages as well as holiday and gift-giving related keywords. Believe it or not, you should also consider including emojis in your meta descriptions (for the holidays, focus on the gift, snowflake, Christmas tree and other holiday-inclusive emojis).
Google has been rapidly indexing and placing more value in emojis, as 92 percent of online consumers use emojis, so don’t overlook this small detail.
- Look at your blog (if you have one)
If you don’t have a blog, start one next year. Blogs are a great way to increase your organic reach and showcase your expertise in your industry. If you own a restaurant, create a blog about restaurant trends, seasonal recipes and more. If you own a retail store, consider writing about fashion trends or retail business tips. If your blog isn’t performing as well as it could be, consider conducting an audit (or hiring an outside source to conduct an audit). This can help you identify areas on your blog that need improvement. Also, remember to not spam your blog with too many posts and too many keywords in one post.
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- Create gift guides
Another aspect to consider is adding gift guides to your online store. With gift guides, you can highlight specific products that would be great for moms, dads, siblings, partners, etc. It also gives you an opportunity to add more content to your website targeting those trending keywords. You’ll also better trend for keywords like “gifts for mom,” “gifts for dad,” etc. Customers will also appreciate the extra help if they’re struggling to find the perfect gift for a loved one.
The holidays are quickly approaching, and with e-commerce sales steadily growing year over year, you’ll want to take advantage. If you’re not focusing on your SEO practices for the holidays, now is the time to start. With these tips, you should be able to engage with consumers and gain some extra revenue.
