The holidays are notorious for being the time of year that rakes in the most revenue. This is especially true for retail and e-commerce stores, but any business can capitalize on holiday shopping trends. In this post, we’ll look at some eye-opening content marketing statistics so you can plan your holiday business strategy accordingly.
Image Credit: Artem Podrez from Pexels
- In 2022, market research suggests sales may reach $1.3 trillion. That’s 3.3% higher than last year. For the holidays marketers expect e-commerce to hit a high of $236 billion in sales. source
Online shopping has been trending upward for years, and this is especially true during the holidays. Digital stores have a competitive edge. This is why even small brick-and-mortar stores can benefit from offering BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store) or online orders that ship right to the customer. - In 2020, estimates showed that by 2022, e-commerce sales would make up about 16% of total retail sales for the year. source
In today’s world, customers expect a high level of convenience and personalization. Smart brands are already building omnichannel marketing strategies this holiday season. It makes it much easier for loyal customers to find your products, whether it be online or offline. The value of omnichannel marketing is its seamlessness. Customers get the same positive experience no matter how they encounter your brand. - Emails regarding abandoned carts received an impressive 45% open rate and a 21% clickthrough rate. Once customers click, about half complete the purchase. source
This content marketing statistic highlights the importance of checking in with customers. Some might be shopping around, but if they intended to purchase recently, the odds are in your favor. If you don’t automate emails for customers who’ve abandoned their cart, you’re leaving a good amount of revenue on the table. - Email campaigns targeted at specific audience segments accounted for a whopping 760% rise in email-driven sales. source
Of all the content marketing statistics, this is one of the most surprising. Most marketers know audience segmentation is useful, but few would expect it to raise revenue so dramatically. Segmenting your audience means sending more personalized messages, and that gets customers’ attention. - “37% of consumers said that they will get inspired by gift ideas by browsing the websites of their favorite brands, and 23% will go window shopping.” source
Digital window shopping is a great way to figure out what you want to buy. Some customers are looking for gift ideas while others are comparing similar products to make a decision. Either way, businesses need to provide as much information as possible online. Customer reviews, high-quality images, and thorough descriptions can make all the difference. - Half of all holiday shoppers polled reported a preference for sustainable retail brands. source
The importance of sustainability has become painfully obvious. It’s why so many brands are already making strides to become more eco-friendly. A sustainability audit is one way to get started. Be sure to share your progress and the authentic results you’ve achieved with your audience. Rather than merely claiming to be sustainable, demonstrate your commitment to sustainability. - 80% of shoppers are influenced by their internet browsing before making holiday purchases. Most use Google or Bing to search for specific products. source
This one is no surprise. The internet has given consumers the opportunity to shop smarter, and it’s unlikely this trend is going away anytime soon. So what can brands do? Simple: Make your products easily searchable. Whether it’s running ads or having an organic SEO strategy, make sure you’re appearing in front of customers with high purchase intent. - A survey from Meta showed 29% of shoppers reported finding gifts through influencers during the holidays. source
Influencers are an undeniable part of modern culture. Scrolling through social media and shopping have become synonymous. This is why many brands are focused more on integrated marketing than traditional advertising. Today’s consumers generally don’t want to be advertised to. They want to come across great products naturally. Thus influencers are the perfect facilitators between you and your ideal customer. - 15% of United States shoppers reported buying an item on Black Friday or Cyber Monday because an influencer promoted it. source
Again, influencers got their name for a reason. Black Friday is still one of the most significant shopping events of the year, but it is changing. Businesses need to adapt to the fact that Cyber Monday has stolen some of its thunder. In recent years, crowds are thinning out and more people are staying home on Black Friday. There’s less urgency to rush out the door. Thus many brands are extending Black Friday sales to a few days or even a full week. - “Mobile devices generate nearly 60% of all web traffic.” source
The number of consumers who shop directly through their phones is somewhat surprising. For important transactions and purchases, you’d expect consumers to sit down at a computer with a bigger screen. But with mobile optimization improvements, there’s really no need anymore. Many people prefer mobile shopping, and brands can’t afford clunky mobile navigation. - For many brands, 25-40% of revenue comes from loyal customers who return repeatedly. source
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s the importance of customer loyalty. It’s far cheaper to retain a customer than to generate a new one. Reducing churn and ensuring one-off customers become repeat customers saves money. - 72% of shoppers scan for discounts and sales when deciding on a big purchase. source
If there’s a deal online, most consumers take the time to find it. Especially during the holidays, shoppers know brands are competing for their business. They don’t rush big purchases or simply go with the first offer they see. This is why marketers must ask themselves if they’re really offering the best deal. If not, finding ways to sweeten the pot can mean the difference between a sale and an almost-sale. - “In 2021, 55% of consumers began holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, and 31% began shopping before Halloween.” source
It may be hard for last-minute shoppers to believe, but some shoppers are extra on-the-ball. Rather than getting stuck in last-minute crowds, more people are opting to get their shopping done ASAP. They plan ahead and buy whenever they see the perfect gift. For this reason, it couldn’t hurt to start marketing early. October or November ads don’t have to be Christmasy. They just need valuable products and decent discounts. - “Video initiatives have been shown to increase mean order value. 64% of consumers reported that watching an ad on Facebook influenced purchase intent.” source
This is a memorable content marketing statistic for the holidays. Videos are generally more engaging than text when done right. A well-crafted video is like art. It can inspire excitement and anticipation while portraying the deeper meaning behind a gift.
