2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Key Insights and Essential Preparations

The holidays are quickly approaching, starting the year’s busiest shopping season. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday phenomenon is a tremendous opportunity for any business to increase traffic and drive revenue. From large international brands to small local companies, almost every business tries to take advantage of this sales frenzy.

Yet the holiday shopping season can be a challenge for marketers: ever-changing trends, shifts in consumer behavior, and economic uncertainty require brands to revise their marketing strategy yearly. People are shopping more than ever before, but now they are more aware and cost-conscious in their purchasing decisions. Your business needs solid planning to stand out from the crowd and make the most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping madness.

With that in mind, we created this article to help you prepare for the holiday season in 2022! Read through to find helpful marketing tips and inspiration for your holiday campaigns.

Key Insights for 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday

It’s difficult to overestimate the importance of Black Friday and Cyber Monday for companies and their revenue targets. Although they were initially American shopping holidays, they have spread across the world, and become increasingly popular over the years. Before the holidays even start, customers are bombarded with ​​promotions from various channels, so by the time Black Friday and Cyber Monday arrive, a lot of shoppers have already decided what to buy and how to go about it. And those who haven’t made up their mind about a particular purchase might still buy something impulsively. That’s why every business should take these two events seriously!

Here are several major insights you should consider when planning your 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.

1. Growth in spending

During the 2021 holiday season, consumers hit a record by spending $204 billion on online shopping. According to recent research, sales increased almost 9% compared to the previous year. People also began shopping earlier, extending the event beyond just Black Friday and Cyber Monday. End-of-November sales grew 19.2% in 2021 and are expected to increase even more in 2022.

2. Shopping from social media platforms

Shopping today is more than ever a social activity, with almost 60% of customers using social media to visit brands’ Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok pages to make a purchase. With more than a third of shopping decisions made with the support of social media ads, purchasing through social media is a clear trend that will stay with us for a long time. In 2022, social media usage for shopping is predicted to hit its highest, especially among millennials and Gen Zers.

3. Increase in ethical concerns

Consumers are becoming more socially conscious than ever, with nearly 40% of shoppers reported to be concerned with environmental or social issues. People adapt their purchase and consumption habits to support sustainability, and are willing to pay more for products that implement sustainable practices. In 2022, people are more likely than ever to buy from socially and environmentally conscious brands.

Essential Black Friday Preparations

1. Check your product pages

It’s good to start with the basics. Before you launch any marketing campaign, audit your product pages. High-quality descriptions and pleasant visuals have a massive influence on purchase decisions. Customers spend most of their time browsing through different products, so ensuring they have relevant information is your way to give them a pleasant shopping experience and boost your sales.

Where to start?

First thing first: look at the main pages with holiday deals and products you offer in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Edit outdated or irrelevant information that may mislead your customers, update low-quality images, and make sure to add relevant keywords for SEO optimization. If you have enough time, include customer reviews or personal stories to build more trust with your clients.

2. Prepare your website

During the holiday season, traffic surges increase, which may lead to mishaps, irritated customers, and a decrease in sales. No one likes to wait, so the longer your page takes to load, the more likely your clients will lose patience. Customers expect the brand’s website to load quickly so they can find what they are looking for and finish their purchase fast. Making sure your website can handle heavy traffic is one way to maximize successful Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Where to start?

Optimizing your website is a way not only to avoid website crashes and increase conversion rates, but also to improve the overall customer’s shopping experience. Evaluate your hosting and run several traffic tests. If your website is failing or close to its limit, prepare for an upgrade! It’s crucial for handling massive Black Friday and Cyber Monday traffic spikes, but it will benefit you all year round.

3. Add more sales channels

Provide your customers with additional opportunities to discover your Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by promoting them through all your marketing channels. This will help you to engage with your clients at every possible touchpoint and offer them the most convenient customer experience. Activating all your sales channels has been shown to increase your revenue up to five times, making it worth the effort.

Where to start?

Consolidate your product information and organize your sales channels so that you can develop relevant deals for every client. If you already use several sales channels, offer your clients the most convenient way of communicating with you. Some of your channels may get you more profit than others, which means you can double them down during Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.

4. Give sustainable options

Company values are one of the top factors influencing customer behavior and purchasing decisions, with more than 70% of clients looking for sustainable brands that share their values. Alongside quality, convenience, and a pleasant customer experience, clients look for brands that take action about the world’s most pressing social and environmental issues. That’s why more and more brands are starting to embrace purpose and advocate for the same values held by their customers.

Where to start?

You don’t have to become sustainable overnight. Start small by giving your customers sustainable options, such as reducing packaging or making it recyclable, reusable, and eco-friendly. If you already practice sustainability, make sure you mention it on pages with Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, as well as on your social media, website, product pages, and packaging.

To wrap it up

Every year Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the biggest shopping season, creating the perfect opportunity for any business to increase conversion rates and boost sales. From analyzing trends in customer behavior to updating product pages, there is a lot to consider during holiday campaign preparation. You need a solid strategy to stand out during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping madness. Yet, the experience doesn’t have to be that difficult and stressful. By diving into basic insights and making some preparations, you’ll be able to earn more sales and give your customers a delightful experience.

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