How to Launch Black Friday and Cyber Monday Campaigns Successfully in 2024

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: two days where online shopping carts see more action than a stadium during the final minute of a World Cup match. These are golden opportunities to skyrocket traffic and boost revenue. From global brands to local shops, businesses of all sizes are preparing for the annual shopping frenzy.

But here’s the challenge regarding holiday marketing—it’s not enough to just copy-paste your work from last year. With consumer habits constantly shifting and economic uncertainties looming, brands need to rethink and fine-tune their strategies each season.

Shoppers are out there in record numbers, but they’re also savvier, more budget-conscious, and looking for genuine value. To stand out in the holiday rush, your business needs a game plan that combines creativity with sharp, targeted tactics.

That’s where our guide comes in handy. We’ve pulled together some top-tier marketing ideas and inspiration to get you set for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the entire holiday hustle of 2024.

Stay for insights that will help you catch eyes, win hearts, and drive sales with your campaigns this season. Download photos, illustrations, and vectors from our BF & CM collection to empower your projects with high-quality, licensed content!

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing stats and ideas to drive sales in 2024

The upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping spree is shaping up to be bigger, more digital, and as competitive as ever. But when did we think otherwise?

Anyway, in 2024, brands are meeting high consumer expectations by staking on personalization, sustainability, and seamless digital experiences.

Let’s look at the key insights that can help your brand make the most of this year’s holiday shopping with some fresh data and actionable strategies for success.

If you’re new to marketing, explore our glossary of 50+ must-know digital marketing terms.

Record-breaking online sales

Online shopping continues to dominate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with a staggering $70.9 billion spent globally during Black Friday alone in 2023. This year, that number is expected to climb even higher, especially as shoppers increasingly choose online over physical stores for convenience, exclusive online deals, and easy price comparisons.

In fact, over 90 million U.S. shoppers went online for Black Friday deals last year, a trend that’s set to accelerate as brands invest in improving the online shopping experience.

Pro tip 🌟 Offer site-wide discounts with clear, simple pricing structures and ensure your website can handle a surge in traffic. Consider adding mobile-exclusive deals or app-only promotions to capture mobile shoppers, who accounted for nearly 80% of Cyber Week traffic in 2023 according to Salesforce.

Early shopping and extended sales

Black Friday is no longer a single-day event. Retailers extend their sales period into a full week, while early bird shoppers are cashing in well before the actual day. Early holiday shopping significantly contributes to overall sales, with many consumers beginning their research activities in early October and starting to purchase closer to BF.

Strategy ✍️ Start teasing your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals via emails and social media posts as early as October. Offer early-bird discounts to loyal customers to boost anticipation and reward for choosing you. And include a countdown timer!

This VIP strategy creates a sense of exclusivity and appreciation that can deepen customer loyalty and increase repeat purchases. Also, by doing so, you’ll increase early traffic and manage high-stress, high-traffic days with more ease.

Social media commerce on the rise

Social media is no longer just for communication and brand discovery—it’s a powerful sales channel. In 2023, more than a third of Black Friday shoppers searched platforms like Instagram and TikTok for deals, a trend driven by the convenience of discovering, researching, and purchasing all in one place.

Surely, you should choose where to focus your efforts: on social media or web, depending on your target audience. For younger generations, particularly Gen Z, social commerce is the preferred way to shop.

Quick win 🏆 Capture attention with Instagram and TikTok shoppable posts, livestream events, and influencer collaborations. Micro-influencers can particularly help reach niche audiences, as their high engagement rates, averaging over 2.5%, make them trusted voices for product recommendations.

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Value-driven shopping and sustainability

Consumers today are mindful of their purchases, with over 70% of shoppers reporting they’re environmentally aware and consider sustainability before making a purchase. Many consumers are willing to spend more on brands with eco-friendly practices, especially as environmental issues grow.

Doable idea ☝️ Highlight any sustainable practices your brand uses—whether it’s eco-friendly packaging, carbon-neutral shipping, or ethically sourced products. Transparent messaging on sustainability resonates well with modern consumers and can make your brand more competitive.

The growing role of AI and personalization

Any good news for eCommerce and small businesses? Yes! Nearly 19% of shoppers will still head straight to a company’s website to find deals, so prepare your banners, pop-ups, and sale filters. Also, prepare your AI helpers!

Artificial intelligence has become a distinctive factor in eCommerce, driving an estimated $51 billion in global Black Friday sales in 2023. Brands are using AI to create all sorts of improvements for seamless customer experience. Personalization enhances customer satisfaction and drives higher conversion rates, and in 2024, you have all the tools for that.

Pro tip 🌟 Set up automated product recommendations and dynamic discounts based on customer behavior. For customer support, consider deploying AI chatbots that can handle a high volume of inquiries and provide quick responses, easing the pressure on your support team.

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Limited-time flash sales with gamification

Black Friday and Cyber Monday flash sales are not new, but gamifying them is a fresh twist. You see, gamification wakes the competitive nature of shoppers, making the experience feel less like a transaction and more like a fun adventure.

If there are games, customers are more likely to stay on your site longer and even return to see what other surprises are in store. Of course, it doesn’t mean you have to gamify every marketing mechanic but think of incorporating gaming elements—like unlockable discounts or rewards for sharing your sale.

Strategy ✍️ For an even bigger impact, create a digital game where customers earn exclusive rewards or higher discounts as they go, and offer something completely amazing if they make it to the end of the game.

Exclusive bundles and BOGO offers

Bundling and BOGO (buy one, get one) deals can increase the average order value and move less popular products. By making bundles exclusive to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you create a sense of urgency for shoppers who might not otherwise buy multiple items.

Offer product bundles that combine bestsellers or pair frequently purchased items at a lower price than if bought separately. Alternatively, run a BOGO promotion, where customers receive a second item for free or at a discount when they buy the first.

Quick win 🏆 Use your website or email marketing to spotlight the cost savings and value of bundles or BOGO deals. This can encourage customers to add more to their carts and take advantage of the limited-time offers.

Essential Black Friday marketing strategies

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 of giving them a pleasant shopping experience and boosting your sales.

👉 Where to start?

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.

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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 a 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 to not only avoid website crashes and increase conversion rates, but also improve the overall customer 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.

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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 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 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 down on them during Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.

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Final thoughts: stand out this shopping season

Today’s shoppers expect more than discounts—they want experiences, stories, and reasons to feel good about their purchases. So, aim to strike a balance between creativity and consumer values in your 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.

By planning thoughtfully and connecting with your audience on a personal level, you can turn BF and CM from just another shopping event into a powerful moment to grow customer loyalty and drive record-breaking sales.