Two friends in Barcelona sitting at bench after shopping
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The holidays are everywhere – or rather the ads around holiday shopping are everywhere, including on TV, radio and of course online. Social media has become a major part of any brand’s holiday ad campaign, and according to recent data Facebook continues to be the advertisers’ go-to platform this year.
Sprout Social released the findings of a new study that found that the social network ranks as the largest social media platforms during the holiday season. It reported that in November and December of last year, retailers received 55% more Facebook messages, posts and comments per day than the rest of the year.
During last year’s holiday season retailers also sent more 53% more outgoing Facebook messages each month (November and December) than those of the non-holiday months.
All this is in fact building brand awareness.
Research from Smartly.io, a leading social media advertising firm, with data from a Dynata survey, found that consumers not only recognized that social media presented a new way to shop for gifts, but that those consumers also were more likely to make purchases after being influenced by what they saw on social media.
Online Shopping
The growth of the influence of social media coincides with the fact that increasingly consumers aren’t hitting the malls or pounding the pavement to find that perfect gift. PwC’s 2019 Holiday Outlook report found that 54% of U.S. consumers planned to shop online this holiday season, and as a result social media is providing a way for consumers to search for gift ideas but also to make purchases.
Smartly.io found that 57% of holiday shoppers even felt that ads on various social media platform source new gift ideas, and that 48% considered making a purchase directly from the ads.
“While the holidays serve as a clear and present opportunity for brands to drive revenue, it is also the most competitive time of year to reach consumers,” explained Andreas Stenman, head of ecommerce and disruptors at Smartly.io
“Today’s consumers are looking for ads that are relevant and personalized, and they are more open than ever to purchasing products they see on social media,” added Stenman. “According to our findings, 35% of consumers indicated that an ad with compelling or engaging video, animation or imagery was the top factor influencing their decision to buy a product they see on social.”
The Top Platforms
Facebook and Instagram have remained the top platforms this holiday season, and according to Smartly.io’s finding 61% of U.S. consumers expected to see the most relevant holiday ads on those services. That was followed by Google’s YouTube with just 15%.
The social media platforms have garnered a lot of consumer trust as well, and 57% of respondents said that they had high expectations that Facebook and Instagram will deliver the best quality holiday ads this year. That further explains why 76% of purchases made via social media advertising have done so with Facebook or Instagram.
The message could be what matters, and concise might not be it. That is why according to Smartly.io, Twitter and Snapchat have barely been a blip on shoppers’ radar this year, and respondents have said those services are the least likely places to find the perfect gift.
Hitting the right notes this season could make the difference between closing a sale or not.
“Marketers need to ensure their ads prioritize creative and blend seamlessly into the user experience – especially around the holidays when consumers are hypersensitive to ad fatigue,” said Stenman. “Those brands who can design their ads to be as unobtrusive to the consumer as possible, and to conform to the native content each placement has, will likely find themselves celebrating in the new year.”
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