- Get Ahead of the Game – reach out to your top advertisers to secure exclusives in advance of the big day. What is their key strategy? Can you support with Black Friday creative or shopping teasers?
- LastMinute.com – check, check, check! Can you secure any last minute exclusives from your advertisers? Have you checked that your links are working (note that some URLs may lead to an unfinished advertiser page in advance of the day)? Is your mobile site optimised for high traffic? These publisher basics will ensure a smooth customer journey for your users.
- The Big Reveal – many advertisers will not release details or unveil their codes ahead of Cyber Weekend to avoid press leakage and to ensure that they will be the best in market versus retail rivals. Do not let this put you off – make sure you are in contact with your advertisers to find out when and where you can find these top offers in time for launch.
- Countdown Calendars – look out for the advertisers unveiling increasing offers throughout the week leading up to Black Friday. Start to gain momentum with these offers to ensure you are increasing your traffic ahead of the weekend. Are your customers aware of the upcoming promotions to be released on your site?
- Weekend Duration – remember Black Friday deals will begin early on November 23rd and will end at differing times throughout the weekend as a result of global shopping availability and in order for retailers to increase conversions. Will your advertisers be releasing new offers on Cyber Monday? Will your offers vary for different countries?
- Real-Time Reactions – keep an eye on your offers throughout the weekend as advertisers may be responding to stock levels, code usage and margins. Make sure you are only promoting offers that are live and working to avoid customer dissatisfaction, and continue to check your link referrals are leading to a live webpage.
- Who’s Missing? Are you aware of any advertisers choosing to opt out of Black Friday this year? With key retailers looking to protect margin and avoid ‘competition days’ next year – double check who your key players are and collate your strongest and most relevant offers for your audience.
- December Drop-Off – remember that November rules the annual shopping calendar with increasing sales from Single’s Day and Black Friday. Be prepared for a December drop-off when monitoring Month-on-Month activity and start to utilise the data you have secured from the largest retail events of the year. Which message mechanisms worked well? Who were your top advertisers? How can you optimise these relationships further?
It is easy to get lost within the Black Friday buzz as both retailers and customers alike will be preparing to spend and save across the weekend. Remember to keep an eye on your site and continue to liaise with your contacts to ensure you can make the most of the weekend without the worry!
For further information and advice, take a look at our latest whitepaper entitled ‘ The Golden Quarter: Affiliate Predictions 2018’ here.
