Advertising in November and December, is it worth it?

By Stephanie Carrillo, Senior Marketing Consultant at Heinz Marketing

Advertising in the month of November and December is worth it for B2C companies and some B2B companies with short purchasing cycles. Take advantage of the 50% increase in ad impressions, 100% increases in click-through rates, and 60% increase in conversions.  Many companies will see an average order value go up by 30%, making the ad spend worth the investment.

Why I recommend skipping advertising during the holidays

If you are a B2B Company with a purchasing cycle of longer than three months, I recommend putting most advertising tactics on hold during November and December. The increase in ad spend during this time will not only drive up your overall cost per lead, but it typically does not produce the results you want.

Here are a few reasons to avoid this time a year and why your money is better invested in other marketing programs like developing new content.

• Most companies are nearing the end of the fiscal year and have depleted budgets
• Ad spend doubles
• Buying Committee members are busy buying holiday gifts
• Buying Committee members are on vacation
• Competition is fierce

What marketing channels I recommend in November and December?

During this time, I would focus on supporting the sales teams by targeting the accounts they are trying to close by the end of the year. Focus on your nurture programs and use retargeting to target these top accounts with bottom-funnel content like case studies, analyst reviews, or trial offers.

The bottom line, I would advertise during the holiday season if your purchasing cycle is short.  If the purchasing process is long, I would invest money in other programs or focus solely on retargeting to current opportunities.