Winning Peak Season: How to attract early-bird shoppers

As we gear up for the peak shopping season, retailers are in for a challenge—capturing those high-intent shoppers who are far from casual browsers. These are the eager shoppers on the hunt for specific products, diving deep into research and comparing options like seasoned pros. With the clock ticking down, especially during peak times, they’re laser-focused on product features, meticulously reading reviews, and chasing down deals long before the holiday rush. 

Early-bird planners often kick off their spree as early as September or October. They’re all about dodging last-minute chaos, long queues, and stock shortages. Frustrations can arise from stock or delivery issues, making it vital for retailers to create a seamless shopping journey. To conquer the peak shopping season, retailers need to step up their game with strategies that enhance product visibility and relevance, all while navigating the shifting consumer behaviour and fierce competition. In part 3 of our Winning Peak Season series, we’re diving into two essential tactics specifically to target these savvy early-bird shoppers: refining product feeds and adapting your long-tail keyword strategy.  

Refining product feeds 

As shoppers dive deep into their research, brands are hit with the challenge of keeping product listings fresh and compliant with the ever-evolving demands of platforms like Google Shopping and Meta. And when peak season hits, this becomes even more crucial. Evolving search trends call for constant optimisation; without effective feed management and timely updates, you risk losing visibility and missing out on those high-intent customers. 

Retailers need to take a proactive approach to optimising their product feeds. It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about crafting listings that are spot-on and tailored to what shoppers are searching for. Start by auditing your product listings to uncover any inaccuracies or outdated info. Keep those updates rolling to stay in tune with market trends and consumer expectations. 

Harness the power of advanced feed optimisation tools to automate your updates, enhance data quality, and unlock insights into performance metrics. This way, you can pivot your strategies in real-time and stay ahead of shifting search behaviours. It’s all about keeping your products at the forefront and connecting with your audience when it matters most. Here are some key areas to focus on when updating your product feed: 

Titles and descriptions 
Craft concise, keyword-rich titles and descriptions that tap into the latest peak season trends and customer intent. Accurate and engaging titles are your golden ticket to appearing in relevant searches and boosting click-through rates. Instead of generic titles, use specific phrases like “Best Christmas Gift for Tech Lovers - Wireless Earbuds.” Incorporate seasonal keywords such as “Limited-Time Offer” or “Christmas Sale 2024” in your descriptions to attract attention. 

Product images 
Use dazzling, high-quality images that showcase your products from various angles and incorporate seasonal elements. Visually appealing images increase engagement and make your listings more attractive to potential buyers. Example: For a product like wireless earbuds, include festive backgrounds or gift-wrapping visuals to resonate with holiday shoppers. 

Pricing and availability 
Use high-quality images that showcase your products from various angles and incorporate seasonal elements. Visually appealing images increase engagement and make your listings more attractive to potential buyers. Example: For a product like wireless earbuds, include festive backgrounds or gift-wrapping visuals to resonate with holiday shoppers. 

Product categories 
Use platform-specific categories to improve product discoverability. Proper categorisation helps your products appear in the right search results, increasing their visibility to potential buyers. Example: For Google Shopping, categorise products under “Electronics > Audio > Headphones & Earbuds” to ensure they show up in relevant searches. 

Adapting long-keyword strategies

Early-bird shoppers are getting more specific with their search queries, digging into the details long before the peak season hits. A broad keyword strategy won’t do you any favours when trying to engage these high-intent shoppers—time to pivot. Focus on long-tail keywords to connect with those research-driven shoppers and boost your visibility. Here are some long-tail keyword strategies to get you started: 

Specific product descriptions: Keywords that detail the product, such as “best wireless headphones under £100.” 

Seasonal-based: Keywords related to the season, like “Christmas gift ideas for tech lovers.” 

Location-based: Keywords that include geographic specifics, such as “best holiday deals in London.” 

Question-based: Keywords framed as questions, like “What are the best gifts for teenage boys?” 

Gift-specific queries: Keywords focused on gift-giving, such as “unique gifts for her under £50.” 

Comparison-based: Keywords that compare products, like “iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy features.” 

User intent-based: Keywords that reflect a specific intent, such as “where to buy eco-friendly gifts online.” 

Conclusion 

Optimising product feeds and adapting your long-tail keyword strategy are crucial for navigating the challenges of the peak season. By aligning product feeds with peak season trends and targeting long-tail, intent-driven keywords, you can enhance visibility, capture early-bird planners and high-intent customers, and ultimately boost engagement and conversions. Implementing these tactics will help you stay ahead of the competition and maximise your marketing impact during the busiest shopping period of the year. 

Stay tuned for Part 4 of our series, where we’ll uncover insider hacks for optimising your campaigns during the peak season.