Holidays account for a large portion of annual sales for many retailers. Experts predict that holiday spending will increase by 3.7% to more than $1 trillion this year.

If you want to get the best season, spend money on advertising. With social media’s organic reach on the decline and many other competitors trying to reach the same customers,

Effective ads go beyond promoting your usual posts on social media. It is important to understand the benefits of your products and how they affect your target audience. You can then stand out by creating memorable, relevant ads that encourage customer action.

These are nine great tips to help you design holiday ads that will be memorable and maximize your impact.

1. Know your target audience

Even though you might have a good understanding of your target audience, it may look very different during the holidays.

A consumer may shop only at one retailer, but the holiday season might encourage them to explore new brands and find unique gifts. This is a great time to expand your reach and reach customers of other brands or segments you think may be interested in your store.

You might find your target audience shifting completely. If you sell camping gear, for example, your target audience might be outdoor enthusiasts. During the holidays, however, your customers might be people who are looking for gifts for outdoor enthusiasts. They might not have been camping before.

These people will not be as familiar with technical terminology and industry slang. Make sure your product descriptions are easily understood by average shoppers.

2. Use Descriptive Language

Online shoppers are unable to touch, smell, or experience a product in person. Written descriptions that are well-written can convince them to buy your products.

For example, if you are selling candles, don’t say it smells like a vanilla latte. You can say, “This candle will transport you to the warmth of a coffee shop on cold nights.” Every time you smell this candle, you’ll feel like you just took your first cup of vanilla latte.

Use language that describes how gift recipients will feel if you are aware that you are primarily targeting gift-givers. “Imagine your child’s joy when they see this under their tree!” “Your husband will be in love again after seeing this thoughtful, personalized gift!”

You will have limited space for your advertisement graphic so it is important to use detailed language in the text that follows the graphic on social media or product pages. These elements can be considered extensions of your ads.

3. Keep your design simple

Consider your design hierarchy first. Consider the most important information in your ad. Your coupon code? Your button? Your headline? Your headline should be bold and memorable.

GhostBed used colors to highlight important information in its Black Friday ad. The image is predominantly black and white but they used bold red colors and large font sizes to draw attention to the offer ($300).

Make sure you choose a font that is legible and easy to read, even in small sizes. Although decorative and script fonts can be fun and serve an important function, they are difficult to read in large text. For important information, use a serif font or a sans serif font.

So that the text can be read easily, make sure it is in a different color from the background. Try to view it from a distance. Ask someone unfamiliar with the topic to do the same.

Your ad graphic should not be stuffed with too much text. Keep your text as minimal as possible to convey your message effectively. Remember that certain ad platforms like Facebook may limit the amount of text in your ad. To maximize space, test them.

Depending on your platform, you can use longer, more descriptive sentences on product pages and in the body text of your ad.

Remember to include a call to action. This is intended to get potential customers to take a specific action such as clicking on an advertisement, purchasing a product, or like a post. Use a larger font, brighter color, or large button to highlight your call-to-action.

Make sure you are very clear in the language of your call to action. Your call to action should be concise and clear so your customers understand what to do. You can use these examples: “Browse Shoes”, “Shop Now”, or “Reserve Yours Today.”

Keep it simple. Too many colors, fonts, and sizes can make an ad confusing. You can’t make anything stand out if you don’t highlight it all.

4. Select Effective Images   

Images are an essential part of your ad design. Try different imagery types to find the one that resonates with your target audience. What are your most popular social media posts?

Images of people are often more effective than products. Instagram photos with faces receive 30% more likes on Instagram than images without faces. Consider including images of people opening your packages or using your products on Christmas morning.

A white space image, which is a space that does not contain any major design elements, can be used to add text. Because they are not in competition with the image, it makes it easier to read and understand your headline and body text.

It’s a good idea not to overdo holiday imagery. Customers will see red, green, glitter, and snowflakes everywhere. A well-crafted ad that incorporates holidays into your branding can make a big impact.

SOXS.co shared photos on Instagram of people wearing socks near a warm fire and Christmas tree. It was instantly warm and cozy, and it evoked the warmth of the holidays without being too extravagant.

Ask your customers to send photos or videos of themselves using your products if you have trouble finding holiday advertising inspiration. You can share your images on social media, and give prizes to the people who receive the most comments or likes.

Encourage customers to share their ideas and you will discover the language that connects with them. People who feel connected to a brand are more likely than others to buy your products.

5. Use videos

Advertisements don’t have to be static images. 90% of customers say videos aid them in making buying decisions. This tactic can be applied to holiday advertising.

These are just a few of the many ways you can use videos in your advertising.

• Make a video showing people using your products. Show children having fun with toys if you sell them. Show your electronics in action if you sell them. This will help customers visualize their loved ones using your products.

• Provide helpful tips. Is your product possible to use innovatively? Is it possible to incorporate the foods you sell into holiday recipes? You can share a how-to video that will capture the attention of your customers and demonstrate the versatility of your products.

• Film a holiday greeting. Thanks to your customers, thank them for their support. You can also feature members of your team. This video will keep your customers happy and encourage repeat purchases.

• You can share a coupon or discount code. Simple videos with text and images are effective. A video’s motion is what draws people in. It stands out from the rest of the photos and text that are shared on social media.

Make sure you incorporate the same principles as in photo-based ads into your videos. Avoid being too complicated; include a clear call-to-action; and ensure that all text is easily understood and easy to read.

Don’t forget to caption your videos on social media. This is important for people with hearing impairments. The majority of Facebook videos are viewed with the sound off.

6. Offer customers something special

Customers will be more inclined to click on your ads if you offer a discount or coupon code. Motivational discounts are great!

As mentioned, understanding your target audience will allow you to tailor your offerings to meet their needs. This ad is targeted at parents. Offer a coupon code for a discount on children’s clothing

You might consider offering something more than a discount. Instead, you might offer a tangible bonus product. Even though it might be small, the thrill of finding the perfect stocking stuffer and the opportunity to get it in return could provide the motivation that the customer needs.

You can also create games and competitions that encourage participation and are enjoyable for all participants.

This can be done by enticing customers to participate in a giveaway or contest. You can then use this information to get their email address and other information to advertise to them in the future. You can also give coupons to people who do not win, encouraging them to buy anyway.

7. You can test and make changes

Every ad is not going to be successful. You should create several variations of the same ad and thoroughly test them. An ad that does not immediately generate sales isn’t necessarily a failure. To determine if the ad is effective, ensure you have a sufficient sample size.

Once you have identified the best variations, remove them and give more money to the ones that bring in the most sales. To get the best performance, make sure to check your ads frequently and adjust as necessary.

Digital ads can be used to complement traditional media such as billboards or magazine ads. You can test ideas online for a low budget, and then use the results to make better offline media purchases.

8. Modify Your Message

Your message must also evolve. People are searching for the best deals on top-selling items leading up to Black Friday. You might also be shopping for yourself, so it’s a good idea to pay less attention to gift-giving and more to the deals that you offer.

As the holiday season progresses, your ads might be adjusted to target people looking for the perfect gift. 51% of last-minute shoppers plan to buy their gifts online. Help them find the right gift for them!

It’s okay to adapt your ads as your audience changes. Always test!

9. Urgency

You can remind shoppers that there is a limited supply of certain items, or set a timer for your special discounts. Stress the time they have until the holiday and give shipping cutoff dates.

This strategy appeals to a buyer’s fear of missing out. People will want a product that is limited in quantity. Although you should not be dishonest with your advertising, it is more likely that you will drive sales if your product is limited and people are interested.

Get Holiday Advertising Ready

This is the best time to create ad designs and write ad copy. There will be too many things to worry about when the holidays are in full swing. You need to be prepared for the holiday shopping season.