After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a lot of small stores either keep spending exactly as before or switch their ads off completely. Neither is ideal. December is a different month with its own patterns, and your ads should change with it.
The three phases of December
It helps to think of the month in three parts:
- Early December: gift shopping is in full swing. People still have time for delivery and are comparing options.
- The week before your shipping cut-off: urgency peaks. "Order by" messages work very well.
- After the cut-off: physical gifts slow down. Gift cards, digital products and local pickup take over, then post-Christmas sales begin.
Adjust budgets around your cut-off date
Your last day for holiday delivery is the most important date in your ad plan. Spend more in the days before it, then reduce budgets for products that can't arrive in time. If you sell gift cards, move budget to them once physical delivery is no longer possible. Our guide to Google Ads budgets for small stores explains how to set limits you're comfortable with.
Refresh your Meta Ads creative
Ads that ran all through Black Friday week are probably tired by now. People have seen them several times. Swap in new images or short videos with a gifting angle: the product wrapped, being opened, or used by the kind of person it's a gift for. Mention the delivery date in the first line of text. Our article on Meta ads creative that works has more ideas.
Retarget the weekend browsers
Black Friday weekend brought plenty of visitors who looked and didn't buy. They're your warmest audience in December. Run retargeting ads to recent visitors and cart abandoners with a gentle reminder and the delivery deadline, rather than a bigger discount.
Watch Google Shopping and search terms
Search behaviour shifts towards gift searches in December: "gifts for", "last minute", "same day delivery". Check your search terms report weekly, add negatives for searches you can't serve (such as "same day" if you can't deliver that fast), and make sure your best gift products have good titles and images in your Shopping feed.
Plan January now
Have your January sale ads and audiences ready before you log off for the holidays. Returns and gift card shoppers are a good audience in early January, and ad costs are often lower once the holiday rush is over.
Frequently asked questions
Should I keep running ads after Cyber Monday?
Yes, for most stores. Early December is still busy gift-shopping time, but budgets, audiences and creative should change from your Black Friday setup.
When should I lower my ad budget in December?
Usually after your last shipping date for holiday delivery, except for gift cards, digital products and local pickup.
Are January ads worth it?
Often, yes. Post-holiday sales, returns and gift card shoppers are active, and ad costs tend to be lower than in late November.
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