The Christmas season marks a crucial time for online retailers. It is
that time of the year when the sales peak and the visitor traffic
becomes pretty overwhelming.
Regular stores can close down at
night but online stores need to cater to customers 24X7. That is why
online retailers need to make sure that their e-commerce website is in
best condition all through the day and caters efficiently to all the
needs and requirements of the customers no matter what time they come
knocking. And during the Christmas season, you would need to be
prepared for an overdose of traffic. Thus it is important to make sure
that the website has a seasonal design, strong traffic infrastructure
and an excellent search engine optimization strategy in place.
It
is advisable to start preparations as early as October, so that you can
settle a good place in the search engines by November and December.
Here are some tips to help you get your website ready for the Christmas
season!
Offer Free Stuff to Customers
Nothing
attracts visitor attention like the word 'Free'. And giving away free
stuff is an excellent way to attract more customers and maximize the
impact of the business. Also don't forget to include a toll that
suggests similar or related products. They are proven to produce higher
average order value. Christmas is the best time to offer freebies. It
can be just about anything... From free gift wrapping to free products
and so on.
Give a Seasonal Twist to your SEO
It is
very important for businesses to customize their keywords and tweak
their search engine optimization efforts during the Christmas season if
they want to cash in on the holiday shopping extravaganza. You need to
associate your business with Christmas in some way and include the word
'Christmas' in the title tags and keywords of the website. The earlier
you do this, the more traffic yo can expect.
Garnish your Web Design with Christmas Toppings]
Like
regular stores, your online store would do well with some Christmas
decorations. While a redesign of the website does not make sense, it
will be a good idea to get a professional web design company or web
designer to design some simple Christmas art for your website. It would
give your website a festive look and feel and invite people.
Create a Social Media Strategy
With
the soaring popularity of websites like Facebook and Twitter, you
cannot afford ignore the power of social media. In fact, it can be an
excellent medium to market your website this Christmas. An effective
social media strategy focuses on online engagement with your target
markets. If the information that you offer is good enough, people will
start talking about it in no time and you will get more links to your
website.
Load your Inventory
The demand soars high
during the Christmas season. So make sure you have enough stock to
cater to the international demands. Even if it means ordering more than
usual, don't let a situation arise where you fall short of stock. You
need to analyze the ongoing trends to know what is going to sell well
and what will not. Only then you can seek to create a successful sales
plan.
Strengthen the Technical Infrastructure
Make
sure your website is prepared to handle the overwhelming traffic during
the Christmas season. Sign up with a professional hosting provider to
get some extra space just in case.
