Tag Archives: holiday

Catching the eye with seasonal ads

Reading time: 4 minutes

Seasonal campaigns go beyond the holidays - Cyber Monday, Mother’s Day, and Small Business Saturday are also a huge part of the retail year. They’re less about targeting seasons, and more about finding moments with a common appeal in your client’s industry.

Brands need to be present in these moments, ready to greet panic-driven deal hunters with the perfect solution. So we sat down with Shopify’s CMO Hana Abaza on the Google Partners Podcast to get her top tips for seasonal campaigns that drive sales.


Find your season

Every business has an element of seasonality; times when interest piques and traffic spikes. All you need to do is identify them! Robust Google Analytics reports are a great place to start. Export your data onto a spreadsheet, and with some clever formatting, trends will start to light up like fireworks on New Year's Eve. 

Analytics also helps you uncover biases that may be hiding behind “failed” campaigns. For example, if you pumped a lot of your budget into targeting Valentine’s Day last year without success, it would be easy to write the day off as a ‘bad fit’ for your brand. Take a fresh look at the data, carry out an honest review, and you may find that small tweaks are all that’s needed to turn things around next year. 


Spot your opportunity

You’ve identified the seasons that matter to your business, now make sure your marketing budget is ready to handle the increased workload. Use Google Trends to spot search trends across each region you’re targeting, then compare that to search volume data in Google Ads to find keywords that fit your offering. 

In the build-up of individual events, Consumer Barometer can help you better understand how to reach your audience at the right time, with the right message. Different events bring up different emotions, so keeping track of consumer trends is a great way to make sure your ads strike an emotional chord with your audience. 


Create separate campaigns

It’s important that you measure success without the noise of other, non-seasonal campaigns. This helps you identify nuances in each season, and optimize next year’s campaigns with those insights in mind. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment with copy. Products like Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) can help you test different messages with very little effort. All you need to do is enter multiple headlines and descriptions about your products, and Google Ads will test different combinations to identify the best fit for your audience. 


Don’t miss last-minute shoppers

There’s been a 120% increase in “same-day delivery” searches since 20151. For urgent searches, 74% of shoppers say that when they’re searching on mobile, they look for the most relevant information, regardless of the company or brand2. As a result, the retailer that provides the most seamless experience wins. 

Season-specific promotion extensions help your ads stand out on Google’s results pages, and spotlight special promotions you may be running for the event. Highlighting services like same-day delivery, last-minute sales, or gift-wrapping may be all it takes to tip customers in your direction. 

Great seasonal campaigns are all about planning. Arm yourself with industry trends, plan your marketing budget with those trends in mind, and remember to tap into your consumer’s emotions with ads that resonate. With the right tools, a detailed content plan, and thorough research, you’ll be setting yourself up for seasonal success. 

Watch the video below and tune in to the Google Partners Podcast for more actionable tips and insights for seasonal success. 


1 How to reach today’s impatient shoppers - whether they’re shopping online, by voice, or in store, Think With Google, May 2018 
2 How to reach today’s impatient shoppers - whether they’re shopping online, by voice, or in store, Think With Google, May 2018

Join Google, Constant Contact, LinkedIn, and Vistaprint for a “Small Business Summer School” Livestream Workshop

School is in session: Sharpen your pencils, pull out that notebook, and settle in on July 25th when we share a special livestream workshop. Learn about key strategies and tools to help your business prepare for a successful second half of the year, including the holiday season.

“Small Business Summer School” Livestream Workshop
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
9:00am - 10:30am PST | 12pm - 1:30pm EST


There are two ways you can watch:
1. Register for a partner-hosted viewing party to watch the workshop with fellow businesses in your community. These events are hosted by local organizations that partner with Google to help small businesses grow.
2. Can’t find a viewing party near you? No problem. Register here and we'll send you details on how to access the livestream online.


During this livestream you’ll learn from Google and our friends at Constant Contact, LinkedIn, and Vistaprint. We’ll share lessons on how to reach more customers with social media, get more out of email marketing, stand out online to local shoppers, and make your busy season your best season.


We’ll wrap up the workshop with a live Q&A. For the chance to have your questions answered live, post your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #SmallBizSchool.


Posted by Whitney Cox, Marketing Manager, Get Your Business Online

How Canadians are shopping this holiday season

Are you a last-minute shopper? Well, you’re not alone. With only 10 days until the holidays, a new study tells us that Canadians have completed less than half of their holiday shopping!1 But these last-minute shoppers aren’t panicking.


We partnered with Ipsos to survey Canadians on how they’ve used technology to shop this holiday season, and we found that holiday shoppers are using their smartphones, search and online video to be savvier than ever. This year, 34 percent of Canadian shoppers say they always do research or check digital sources before going to the store. Canadians may be last-minute shoppers, but they certainly have a game plan for when they hit the mall.


Today we’re sharing three trends that surfaced during Canada’s peak shopping season:


Smartphones are the ultimate shopping companion

The smartphone is a ubiquitous part of Canada's shopping experience, and when Canadians incorporated smartphone searches into their holiday shopping activities it resulted in a purchase 49 percent of the time. Savvy shoppers are turning to their smartphones to make purchases. Of the transactions that were made online this holiday season, 33 percent were purchased via smartphone.


While more people are willing to buy on mobile, we know that mobile is still used as a personal research assistant in and out of the store. This year, 38 percent of Canadian shoppers that bought in-store used their smartphone to search for products and services, and 74 percent used mobile apps as part of their holiday shopping experience.


Digital research influences purchases

Digital tools like smartphones and online search are friends, not foes, to in-store shopping. Canadian shoppers are conducting online research before they hit the mall to determine what they want to buy, the best products in a given category and which stores to visit to find that they need. We’ve seen mobile searches related to “best” products in the top retail categories grow by more than 44 percent in the last year.2


This year, shoppers are prepared, as one in five Canadian holiday shoppers say they’ve checked prices online before going in store. Almost half (43%), wish retail stores would do a better job of sharing inventory information.


YouTube is the new gift guide

Whether it’s watching a product review or learning how to bake gingerbread cookies, Canadian shoppers look to video in countless moments throughout to the day to help get things done. And this includes shopping. This holiday season, shoppers will turn to devices to learn more, make a decision or purchase a product. This year, 26 percent of holiday shoppers used online video to look at products and services


Whether you’re a last-minute shopper or you’ve checked off your whole list, have a happy holiday!


Posted by Sarah Bradley and Naumi Haque, Research and Market Insights Managers, Google Canada.


1 Google/Ipsos, 2016 Holiday Shopping Study, Nov 17 to Dec 9, 2016, with n=1,387 Canadian shoppers

2 Google internal data, Canada searches related to apparel, home & garden, beauty & personal care, computer & electronics, and gift (excluding terms “best buy,” “best man,” and “best friends”). Jan-March 2015 vs. Jan-March 2016

Updating Your Holiday Hours on Google? Easy as Pumpkin Pie.

Heather Mohorn, owner of Momo’s Tree House, adds special hours on Google to let last-minute shoppers know when her business is open. “The holiday hours feature makes it easy to communicate [changes in hours] to customers,” she says. “It reduces the number of phone calls we receive to ask whether we’re open, which is nice when we’re busy wrapping those last-minute gifts on Christmas Eve.”

With Google My Business, you can update your business info on Google for free to ensure that your phone number, address, and hours of operation are correct so customers can find you this season (and beyond).

To help you make the most of the season, we put together a holiday workshop filled with tips for using the web to connect with shoppers. Preview the section on updating your holiday hours above, or watch the entire workshop at gybo.com/livestream.

For a list of step-by-step instructions on how to update your hours on Google My Business, visit our help center

We hope this is one thing you can easily check off your holiday to-do list.

Cheers,
Emily Harris, on behalf of the Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map team

Help Holiday Shoppers Find Your Business

Since 1992, Werkheiser Jewelers has been helping customers find the perfect holiday gift–from picking out an engagement ring to restoring cherished family heirlooms. While they’ve kept their love for tradition alive, the way they do business has changed with the times.

Today, 78% of shoppers online use the Internet for holiday research.1 That includes jewelry shoppers searching for a gift for that special someone. Alyssa Rizzo-Berg, Media Marketing Manager at Werkheiser Jewelers, explains, “Maybe they’re looking to buy that first big piece of jewelry or an engagement ring. Because of Google, they’re able to find us.”

We all rely on small businesses to help make our holidays special, and we rely on the Internet to help us find the right local spots. Is your business ready to connect during this busy time of year?
In the next few weeks, Google and our partners are bringing hundreds of local workshops to a city near you to help your business get ready for the holidays. On October 26th, we’re also hosting a live workshop online with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Join us to learn how to create a free business listing on Google, optimize your website for mobile, and advertise online.


- OR -



We hope to see you there. And from our team to yours, happy holidays!

Posted by Emily Harris, Program Manager, Let's Put Our Cities on the Map

1. Ipsos MediaCT, Google Post Holiday Shopping Intentions Study, January 2015, n=1,500.

Kick off your summer travels with these new Google Maps features

The weather’s heating up, kids are out of school, and that means only one thing: summer’s officially here. Summer brings weekend road trips, faraway escapes and all kinds of getaways in between. And with the latest update to Google Maps, we're introducing two new features to get you where you’re going and help you remember your travels in a brand new way.

Road trip warriors can now get multi-stop directions in Google Maps on Android (coming soon to iOS). Just open the app, enter a destination, tap the corner menu, and then click “Add a stop”. To rearrange the order of your stops, tap and hold the three dot menu to the left of “Add stop” and drag it to the position you want – you can even search for types of places like gas stations or restaurants like you normally would. Once you’ve added all your stops, tap “Done” and your multi-stop route is complete. When you enter navigation mode you’ll have the same seamless driving experience you’re used to, whether you’re going from errand to errand or hitting scenic spots along Route 66.


A lot of the fun of traveling is the memories created while exploring new places with friends, family or even solo. Pictures are a traditional way to remember those moments, but now Your Timeline users on Android can preserve their travel memories and info in a new way. Google Maps users with Location History enabled can open Your Timeline, select a date from their recent vacation or everyday life and add notes to help remember what they did that day—or save important notes for later.



No matter where your travels take you this summer and beyond, these new Google Maps features will get you there and help keep track of all the memories you make along the way.

Posted by Liz Davidoff, Communications Manager, Google Maps


Source: Google LatLong


A look back at Google Maps in 2015

2016 is just around the corner. Before we pop champagne and ring in the New Year, let’s take a look back at the enhancements we’ve made to Google Maps over the past year. From using Google Maps offline to discovering new places with Explore, we’re proud to not only get you from point A to point B quickly and easily, but to also help you explore the world around you with confidence.

Below is a list of the new features you might’ve missed, along with a handy chart showing you where you’ll find them. If you got a new phone this holiday season, now’s the time to give the Google Maps app a go.

2015 Google Maps New Features
  1. 2015 is ticking away, but you can take a look back at the places you’ve traveled with Your Timeline.
  2. Always know when your favorite stores are open with up-to-date holiday hours and alerts.
  3. Whether you’re in a parking garage with no signal or traveling in country with expensive data, search for places, get directions, and turn-by-turn navigation–all offline.
  4. Always stay on the fastest route and beat bumper-to-bumper traffic with real-time traffic updates and dynamic re-routing.
  5. Never run low on fuel with up-to-date gas prices in search results and on the map.
  6. Make quick pit stops without long detours–search for places along your route without leaving navigation mode.
  7. Find the best local spots to eat and drink with curated recommendations.
  8. Get all your travel options and compare ETAs across driving, walking, biking and transit–all on one screen.
  9. Get the scoop on when the lines are shortest and shops least crowded by checking businesses’ most popular times–by day, by hour.
  10. Get the lay of the land before you arrive by using Street View thumbnail.
  11. Never miss a bus or train with real-time transit information (schedules, fares, updates) in more than 18,000 cities across 64 countries.
  12. Get directions, turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates from your wrist with the Google Maps app on Android Wear and Apple Watch.
To see these new features in action, take a look back at our Maps Minutes Holiday Hacks series.

2015 New Features by iOS and Android Availability


Join us in a virtual toast to a New Year of helping you explore and navigate your far away travels as well as your everyday life.


Posted by the Google Maps team





Source: Google LatLong


Maps Minutes Hack #9: Get home quickly and safely on New Year’s Eve

Part of our series on how to save time this holiday season with Google Maps.

Whether you’re heading to a friend’s house for a cozy gathering, going to watch the ball drop in Times Square or attending an extravagant masquerade ball, the last thing you want to worry about on New Year’s Eve is driving.

With the Google Maps app, you can get where you’re going without ever getting behind the wheel. Earlier this year we launched a new feature that allows you to see various transportation options and compare travel times–all on one screen.

Once you enter your destination in the Google Maps app, you’ll see four options to get there: driving, walking, biking or transit (bus/train). You can quickly compare ETAs and switch between the transportation modes for more details and up-to-date information for each option.



If you’re heading to a casual celebration not so far from home, walking or public transit might be your best option. The Google Maps app will give your walk time ETA along with a few transit route options with real-time schedules, updates and fares.



Google Maps can also help you grab an Uber, if arriving by bus or train isn’t your holiday style. You can see the estimated trip duration, pickup time and estimated cost once you scroll down to the bottom of the app's transit option screen.

Stay safe with Maps Minutes Hacks and enjoy your New Year’s celebrations wherever they take you.

Posted by Dai Pham, Head of Geo and Google Maps Marketing

Source: Google LatLong


Maps Minutes Hack #7: No signal, no problem. Navigate your holiday travels with Google Maps offline

Part of our series on how to save time this holiday season with Google Maps.

This time of year, millions take a road trip home for the holidays or adventure to faraway places all over the world. Whether you’re traveling abroad or rediscovering your own hometown, it helps to be able to navigate quickly and easily, even with limited mobile data or a spotty internet connection.

Google Maps offline, now available on iOS and Android, can help you get the most out of your holiday travels. You can browse pre-downloaded map areas, search for places, get directions and turn-by-turn navigation–all offline. Because exploring the world shouldn’t require a data connection or excessive roaming charges.

To navigate offline, simply open the Google Maps app and save any area on the map while you have a connection. Search for a place like San Francisco or Mexico City, open the place card and tap the download button. You can adjust the size of the map area you want to download and name it. Once downloaded, that area will be automatically added to your Offline areas in the side menu.



Once you’ve saved a map area, you can search for places and get directions offline. Looking for that famous art gallery or a neighborhood watering hole? You can check out addresses, opening hours, phone numbers and even navigate there–all without internet access.

To explore and navigate the world offline, install the Google Maps app on your iPhone before your holiday journey, or open it on Android along the way.

Get the most of your holiday time with Maps Minutes Hacks. Next up: how to get around faster and safer.

Posted by Dai Pham, Head of Geo and Google Maps Marketing

Source: Google LatLong


Your YouTube "How To" Guide to the Holidays


The holidays should be a festive time of year, not frenzied. But there’s no need to panic: our community of YouTube gurus is here to keep calm this holiday season with more than 135 million how-to videos.

From figuring out what to do with your leftovers, pleasing your vegan guests, or keeping your kids occupied with holiday-themed activities, these Canadian YouTube Creators have the answers to all your holiday questions.

How to get the party started
Whether it's throwing a formal dinner party or entertaining last-minute guests, you're likely to host guests at least once over the holiday season. To impress your guests when they arrive, The Domestic Geek, has tons of easy-to-make crowd pleasers, including the classic cheeseboard, herbed popcorn, sweet rosemary bar nuts and 3 delicious party dips.
How to rock a holiday look under $100
The holiday season means parties galore. Although you want to look your best at all times, you also don’t want to break the bank. Canada’s beauty guru, RachhLoves, shows you how to put together an entire holiday look (outfit, shoes, jewelry, makeup) for under $100.
How to clean your space post-holidays: Cleaning up your holiday decor or cleaning once your guests have left can sometimes be the worst part about the holidays. Not to fear, Melissa Maker of Clean My Space has all sorts of tips for how to clean up post-holiday, including how to clean up after a party, holiday meal cleanup tips, and holiday decor cleanup.
We hope these YouTubers' tutorials can help you impress your guests and loved ones this holiday season. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Posted by Jenn Kaiser, Communications Manager, YouTube Canada