10 Money Making Holiday Traffic Strategy for Publishers

This post was most recently updated on November 22nd, 2023

We’ve entered holiday season now and the time has come to amplify your holiday marketing campaigns and get more ad revenue this Q4.

From leveraging the power of targeted content to embracing the latest in advertising technology, we’ll dive into actionable tips and insights that can transform your holiday campaigns.

Check out our strategies below that are designed to elevate your platform’s appeal to advertisers and maximize your revenue potential during the holiday rush.

1) In-Depth Audience Segmentation

To tailor content and campaigns for various audience segments during the holiday season, publishers can adopt specific strategies. For last-minute shoppers, the focus should be on urgency and convenience, using countdown timers and highlighting quick shipping options. Content aimed at bargain hunters should emphasize discounts, special offers, and value for money, possibly through comparison guides.

On the other hand, luxury gift seekers are attracted to content that underscores exclusivity and quality, with high-quality visuals and detailed descriptions. Understanding the unique needs and preferences of each segment is key, allowing for tailored messaging and improved engagement and conversion rates.

2) Fix potential site usability and issues

The holiday rush creates a fury of online activity.  Make sure that before Q4 hits, you’ve covered all bases to ensure your site is capable of handling the influx of user activity.

• Check your server capacity and possible downtime causes.
• Optimize load times.
• Update to the latest (and most stable) version of your CMS.
• Make the relevant changes to your site’s architecture if you create a separate holiday section.
• Above all, time your site changes during dead hours (when users are least likely to visit your pages).

3) Optimize for Mobile

User activity is at its peak during the holiday season. Whether it’s shopping or connecting with loved ones, you can expect your users to be “always-on” and “on the go”. Revisit your strategy and make the necessary changes to get your site performing well on mobile. Check loading time, image displays, CTA buttons, and overall responsiveness.

4) Keyword Research + Analytics Data

Here’s the backbone of your holiday marketing campaign. Make data-driven initiatives by looking at your most important search terms. You can use tools like:

• Google Trends to see which topics are trending;
• Adwords Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords that have the most demand/most profitable; and of course your very own
• Search data in Google Analytics. Via Google Analytics, you can also review the past year’s holiday trends: which landing pages were most visited; which offering sold the most; where most of your visitors came from, etc.
• Publisher Reports in Google Analytics show you your most engaging and most profitable pages. Take note of the topics they cover and see how they can match your holiday content.

Tip: Once you have selected your keyword targets, implement on-page SEO to your most important holiday-themed pages.

5) Integration with E-commerce Platforms

For publishers who also operate e-commerce platforms, integrating content and advertising strategies with e-commerce activities is crucial, especially during the holiday season. This approach involves creating content that not only engages the audience but also seamlessly leads them to holiday sales or promotions on the e-commerce side. By using targeted advertising, such as showcasing specific holiday deals or exclusive products within content, publishers can drive traffic directly to their e-commerce platforms. This synergy between content and commerce not only enhances user experience but also significantly boosts sales potential during the high-traffic holiday period.

6) Create your Holiday Content Marketing Plan

Now you’re ready to craft your holiday content marketing plan. Armed with the right data and an optimized website, it’s time to get creative:

• Holiday Graphics – think of one central theme for your holiday marketing. It can be a 12 Days of Christmas content series, or a new coupon code for a sale – anything that you think addresses your audience’s needs during this season. Once you’ve got a theme, incorporate it into your holiday graphics for branding.

• Holiday Freebies – Freebies are always attractive at any time of the year. It’s expected during the holidays. Make your hook stand out by really delving into your users’ needs and searching for a gap in the market. If you’re handing out ebooks and free content, make sure your content adds the most value in your niche. If you’re giving out sale coupons, time your campaign well to give flexibility to shoppers to decide and convert.

• Holiday Landing Pages & CTAs – Prepare your pages. By this time, you should have completed your AB tests to know which CTA and landing page structures lead to conversions. Remember to make use of your keywords and user-behavior data to guide you in building your holiday page section. Prepare the content for your other properties as well, like blog posts, social media messages, emails, and ad copy.

Tip: Calls to action with a sense of urgency  (i.e ‘Limited time offer’) highly boost consumer response.

• Holiday Remarketing – All the hype and buzz that come with the holidays can be overwhelming to compete with. No need to fret, though; you may already have all the necessary tools at your disposal. Research holiday remarketing. This strategy involves looking at your evergreen content pieces and repurposing them into a brand new shiny freebie (an ebook, for example). You can also compile all year’s infographics and other archived listicles then offer them for download. If you’re a B2C site, check out your overabundant stock and sell it for discounted prices. Create a Christmas wishlist section with both new and old products you carry in stock. For distribution, use paid search, social media, and your email newsletters to encourage both new and loyal users to visit your site again as you remarket existing assets.
• Personalizing ad content-To attract brands to purchase ad space during the holiday season, publishers can employ several strategic approaches. Firstly, showcasing the reach and demographics of their audience can appeal to brands aiming to target specific consumer segments. Other than that, offering custom content solutions, such as sponsored posts or holiday-themed sections, provides integrated advertising opportunities.

  Additionally, competitive ad packages, including extras like social media promotions can make the deal more enticing. Don’t forget to share success stories from past holiday campaigns to build trust and confidence among potential advertisers.

7) Video Advertising Strategies

By focusing on engaging, holiday-centric video content and strategic ad placements, you can effectively improve your ad revenue during the holiday season. Here’s how:

1. Create Engaging Holiday-Themed Content: Develop festive video content that resonates with the holiday spirit. This could include gift guides, product reviews, or holiday-themed stories that draw viewers in.
2. Use Video Ads: Implement video ads within content, as they often have higher engagement and CPM rates compared to standard display ads.
3. Partner with Brands for Sponsored Content: Collaborate with brands for sponsored holiday videos, offering a more authentic way to integrate advertisements.
4. Optimize for Mobile Viewing: Ensure videos are optimized for mobile viewing, as a significant portion of holiday traffic comes from mobile devices.
5. Leverage Social Media Platforms: Distribute video content across various social media platforms to increase reach and engagement, potentially attracting more advertisers.

8) Publish in advance

To make the most out of search and social media traffic, plan your content in advance and publish at least 45 days prior to actual holiday dates. Leverage the season and earn the most from every visit or page view by being the early bird and carefully timing the release of your offers.

Tip: Create ‘Coming Soon’ banners or texts to encourage visitors to come back for more all throughout the duration of your campaign.

9) Align your marketing channels

Be ready with your distribution and engagement channels by drawing out the marketing plan channel by channel. Each platform may have a different set of target users, so it’s best to come up with an engagement strategy for each – from content/ad copies to timing, to the necessary tools.

10) Holiday Outreach

Holiday outreach is a good way to acquire new site visitors, as well as to connect with influencers in the industry. Outreach can run in a variety of ways using different channels like email, forums, social media. Content that connects or credits influencers and industry bloggers is a great hook to start conversations. Also, letting them test or try out your holiday offer allows them (hopefully) to become brand ambassadors who can drive conversions beyond the holiday season.

Publishers are now crafting their holiday marketing campaigns, or have implemented one already. If you need guidance in hacking this season’s potential gains to your ad revenue, contact MonetizeMore today.

Get started by signing up for Ad Exchange, or applying as a premium publisher.

Related Reads:

• Ad Exchange Reports in Google Analytics: What’s in it for Publishers?
• How to Find Adsense Insights and Trends in Google Analytics
• How to make Publishers Ready as Mobile Ad Spending Surpasses Desktop

Kean Graham

Kean Graham is the CEO and founder of MonetizeMore & a pioneer in the Adtech Industry. He is the resident expert in Ad Optimization, covering areas like Adsense Optimization,GAM Management, and third-party ad network partnerships. Kean believes in the supremacy of direct publisher deals and holistic optimization as keys to effective and consistent ad revenue increases.