Seasonal PPC: Your guide to boosting holiday ad performance

Black Friday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day – these aren’t just dates on a calendar; they’re golden opportunities for savvy marketers.

A well-planned pay-per-click (PPC) strategy can mean the difference between riding the wave of seasonal demand and getting lost in the holiday noise.

Seasonal PPC isn’t about simply increasing your ad spend when the leaves start to fall. It’s a specified approach that aligns your Google Ads campaigns with the rhythms of consumer behavior throughout the year and your inventory strengths and seasonalities.

This article will show you the key components of an effective seasonal PPC strategy, including:

• Identifying seasonal trends in your industry.
• Adjusting budgets and bids to profit from peak periods.
• Crafting strong ad copy that resonates with seasonal intent.
• Leveraging advanced features in Google Ads for seasonal success.

Understanding seasonality in PPC

Seasonality is not just about Santa hats in December or beach balls in July. In PPC, it’s the rhythm that drives consumer behavior throughout the year.

What is seasonality?

At its core, seasonality refers to predictable changes that happen at specific times of the year. 

Think of it as the business world’s version of nature’s seasons. But instead of leaves changing color, we’re looking at spikes in search volume, shifts in buying habits and fluctuations in ad performance.

Take the fashion industry. As surely as birds fly south for winter, shoppers start hunting for cozy sweaters and boots when the temperature drops. 

Or consider travel. Come January, you can bet your bottom dollar that searches for “summer vacation ideas” will start ticking up as people dream of escaping the winter blues.

But it’s not just about the weather. Seasonality can be driven by:

• Holidays (Christmas, Halloween, Mother’s Day).
• Annual events (Super Bowl, Black Friday).
• Academic calendars (back-to-school season).
• Financial cycles (tax season).

Each industry has its own unique seasonal patterns. The key is recognizing yours.

How seasonality shakes up consumer behavior

Consumers are a fickle bunch and seasonality plays them like a fiddle.

One month, they’re all about fitness gear and diet plans (hello, New Year’s resolutions); the next, they’re loading up on chocolates and flowers (looking at you, Valentine’s Day).

These shifts in demand aren’t just minor blips. They can cause bigger changes in search volumes, click-through rates and conversion patterns. For example:

• Searches for “air conditioner” skyrocket in the summer months.
• “Tax software” becomes a hot topic when the tax submission deadline comes nearer.
• “Halloween costume ideas” explodes in popularity come October.

Understanding these patterns is like having a crystal ball for your PPC campaigns. It allows you to anticipate changes and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Why you can’t afford to ignore seasonal trends

If you’re not factoring seasonality into your PPC strategy, you’re essentially flying blind. Seasonal trends aren’t just nice-to-know trivia. They’re the bread and butter of effective PPC management.

Recognizing and adapting to these trends lets you:

• Allocate your budget more effectively, ramping up spend when it matters most.
• Craft more relevant ad copy that speaks to seasonal needs and desires.
• Adjust your bidding strategy to stay competitive during peak seasons.
• Avoid wasting money on campaigns that are out of sync with consumer demand.

Think of seasonality as your secret weapon. While your competitors use the same strategy year-round, you’ll pivot and adapt, always one step ahead.

Remember, in PPC, timing is everything. Understanding seasonality is your ticket to being in the right place, at the right time, with the right message.

Preparing for seasonal PPC campaigns

Prepping for seasonal PPC campaigns isn’t about guesswork or shooting in the dark. It’s about arming yourself with data, insights and rock-solid goals. Let’s break it down.

Data analysis: Your crystal ball

First, dive into your past campaign data. Pull up your reports from previous years and look for patterns. 

• When did your clicks spike? 
• When did conversions soar? 
• When did things go quiet? 

These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; they’re breadcrumbs leading you to PPC gold.

For example, if you’re an ecommerce store, you might notice that your “women’s boots” campaign goes through the roof every September. That’s not a coincidence, that’s valuable intel.

But don’t just look at the wins.

Those campaigns that tanked? They’re just as important.

Maybe your summer swimwear ads flopped in June but killed it in April when people were planning vacations.

Lesson learned.

The goal here isn’t just to reminisce about past glories or cringe at old mistakes. It’s to build a roadmap for the future.

Your past performance is the best predictor of future success – if you know how to read it right.

Next to the campaign report, a product ID report and category report are also valuable.

Depending on the inventory size, ID reports might get a little out of hand, and you should consider using more enterprise tools instead of a Google spreadsheet, but for most use cases, that should work just fine. 

Personally, I’d like to include the last 12 months in a separate column and pull the IDs in rows. That way, you can easily scan through months and find patterns.

In the Google Ads interface, this can be done via the Shopping Products report, where you can add a Month column and clearly split it.

Google Ads ID report with monthly segmentation Google Sheets ID report with color scale Market research: Spy games

What are your competitors up to?

You can use various PPC tools to see what kind of ads your competitors are running during different seasons. 

Are they ramping up spend for certain keywords? Are they using specific ad copy during holidays? 

Don’t copy them outright, but do take notes.

But don’t stop at your competitors. Look at the broader market conditions.

• Could economic factors impact your seasonal performance?
• Are new trends emerging in your industry?

For instance, if you’re in the travel industry, monitor fuel prices, as they could impact people’s vacation plans and, by extension, your PPC performance.

Remember, you don’t operate in a vacuum. The more you understand about your market ecosystem, the better positioned you’ll be to carve out your niche.

Dig deeper: Top 5 ways to stay up to date on paid search trends

Goal setting: Your North Star

You’ll need concrete, measurable objectives to guide your seasonal campaigns.

Start with the big picture.

What do you want to achieve this season? More sales? Higher ROI? Increased market share?

Then, break it down into specific, measurable goals:

• “Increase conversion rate for our Christmas campaign by 15% compared to last year.”
• “Achieve a 20% higher click-through rate for our Back-to-School ads in August.”
• “Reduce cost-per-acquisition by 10% during our slow season in February.”

These goals aren’t just numbers to impress your boss (though they might do that, too). They’re your North Star, guiding every decision you make in your seasonal campaigns.

Review your goals regularly as the season progresses. Be ready to pivot if needed. Flexibility is key in PPC.

Remember, preparing for seasonal PPC campaigns isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing process of learning, adapting and refining.

But with solid data analysis, shrewd market research and clear goal-setting, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle whatever the seasons throw at you.

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Designing seasonal PPC campaigns

Alright, we’ve done our homework. Now it’s time for the fun part – actually designing those seasonal campaigns that’ll make your competitors wonder what hit them.

Keyword strategy: Surfing the seasonal wave

First up, keywords. You might think you know your keywords inside and out, but seasons have a funny way of shaking things up.

Time to put on your detective hat and do some seasonal keyword research. Tools like Google Trends are your best friend here.

For instance, if you’re selling fitness equipment, you’ll see searches for “home gym” spike every January. But come summer, “beach body workout” might be the phrase on everyone’s lips.

But don’t just stick to the obvious. Look for those hidden gems – the long-tail keywords your competitors might be missing.

Maybe it’s “last-minute Valentine’s gift ideas” or “affordable Christmas decorations.” These could be your ticket to standing out in a crowded market.

And remember, it’s not just about finding new keywords. It’s about adapting your existing strategy.

That evergreen keyword that performs well year-round? It might need a seasonal twist. “Men’s shoes” could become “men’s winter boots” or “men’s summer loafers,” depending on the season.

The key is to think like your customer:

• What are they looking for right now?
• What problem are they trying to solve this season?

Your keyword strategy should reflect that.

Ad copy and creative: Dressing for the season

Now that we’ve sorted our keywords, it’s time to dress them up in snazzy seasonal outfits. I’m talking about your ad copy and creative.

Your ad copy needs to do more than just mention the season. It needs to capture the customer’s mood, urgency and excitement.

• For a summer campaign, don’t just say, “Buy swimwear.” Try “Make a Splash This Summer – New Swimwear Collection.” 
• For Christmas, instead of “Holiday Sale,” how about “Unwrap Joy: Christmas Deals That’ll Make Santa Jealous”?

But it’s not just about clever wordplay. Use your ad copy to address seasonal pain points.

• “Stay Warm and Stylish” for winter clothing. 
• “Ace Your Finals with Our Study Guides” for the exam season. 

Show your customers you understand what they need right now.

And let’s not forget about ad extensions. Use them to highlight seasonal offers, limited-time deals or special holiday services.

• “Free Gift Wrapping for Christmas Orders” as a callout extension? Yes, please!

For visuals, if you’re running display ads, make sure your imagery matches the season. Snowflakes in winter, beach scenes in summer – you get the idea.

But don’t be cliché. A unique, eye-catching image will always outperform a generic stock photo.

Budget allocation

Seasonal PPC isn’t about spending more – it’s about spending smarter.

Identify your peak seasons.

• When do you make the most sales? 
• When is customer interest at its highest? 

These are the times you want to go big.

Don’t be afraid to significantly increase your budget during these periods. If December accounts for 30% of your annual sales, maybe it should also account for 30% of your annual PPC budget.

But here’s the trick: start ramping up before the peak hits. If your big season is Christmas, don’t wait until Dec. 1 to increase your budget. Start in November to capture those early bird shoppers.

On the flip side, don’t completely neglect your off-seasons. This is a great time to test new strategies, build brand awareness or target niche markets without breaking the bank.

And remember, budget allocation isn’t set in stone. Keep a close eye on your campaigns and be ready to shift funds around. If a certain ad group is killing it, don’t be afraid to funnel more budget its way.

The goal is to be fluid, responsive and ready to seize opportunities. Your budget should be as dynamic as the seasons themselves.

Designing seasonal PPC campaigns is part art, part science and a whole lot of staying on your toes. But get it right, and you’ll ride the seasonal waves to PPC success.

Plan your peak

When planning for seasonal events or promotions in digital marketing, it’s crucial to recognize that seasonality typically unfolds in three distinct phases:

• Pre-phase.
• Peak.
• Cool-off.

Each of these stages requires specific strategies and preparations to maximize effectiveness. 

Pre-phase

• Involves building anticipation, adjusting budgets and preparing ad creatives.
• Gradually increase your advertising efforts to capture early interest during this time.

Peak phase

• The height of the seasonal event, where consumer interest and activity are at their highest.
• Demands the most aggressive strategies, with maximized budgets and highly targeted campaigns to capitalize on peak demand.

Cool-off phase 

• Sees a gradual decline in interest, requiring a strategic scaling back of efforts while still capturing lingering engagement.
• Plan for a smooth transition between these phases, adjusting bids, budgets and messaging accordingly.

By recognizing and planning for these distinct phases, you can more effectively allocate resources, tailor messaging and optimize campaigns throughout the entire seasonal cycle, ensuring they capture the full potential of seasonal trends and events.

Black Friday-Cyber Monday phases, according to Google Implementation and management

Now it’s time to put your battle plan into action and keep those campaigns humming like a well-oiled machine.

Let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of making your seasonal PPC campaigns work their magic.

Campaign setup: Building your seasonal powerhouse

Your campaign structure should be as crisp and clear as a winter morning. Group your ads by season, product line or whatever makes sense for your business. 

The goal? To make management a breeze and performance tracking crystal clear.

For example, don’t lump your “Summer Swimwear” and “Winter Coats” into one catch-all clothing campaign. 

Give them their own space to shine. This way, you can easily dial up or down as the seasons change.

Leverage special offers. These are your secret weapons in the seasonal battle for clicks. 

Flash sales, limited-time discounts, buy-one-get-one deals – use them all. 

But here’s the kicker: make sure they’re prominently featured in your ad copy and extensions. “48-Hour Summer Blowout!” is a lot more compelling than “Summer Sale.”

And don’t forget about those countdown timers in your ads. Nothing creates urgency like watching the seconds tick away on a great deal.

Dig deeper: How to use incentives in your PPC ads to drive more sales

Make use of adjustment tools

Seasonality adjustments are a powerful feature in advanced bidding strategies. They help fine-tune ad campaigns for short-term events that significantly impact conversion rates. 

This tool is particularly useful for managing bids during brief periods of anticipated high activity, such as sales, promotions or seasonal events that typically last between 1 to 7 days. 

By implementing seasonality adjustments, you can proactively inform the bidding algorithm about expected changes in conversion behavior, allowing for more accurate bid optimization during these periods. 

However, using this feature judiciously is important, as Smart Bidding algorithms already account for most seasonal trends. 

Seasonality adjustments are most effective for short-duration events and may not perform optimally if applied for extended periods exceeding 14 days. 

When used correctly, this tool maintains optimal performance during brief periods of atypical conversion behavior, ensuring that campaigns remain effective and efficient even during short-term fluctuations in market conditions.

Monitoring and optimization: Keep your finger on the pulse

You’ve launched your campaigns. Time to kick back and watch the conversions roll in, right? Wrong! This is where the real work begins.

Real-time monitoring is your new best friend. Set up alerts for sudden drops in performance or spikes in cost. 

The seasonal PPC landscape can change in the blink of an eye, and you need to be ready to pivot.

A/B testing isn’t just for websites. Try different ad copies, landing pages and even bidding strategies. 

Maybe your “Spook-tacular Halloween Deals” ad outperforms your “Halloween Savings You’ll Die For.” Only one way to find out!

Speaking of bidding, be ready to adjust on the fly. If a certain keyword is crushing it, don’t be afraid to up the ante. 

Conversely, if something’s eating budget without results, cut it loose. Remember, in seasonal PPC, hesitation is the enemy of success.

Dig deeper: 3 ways to stay on top of PPC performance

Utilizing automation tools: Your PPC autopilot

I know what you’re thinking. “This sounds like a lot of work!” Well, here’s where automation comes to the rescue.

PPC automation tools are like having a tireless assistant who works 24/7. 

Use them to adjust bids based on weather (perfect for seasonal products), time of day or user location. 

Set up rules to pause low-performing ads or increase bids on high-converters automatically.

Automated bidding strategies also apply here. These use machine learning to adjust your bids in real-time, helping you achieve goals like maximum conversions, target ROAS or enhanced CPC.

Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Think of it more like a smart co-pilot. You still need to keep an eye on things and make course corrections when needed.

For example, during your peak season, you might want to loosen up your target ROAS a bit to capture more sales volume. 

Or, during slower periods, you might switch to a different strategy or increase ROAS to maintain visibility without breaking the bank.

The key is to find the right balance between automation and human insight. Let the machines crunch the numbers, but bring your seasonal know-how to the table.

Remember, implementing and managing seasonal PPC campaigns is a bit like steering a ship through changing waters. You need to be alert, responsive and always ready to adjust your sails. 

But with the right structure, a keen eye for optimization and smart use of automation, you’ll navigate those seasonal seas like a pro.

Measuring success

Alright, you’ve weathered the seasonal storm. Your campaigns have run their course. Now comes the million-dollar question: How did we do? 

Key performance indicators (KPIs): The vital signs of your campaign

KPIs are the vital signs of your PPC campaign – the metrics that tell you whether you’re crushing it or crashing and burning.

I could rattle off a laundry list of metrics, but let’s focus on the heavy hitters for seasonal campaigns:

• Return on ad spend (ROAS): This is the big one. How much are you making for every dollar spent? During peak seasons, you want this number doing backflips.
• Conversion rate: Are your seasonal shoppers pulling the trigger? A spike here means your ads are hitting the mark.
• Click-through rate (CTR): This tells you if your ad copy is resonating. Is your “Spooky Halloween Deals” ad actually spooking up some clicks?
• Cost per acquisition (CPA): Keep an eye on this one. It’s okay if it creeps up a bit during peak seasons, but it shouldn’t be skyrocketing.
• Impression share: Are you showing up when it counts? During your key seasons, you want to dominate those search results pages.

Remember, these KPIs don’t exist in a vacuum. A dip in CTR might be okay if your conversion rate is through the roof. It’s all about the bigger picture.

Analyzing results: Making sense of the numbers

Now that you have your numbers, it’s time to put on your detective hat and figure out what they’re telling you.

Start by comparing your results against your goals. Remember those targets we set way back when? How’d we do? 

If you smashed your goals, great! But don’t stop there. Figure out why. Was it that killer ad copy? The smart bidding strategy? Bottle that success for next time.

If you fell short, don’t beat yourself up. This is where the real learning happens. 

Maybe your timing was off or your messaging didn’t quite land. Every “failure” is just a lesson in disguise.

Look for patterns and anomalies. Did certain product categories outperform others? Were there unexpected spikes or dips? Each of these is a clue to help you refine your strategy.

And don’t just look at your own performance. How did you stack up against the competition? 

Tools like Auction Insights can give you a peek into your share of the market during the season.

Dig deeper: 3 steps for effective PPC reporting and analysis

Post-season review: Your seasonal PPC postmortem

This is where you extract every ounce of wisdom from your seasonal campaign.

Get your team together (yes, even the intern) and have a no-holds-barred discussion. What worked? What flopped? What surprised us?

Here are some questions to kick things off:

• Did we time our campaign right or were we late to the party?
• How did our ad copy perform? Any unexpected winners or losers?
• Did our budget allocation match the ebbs and flows of the season?
• How did our automated strategies hold up under seasonal pressure?

Document everything. These insights are pure gold for your next seasonal campaign.

Based on what you’ve learned, start sketching out plans for next year. Maybe you need to start your Christmas campaign earlier. 

Perhaps your summer sale needs a complete revamp. Whatever it is, get it down on paper while it’s fresh.

Managing seasonal PPC campaigns: Additional tips and tricks

Here are some further ideas to leverage more out of seasonality:

Product labeling for special shopping campaigns

• Create specific labels or custom labels for products that are particularly relevant to the seasonal event. 
• For example, label items as “Valentine’s Day Gifts” or “Black Friday Deals.” 
• This lets you easily create and manage dedicated Shopping campaigns for these seasonal products.

Optimizing product titles

• Enhance your product titles with seasonal keywords. 
• For instance, add phrases like “Men’s Christmas Gift Idea” or “Perfect for Mother’s Day” to relevant products. 
• This can improve visibility in seasonal searches and increase click-through rates.

Utilizing audience lists

• Create and use audience lists based on past seasonal shoppers or users interested in similar products.
• This is useful for more targeted remarketing during the current season.

Seasonal-themed bundles or giveaways

• These usually work much better if there is a connection to a current seasonality or event.