As marketers, we know the Black Friday/Cyber Monday season means massive increases in revenue, leading to skyrocketing ROAS and a surge in advertising importance. Changing Black Friday shopping habits means even more emphasis must be placed on your business’s digital ad strategy.
The marketing minds at
Pre-Launch Phase
1. Start Now
There is no time like the present to begin prepping your team for the upcoming shopping rush. Outline promotions early so creative and media teams can hit the ground running with polished ad assets.
2. Create a Promo Calendar
Remember there is no real constraint on the Black Friday/Cyber Monday revenue window. Be first on customers’ feeds with VIP early access and stick around longer than the competition with extended shopping periods.
3. Secure Budgets Early
Ensure you can reach your high-value target audience during peak demand by securing executive buy-in for aggressive spend bumps on top-performing campaigns.
4. Stress-Test the Website
Leave no corner of your site untouched. Verify your checkout process end-to-end: mobile speed, coupon code inputs, express payment gateways (Apple Pay, Shop Pay), and automated order confirmation emails.
5. Build Out Remarketing Audiences
Focus on widespread prospecting campaigns throughout early fall to fill up your retargeting pools. Combine early teaser ads with email capture incentives so you build high-intent first-party data.
6. Build Your Creative Assets
Ready your artistic arsenal! Produce dynamic copy, eye-catching banners, UGC mashups, and motion graphics tailored for Meta, Google, and TikTok.
7. Create Email Buzz
Build anticipation with teaser campaigns. Giving your most loyal subscribers early access strengthens customer loyalty and drives early revenue before ad costs peak.
8. Increase Campaign Budgets Gradually
Significant budget jumps during Cyber Week will disrupt ad platform machine learning. Increase spend gradually throughout October and early November so campaigns remain stable.
9. Recon the Competition
Subscribe to competitor email newsletters and monitor their ad activity in the Meta Ad Library. Spotting market trends early keeps you ahead of the curve.
Launch Phase
1. Assess and Correct
Not every strategy is an instant winner. If a specific campaign or bundle underperforms during the first 24 hours, don’t hesitate to pause it and shift budget toward over-performing SKUs.
2. Watch Inventory Closely
Demand shifts rapidly. Catalogue-based campaigns (like Advantage+ Catalog Ads and Google Shopping) will suppress ad delivery if inventory falls below critical thresholds. Have secondary hero bundles ready to deploy.
3. Leverage Automation
Set automated account rules to increase budgets on high-ROAS ad sets and pause ads when inventory runs low. Let automation handle routine tasks so your team can focus on real-time optimization.
4. Capitalize on the Cyber Monday Surge
Treat Cyber Monday as its own unique retail moment. Introduce fresh creative, emphasize digital gift cards, or pivot toward category flash sales to capture consumers finishing up their gift lists.
Post-Launch Phase
1. Keep the Throttle Open
Shoppers who missed Black Friday still need gifts in time for the holidays. Emphasize holiday shipping deadlines, gift guides, and post-Cyber Week clearance bundles.
2. Email High-Value Shoppers
Early November and Black Friday buyers represent your warmest audience for December. Follow up with thoughtful post-purchase sequences, VIP loyalty rewards, and Boxing Day previews.
3. Run a Thorough Post-Mortem
While the data is fresh, gather the team to dissect total performance: CAC by channel, blended MER, top-converting creative formats, and customer service feedback. Evolve winning roadmaps and document key learnings for next year.
