How To Get Your Website Ready For Christmas
Published on 10th October 2018
With Christmas just around the corner, it’s not just department stores and supermarkets re-decorating – your website will need a seasonal makeover too.
These updates will show new and existing customers what your business can offer them this Christmas, whilst also improving your visibility on search engines such as Google with a relevant and active website.
Even if your business won’t be providing any seasonal products or services, it’s still important to update your website to take advantage of the festive season and keep your customers informed of any changes to your normal services during the holidays.
Here are our top 5 ways to get your website Christmas-ready:
1. Re-decorating
Just as you would fill a high street shop with trees and tinsel to attract shoppers, your website deserves the same special attention to compete throughout the busiest time of the year.
Banners and welcome messages on your home page can be changed to the likes of ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays’. Even changing the pictures can add a festive touch while maintaining the overall look and feel of your website, helping to keep your brand recognisable yet festive during the winter months.
2. Adding to your content
Update your copy with more festive language, puns, or humour. Simple calls to action, such as “Add this to your Christmas list”, can achieve this subtly. Maintaining the spirit of Christmas cheer across your pages is a quick and easy way to connect with new customers, while changing up the website for those who visit it regularly. This will also have added SEO benefits, as Google ranks websites higher that are frequently updated.
Another example of a seasonal bonus would be to offer gift wrapping with products. It is also important to ensure that your opening or delivery times have been updated if they are different over the Christmas period. If you provide out of hours services during the festive season – for example if you are a plumber or locksmith – don’t forget to also include your emergency contact details on your website.
3. Social media links
Keeping your social media followers up to date with exclusive content and offers promotes your company all over the web, and will eventually draw people back to your website.
‘Behind the scenes’ pictures on Instagram and Christmas countdowns or polls on Twitter will promote all aspects of what your company is doing over the festive period and in the future. This is the perfect time of year to showcase your company culture online and give your customers a real insight into the people behind the business.
You can learn more about how to promote your business on social media at any time of year here.
4. Blog updates
If you have yet to make a blog a regular feature on your website, the run up to Christmas is the perfect time to start.
It can be helpful to find aspects of your company which link well to a Christmas theme. For example - if your business revolves around maintaining a healthy lifestyle, then you could create a piece on ‘How to Stay Healthy over the Festive Period’.
Prepare specific blog posts with advice pieces, guides, DIYs, and throwbacks to this year’s achievements. You can post these at regular intervals throughout the season and share them across all of your social media accounts.
A successful blog will ensure you start the new year on the right foot. You can use the momentum built up throughout December and continue to post regularly throughout the year. This demonstrates to your customers that you care and are regularly engaging online, which will also boost your visibility on search engines.
5. Extra deals
The allure of vouchers, coupons, or competitions creates a sense of urgency with customers, with an increased pressure to buy if the product is only available for a limited amount of time. These can be promoted on social media and in blog posts, which will ultimately draw people back to your website. This could easily be how someone discovers your business, and then they may want to return throughout the year.
Festive offers needn’t just be limited to online shops either. If you are a service provider, you can promote special offers via your website for people to take advantage of in the run up to Christmas – for example, if you are a dog groomer, you may wish to offer discounted bathing and brushing services throughout December that are only available with a code quoted from your website.
The Christmas period may be busy, but marketing your business online can be stress-free with an easy to edit and affordable website from it’seeze. We can provide you with everything you need to reach new customers and expand your business during the festive season and beyond – for more information, get in touch with our friendly team today.
If you're already an it’seeze client and would like assistance in making any changes to your website, you can refer to the support website or alternatively please contact your local consultant or our UK Head Office support team*.
*Charges may apply.
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