SEO Guide for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2023 – Holiday season

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the most awaited shopping days of the year for bargain hunters and discount lovers.

With the holidays around the corner, it’s the perfect time to plan your SEO campaign and make the most of this sales period.

SEO for Black Friday is key to positioning your online store and driving more customers to your website during these special dates.

By thoughtfully preparing your site, product URLs, and strategically adapting your navigation for the Black Friday period, you can increase the visibility of your eCommerce store and maximize sales.

If you want to stand out from the competition, be sure to bookmark our guide to fuel your SEO strategy.

Thanks to it, you’ll get ready for Black Friday 2023 like never before and get the most out of your online deals.

Remember: The key to success in any Black Friday campaign is to offer irresistible deals with discounts on selected products. It’s also important to have a well-defined digital marketing strategy in place months in advance, including the use of keywords related to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Key Lessons to Elevate your Black Friday SEO campaign

If you don’t have time to thoroughly consult the guide, just keep these nine points in mind:

Create a static page for the whole year.
Always update the year in the meta title and H1.
Update the Content according to the search intent*.
Link the page from the navigation or homepage in early October.
Boost the Landing page with link building, press releases and PPC ads starting in September.
Use your email list or social media to drive qualified traffic and boost the signals you send to Google.
Improve the user experience on the Landing page and pay attention to Core Web Vitals.
Monitor the evolution of keyword trends for Black Friday in your industry.
Update the Landing page image, optimizing the Anchor Text.

*Pro Tip: The search intent for Black Friday terms is usually informational all year long, except for the last week of November when it becomes transactional. Therefore, have two versions of your page prepared to better respond to each moment.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday, originally an American tradition, is the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season with major discounts and deals offered by retailers. Falling on the day after Thanksgiving, this retail phenomenon has gained worldwide popularity, becoming a key date for shoppers and brands alike.

SEO Strategy for Black Friday 2023

In the fast-moving world of digital commerce, standing out on Black Friday is a challenge that goes beyond eye-catching promotions.

It’s about being visible in a sea of deals, and that requires a robust organic positioning strategy planned well in advance.

Here, we break down the key components of this strategy, each one essential to ensure your brand not only takes part in the conversation, but leads it:

Step 1: Keyword Research for Black Friday

The first step towards a successful Black Friday is understanding what your audience is searching for.

During these dates, consumers will be actively looking for the best deals, using specific terms that include not just ‘Black Friday’, but also product-related keywords and discounts.

Use SEO tools to research keyword trends related to your niche market and Black Friday.

Don’t limit yourself to broad terms; dig into specific product keywords that may have less competition and therefore represent quicker visibility opportunities.

Identify Deal-Related Keywords: Focus your research on terms like “Black Friday deals”, “discounts [your product]”, and “Black Friday promo [product category]”. Consumers use these specific phrases to hunt for the best bargains.
Long-Tail Transactional Keywords: Prioritize long-tail phrases indicating immediate purchase intent, such as “buy [product] on sale Black Friday”. These terms attract decided buyers ready to make a transaction.
Quick Competitor Analysis: Use SEO tools to identify your competitors’ Black Friday target keywords. Find gaps in their strategies and capitalize on underserved terms that still attract traffic.

Lastly, keep in mind that terminology related to Black Friday is seasonal.

Therefore, don’t rely solely on search volume offered by your keyword tool’s database when doing keyword research.

If transactional, include them in your Black Friday page. No matter how low the volume figure is. These terms tend to multiply their volume fast during the camping season pick and have less competition.

Step 2: Identify Changes in Search Intent and Act Accordingly

It's common to have just one specific campaign page for Black Friday.

If this is your case, consider updating the texts and content to adapt them to changes in search intent.

Much terminology related to Black Friday is informational all year round, except for the last week of November when it becomes transactional.

Therefore, have your URL changes prepared in advance to improve your positioning and conversion at the key moment.

You don’t know how many sales are lost those days by not having this switch prepared.

Step 3: How to Achieve Search Engine Ranking

Achieving good search engine ranking requires attention to detail. Every element, from the title and meta description to headings and visual content, must be optimized.

walmart black friday Google search mobile results example

Pay special attention to:

Titles and Meta Descriptions: Make sure they are compelling and contain your main keyword. This not only helps search engines understand what your page is about, but also entices users to click.
Content Optimization: Use keywords naturally throughout the content, including variations to avoid overuse. Additionally, the content should be high-quality, providing real value to the reader and effectively resolving their queries.
Image Optimization: Images not only make your content visually appealing, but can also be an SEO tool when properly labeled with alt text including your keywords.
Internal Linking: Including links to Black Friday landing pages from prominent places on our website like the navigation, footer or homepage is a non-negotiable condition to facilitate ranking.

Step 4: Content Strategy for Black Friday

The content you create for Black Friday shouldn't be generic. You need specialized content that directly addresses the offers, benefits, and buying considerations during this period.

Buying Guides and Blogs: Publish content that resolves common doubts, compares products, and offers tips on making the most of Black Friday deals.

Specific Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages for your Black Friday deals, optimized with researched keywords and designed to convert site visitors into customers.

Videos and Interactive Content: Consider incorporating videos showcasing products in action, customer testimonials, or even one filming scenes of your company’s Black Friday preparation.

Remember:

Each piece of content should have a clear purpose in your SEO strategy, aimed at attracting, informing, convincing, and converting visitors into customers.

Additionally, don’t forget that user experience should be prioritized at all costs.

Avoid overloading users with too many conversion elements, interstitials, etc. until the event day itself.

Thus, make sure to guarantee good page speed!

These days, the fastest page to load and withstands traffic surges, the best chance offers to make all the difference.

Link Building Strategy

In the world of SEO, having an optimized website is only part of the battle.

Your site’s authority plays a crucial role in where it will rank in search results, and this is where a well-executed link building strategy for Black Friday comes into play.

Here are some tactics you can employ:

Themed Outreach Campaigns: Initiate outreach campaigns specifically for Black Friday, offering buying guides, product reviews or exclusive content to relevant websites and blogs that share your industry audience. Emphasize exclusivity or early access to your deal information.
Strategic Influencer Partnerships: Partner with influencers aligned with your products for Black Friday promotions, securing backlinks from their digital platforms. Opt for those with an engaged audience rather than just looking at audience size.
Participate in Online Forums and Communities: Contribute to forums like Quora, Reddit and specific industry groups on LinkedIn where Black Friday deals are discussed intensely. Provide value without spamming, and link back to useful resources on your site.
Guest Posts: Write articles or guides related to Black Friday for industry blogs with your unique spin, offering perspectives or advice based on data or trends only you have access to. Make sure these sites allow quality backlinks in your bio or within the content.
Links to Black Friday Deal Resources: Ensure your brand and deals are present on websites that aggregate and list the top Black Friday deals. These sites tend to attract huge traffic and can provide high quality backlinks.

Implementing these Black Friday-specific link building strategies allows you to garner relevant and timely links that not only boost your domain authority short term, but could also translate into direct traffic and conversions during this sales spike.

Email Marketing Strategy for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday is not just a battle on search engines; it’s a fight for the consumer’s attention.

This is where email marketing becomes a very interesting tool.

Despite the rise of social media and other forms of digital marketing, email remains one of the most personal and effective ways to communicate with customers.

During Black Friday, an email can be the perfect reminder that motivates consumers to consider your offers.

Planning and Segmentation

Not all your customers are looking for the same thing, and sending the same message to your entire email list can result in missed opportunities.

Segment your email list based on previous purchase behavior, interests, and demographics.

Personalize your emails for different segments, ensuring the offers are relevant to the recipients.

Creating Engaging Content

The content of your email needs to grab attention and, most importantly, compel the reader to take action.

Use persuasive language and visually appealing content.

Include high-quality images of products on sale, and add customer testimonials or reviews to build credibility.

And please keep a short, relevant and clear call to action.

Exclusive Offers

Your email marketing strategy for Black Friday should include exclusive offers for subscribers.

These could be additional discounts, early access to sales, or product exclusives not available to other shoppers.

This not only increases the likelihood of subscribers making a purchase, but can also incentivize others to subscribe for future promotions.

And of course give them a motive to stay tuned to your email communications.

Automation and A/B Testing

Leverage email automation to schedule your messages and ensure they are sent at the most opportune time.

Additionally, conduct A/B tests with different subject lines, send times, and calls-to-action to determine which strategy works best with your audience.

Leverage email automation to schedule your messages and ensure they are sent at the most opportune time. Leverage Your Email List to Boost Your Black Friday Landing Page

This is not very well known.

But if you have a large email list, a tactic that can help give your SEO an extra boost on Black Friday is to send your users a few days in advance a link to the page with the available offers and discounts.

This way you will achieve:

ng value to your community by advancing the discount.
Sending clear signals to Google that you have updated valuable content.

A win-win situation that can enhance your chances of appearing higher in the search results.

Best Advertising Platforms for Black Friday

Black Friday is a battleground for brands.

And choosing where to place your ads can be as crucial as the quality of your offers.

The right advertising platforms can amplify your promotions, bringing them in front of the eyes of eager shoppers ready to convert.

Here, we explore the most effective platforms for advertising during this shopping frenzy.

Google Ads: The effectiveness of Google Ads is undeniable, given Google’s prevalence as the primary search engine. The key here is using highly specific keywords related to your Black Friday offers and setting up PPC campaigns that attract high-intent traffic to your landing pages.
TikTok Ads: In the world of digital advertising, TikTok has emerged as a revolutionary force. This platform is a must if your goal is to reach younger audiences and stay on top of the latest trends. During Black Friday, you can use TikTok Ads to launch creative, interactive campaigns that not only promote your products, but also invite user participation.
Facebook and Instagram Ads: These platforms are ideal for reaching a broader public. With their advanced targeting capabilities, you can direct your ads to specific demographics, buying interests, and behaviors. Be sure to use compelling creatives and clear calls-to-action to stand out amidst the sea of social ads.
Twitter Ads (X Ads): Although often overlooked, Twitter is a powerful platform during events like Black Friday. Its real-time nature allows brands to capture the attention of consumers actively seeking deals. Consider using popular hashtags and trends to increase visibility.
LinkedIn Ads: If your business is B2B, don’t overlook LinkedIn. During Black Friday, many companies are also looking to upgrade their systems or acquire new services. LinkedIn ads, especially sponsored messages, can be an effective way to reach decision makers in your industry.
Advertising on Marketplaces: Sites like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are incredibly popular during Black Friday. If you sell products here, consider investing in advertising within these marketplaces to improve the visibility of your listings among shoppers already in buying mode.

walmart banner campaing for black friday

Choosing the right platforms requires knowing where your audience is and where they are most likely to look for deals.

Diversifying your advertising efforts can also help ensure you capture the attention of customers, regardless of where they are.

Black Friday or Christmas: Where to Invest More?

The decision between focusing more resources on Black Friday or the Christmas season is a yearly dilemma for marketers.

Both periods offer significant opportunities, but which provides the greater return on investment?

Black Friday is a shopping event fueled by frenzy, with consumers motivated by deep discounts and limited-time offers.

The impulsive nature of these purchases means shoppers may be willing to spend more, faster, especially when they perceive a bargain.

On the other hand, the Christmas season sees consumers spending across a broader spectrum of products. Purchases are more thoughtful and less impulsive, with a focus on gifts for others rather than deal-hunting.

This provides a more prolonged sales window, but often without the same sense of urgency driving Black Friday purchases.

To maximize the effectiveness of your marketing budget, consider the following:

Sales History: Review your sales data from previous years to see when your customers purchase most. If your sales spikes are significantly higher during one of these periods, it may be prudent to follow that trend.
Customer Profile: Are your products impulse buys or considered gifts? Understanding your customer will help you determine if they are more likely to purchase during the Black Friday frenzy or the calmer, more thoughtful Christmas season.
Stock and Logistics Capabilities: Assess whether your operation can handle the high order volumes and quick inventory turnover required for a successful Black Friday campaign, or if you are better equipped to meet steady demand over several weeks.

Ultimately, a balanced strategy that smartly invests in both periods may be the best way to ensure a consistent revenue stream.

The trick is understanding your unique strengths and shaping your marketing approach accordingly.

During the Campaign, What to Optimize?

The big day has arrived, and the Black Friday campaign is in full swing.

It’s crucial not only to rely on pre-event preparations, but also to be active and receptive on the day itself.

Real-Time Monitoring: Keep an eye on your key metrics. Real-time analytics tools can help you identify issues and opportunities instantly.
Customer Interaction and Service: Have a dedicated team to address customer queries and issues via social media, live chat, and phone support. Fast response times can make the difference between a gained and lost sale.
Dynamic Advertising Adjustments: Be ready to make adjustments on the fly to your ad campaigns, leveraging the initial data you’re seeing. If a particular offer is performing well, consider increasing its ad budget.

After the Campaign

Black Friday may be over, but the work doesn’t stop there.

Post-Campaign Analysis: Dig deep into your data to understand what worked and what didn’t. Examine everything from keyword effectiveness to conversion rates of different audience segments.
Customer Follow-Up: Implement post-Black Friday email marketing strategies to keep engaging customers. Thank customers for purchases and offer personalized recommendations based on their Black Friday buys.
Cyber Monday Preparation: Leverage the Black Friday momentum for Cyber Monday. Use the Black Friday data to refine your Cyber Monday offers and marketing strategies.

Cyber Monday Retargeting

Cyber Monday represents another huge opportunity, especially for online sales. Retargeting is key here.

Targeted Advertising: Use Black Friday customer behavior data to segment and target your Cyber Monday ads. Customers who abandoned carts or browsed without purchasing are prime retargeting candidates.
Exclusive Offers: Present exclusive Cyber Monday offers to previous or engaged customers who interacted but did not purchase during Black Friday.
Extension of Popular Deals: Consider extending particularly well-performing Black Friday deals into Cyber Monday to maximize total sales.

In essence, you can apply what we’ve covered in this article to improve your Cyber Monday landing page and boost your results.

In Summary:

Black Friday presents a major SEO opportunity for eCommerce sites when planned well in advance.

But to improve the effectiveness of your Black Friday SEO campaign, it’s important to pay attention to the details and leave nothing to chance.

Start by creating a static landing page and optimizing it for Black Friday searches, as we discuss. Don’t forget to update the title, headings, content, year, and images on the page to align with search intent as the date approaches.

Begin linking to the page in October to build trespass internal authority. Make good use of your email list, social media, and PPC the week before to attract qualified traffic that sends clear signals to Google.

This way you increase the likelihood of ranking on the first page.

Ensure the page experience meets Core Web Vitals standards and has optimal load speed.

Finally, monitor search trends around Black Friday in your industry, and continually refine the page by applying CRO principles.

With proper preparation, your landing page can deliver big dividends during this sales season.

As you can see, focusing on providing a smooth user experience, securing the necessary links and mentions will help you capitalize on searches.

A little well-executed SEO work goes a long way in achieving results on Black Friday.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the goals of Black Friday?

Black Friday has multiple goals from the retailer’s perspective. First, it’s designed to significantly increase sales by offering substantial discounts that attract shoppers. This event also marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. It assists stores in selling their old inventory and introducing new products for the year-end. For consumers, the objective is straightforward: to save money on significant purchases by making the most of the event’s promotions.

How many people shop on Black Friday?

The number of people who shop on Black Friday varies each year and typically depends on overall economic factors, consumer trends, and in recent years, public health considerations. However, it is usually a massive event: millions participate, both in physical stores and online shopping. Retailers often report a significant jump in sales compared to other times of the year, and many consumers look forward to Black Friday to make major purchases at reduced prices.

Are the deals on Black Friday really cheaper?

There is considerable debate on whether Black Friday offers “real” deals. While some products are available at significantly reduced prices, others may have similar discounts offered at different times of the year. Savvy shoppers should research the regular prices of desired products to ensure they are getting a good deal. Additionally, it’s important to consider product quality and usefulness rather than impulsively buying just because of the discount.

How do Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales compare?

Traditionally, Black Friday was a brick-and-mortar shopping event, while Cyber Monday was conceived as the online version. However, with the rise of online shopping, these distinctions have become less clear. Often, Black Friday sales can be comparable or even higher than Cyber Monday, but this varies by retailer and product type. Some retailers extend their Black Friday deals into Cyber Monday, creating a full weekend of sales opportunities.

Additional Resources

We know how to set the perfect SEO Black Friday campaign in motion to increase revenue and sales. We combine organic and paid strategies to GAIN customers and get consistent returns for your holiday sales season landing pages.

AVOID falling behind your competitors at the most crucial time of the year. We help your digital marketing thrive.