Get ahead of the festive season

Your growth is our goal. We've created a guide to help you prepare for festive season retail success – with insights into online advertising, machine learning and more. When the festive season arrives, you'll have a strong foundation to boost your sales and take your marketing to the next level.

Download Playbook

Kick off your festive season game plan in advance

Your customer's journey starts long before the festive season. We'll show you how to be there when they first start shopping, all the way through their last-minute purchases.

Use your mobile storefront to reach shoppers at any time

Mobile is the biggest catalyst for retail growth. Learn how to optimise your mobile presence, so that your customers can shop your brand from wherever they are.

Leverage search to drive online sales

Google is the number one driver of both traffic and transaction volume to retail sites.¹ Connect with customers and drive them to make the final purchase with you.

1 Based on data from Google Analytics accounts that have authorised Google to share website data in an aggregated way. US only. January – December 2017

Success story

Centauro increased online revenue by 100% on Black Friday

Centauro is a Brazilian sporting goods retailer with almost 200 shop locations. To streamline their processes and drive more efficient sales, they implemented Target ROAS Smart Bidding on all their Shopping campaigns. As a result, they increased online revenue by 100% at a 9% higher ROAS during Black Friday, without sacrificing their in-store sales.

“ Target ROAS Smart Bidding enabled us to make quick changes during a fast-paced seasonality event, and was very responsive to our needs.”
— Renan Santos, Marketing Manager

Centauro is a Brazilian sporting goods retailer with almost 200 shop locations. To streamline their processes and drive more efficient sales, they implemented Target ROAS Smart Bidding on all their Shopping campaigns. As a result, they increased online revenue by 100% at a 9% higher ROAS during Black Friday, without sacrificing their in-store sales.

Centauro is a Brazilian sporting goods retailer with almost 200 shop locations. To streamline their processes and drive more efficient sales, they implemented Target ROAS Smart Bidding on all their Shopping campaigns. As a result, they increased online revenue by 100% at a 9% higher ROAS during Black Friday, without sacrificing their in-store sales.

“ Target ROAS Smart Bidding enabled us to make quick changes during a fast-paced seasonality event, and was very responsive to our needs.”
- Renan Santos, Marketing Manager

Key stats

100%
increase in online conversion value on Black Friday

9%
higher return on ad spend (ROAS) on Black Friday
Success story

Big 5 Sporting Goods increases Google Search-driven foot traffic to stores by 25%

Performance marketing digital agency Elite SEM partnered with Big 5's digital marketing team to develop a retail strategy that drove a strong end-of-year festive period performance. Using local inventory ads to show real-time availability of products for last-minute shoppers, Big 5 was able to drive an increase in Google Search-driven foot traffic.

“ Thanks to this trifecta partnership between Big 5, Elite and Google, we've found that shops don't make you slower, or less capable, but are actually an opportunity to make more meaningful connections by bridging the gap with digital.”
— Sarah McMahon, Director of Digital Marketing & CRM at Big 5

Performance marketing digital agency Elite SEM partnered with Big 5's digital marketing team to develop a retail strategy that drove a strong end-of-year festive period performance. Using local inventory ads to show real-time availability of products for last-minute shoppers, Big 5 was able to drive an increase in Google Search-driven foot traffic.

Performance marketing digital agency Elite SEM partnered with Big 5's digital marketing team to develop a retail strategy that drove a strong end-of-year festive period performance. Using local inventory ads to show real-time availability of products for last-minute shoppers, Big 5 was able to drive an increase in Google Search-driven foot traffic.

“ Thanks to this trifecta partnership between Big 5, Elite and Google, we've found that shops don't make you slower, or less capable, but are actually an opportunity to make more meaningful connections by bridging the gap with digital.”
- Sarah McMahon, Director of Digital Marketing & CRM at Big 5

Key stats

25%
increase in Google Search-driven foot traffic to local shops year on year
Success story

Rakuten Marketing helps Magazines.com lift sales by 95% YoY

Magazines.com needed more efficient ways to reach audiences and drive sales. It was the perfect opportunity to test automation with Smart Shopping campaigns. The results speak for themselves.

“ Navigating the ever-changing landscape of paid search is complex. Maximising wins by utilising machine learning and AI has only been possible through our deep working relationship with Rakuten Marketing and their integrated partnership with Google.”
— Keith Cook, CMO, Magazines.com

Magazines.com needed more efficient ways to reach audiences and drive sales. It was the perfect opportunity to test automation with Smart Shopping campaigns. The results speak for themselves.

Magazines.com needed more efficient ways to reach audiences and drive sales. It was the perfect opportunity to test automation with Smart Shopping campaigns. The results speak for themselves.

“ Navigating the ever-changing landscape of paid search is complex. Maximising wins by utilising machine learning and AI has only been possible through our deep working relationship with Rakuten Marketing and their integrated partnership with Google.”
- Keith Cook, CMO, Magazines.com

Key stats

95%
year-over-year increase in sales

180%
increase in revenue between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday