How to Adapt Google Ads for Public Holidays
The Easter holiday period is just around the corner, and as a small business owner, now is the time to fine-tune your Google Ads strategy to make the most of this busy season. Whether you're a service-based business or an e-commerce store, understanding how to adjust your advertising approach during the holiday period can lead to better results, increased visibility, and higher conversions. This guide will walk you through the best ways to optimize your Google Ads campaigns based on the type of business you run and the upcoming Easter break in Australia.
1. Understanding Holiday Traffic Trends
Public holidays like Easter bring unique shifts in consumer behaviour, and adapting your Google Ads strategy to these trends can help boost your ad performance.
Service-based businesses: Typically, businesses in sectors like hospitality, home services, or health might see increased interest before a holiday as customers prepare for their time off. However, these businesses often experience a slowdown during the holiday itself, especially on days like Good Friday or Easter Sunday. You may need to adjust your bids and schedules to target peak interest before the break.
E-commerce businesses: If you're in e-commerce, the lead-up to Easter is critical for getting your promotions, discounts, or new arrivals in front of your audience. Starting your campaigns early—perhaps even weeks before the holiday—can maximize sales. People often plan and shop for holidays ahead of time, so giving them plenty of time to find your offers is key.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that consumers may have different online behaviors around the Easter break. It’s crucial to monitor and adjust your Google Ads strategy based on real-time data to maximize your return on investment.
2. Adjusting Bids & Budgets for Public Holidays
Holiday periods can lead to increased competition for ad space, especially if multiple businesses are targeting similar audiences. Here's how you can adjust your bids and budgets to make sure you stand out:
For service-based businesses: Increase your bids in the lead-up to the holiday, when customers are more likely to book or inquire about services. Once the holiday begins, consider reducing your bids to avoid overspending during quieter periods.
For e-commerce businesses: Start your holiday promotions early, adjusting your bids to take advantage of the increase in search volume leading up to Easter. Be sure to increase your budget on key days when traffic is highest, such as the days before Easter Sunday or the weekend.
Pro Tip: Use automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or Maximize Conversions to allow Google Ads to adjust bids for you based on your goals.
3. Using Holiday-Specific Keywords
For businesses wanting to capitalize on Easter-related search terms, keyword optimization is essential. Different businesses will have different keyword needs:
Service-based businesses: Use keywords related to "Easter specials," "holiday services," or "Easter weekend bookings." Consider incorporating local search terms like "Easter home cleaning in [city]" or "Easter catering in [location]" to target specific audiences.
E-commerce businesses: Include terms like "Easter sale," "Easter discounts," or "Easter gifts." This can help attract shoppers looking to take advantage of holiday deals. Don’t forget about long-tail keywords like "best Easter gifts for kids" or "Easter sale on chocolates."
Pro Tip: Look at Google Trends to spot rising search terms related to Easter, and incorporate them into your ads to target trending topics.
4. Tailoring Ad Copy for the Season
Your ad copy is one of the most powerful tools you have to engage customers. During the holiday season, tailoring your ad copy can make a significant difference.
Service-based businesses: Highlight any special offers you’re running for Easter, such as "Book now for Easter weekend service" or "Limited-time Easter offer on [service]."
E-commerce businesses: Focus on your Easter promotions and create urgency, such as "Easter Sale: Up to 50% Off!" or "Shop Now for Exclusive Easter Discounts."
Make sure to emphasize time-sensitive offers with phrases like “Limited Time Only,” “Ends Soon,” or “Easter Deals Ending Soon!”
Pro Tip: Use ad extensions to add additional details to your ads, such as location extensions or sitelink extensions that direct users to specific landing pages for Easter promotions.
5. Timing Your Ads for Maximum Impact
Timing is crucial when it comes to public holidays. While businesses should start promoting their holiday offers well in advance, there are specific days to watch closely during Easter:
Service-based businesses: Start pushing ads early to capture pre-holiday bookings. Once the holiday begins, scale back to avoid overspending. If you're in a sector like hospitality, Easter Sunday might be one of your highest traffic days.
E-commerce businesses: Start advertising in the weeks before Easter. Many people shop early for gifts or sales, so the earlier you start, the better. Increase bids and budgets in the days leading up to Easter weekend, when sales are most likely to peak.
Pro Tip: Use Google Ads scheduling to ensure your ads appear at the right time, targeting peak shopping hours or when customers are most likely to be searching for holiday-related services.
6. Leverage Remarketing to Capture Last-Minute Shoppers
Remarketing can be especially effective around the holiday period, as it allows you to target users who have already interacted with your website but didn’t convert.
For service-based businesses: Target users who viewed your site before the holiday and remind them about last-minute services or offers they might need, such as “Book your Easter weekend service now” or “Limited appointments available!”
For e-commerce businesses: Show ads to people who browsed your Easter products but didn’t purchase. You can offer them an additional discount or show them related products to increase the chance of conversion. A recent example of mine are a sewing store with Easter costumers, egg hunts, craft ideas and holiday kids crafts as potential title, descriptions or other meta data.
Pro Tip: Use dynamic remarketing for e-commerce businesses to automatically show ads with the exact products customers viewed.
Conclusion: Start Planning for the Easter Break Now!
With Easter just around the corner, it’s important to start thinking about how to adjust your Google Ads campaigns. By understanding how consumer behavior shifts during the holiday season and tailoring your ads accordingly, you can maximize your business's potential. Whether you're offering a seasonal service or running a limited-time sale, Google Ads can be a powerful tool to boost visibility and sales during Easter.
Don't wait until the last minute—take advantage of the opportunities that holiday advertising can bring, and start preparing your campaigns today!
