It’s difficult to imagine shopping for scarves and sweaters in this sweltering summer heat; however, the holiday season is right around the corner! Unfortunately, it looks as though we may be celebrating Christmas Corona-style this year.  Retailers across the globe are facing a host of challenges in the aftermath of lockdowns and the impending uncertainty of the fall and winter months. Many retailers have concerns about supply chain issues, temporary staffing, securing their online presence, and ensuring excellent customer experiences, both online and in-person.  If we have learned anything over the past six months, it’s that businesses must be digitally ready for whatever is to come to remain competitive.

How can retailers prepare for this busy season amidst all of the chaos? In February 2020, as COVID took hold of the US, eMarketer predicted the 2020 holiday season total retail spend to increase by 3.4% to $1.042 trillion and E-commerce spend to increase by 13.9% to $156.69 billion. Will these predictions hold up in the era of Coronavirus? Could E-commerce exceed expectations as brick-and-mortar retailers are forced to impose COVID protocols on in-store customers?  In order to answer these questions and more, let’s carefully review pre-pandemic 2019 holiday statistics to provide us with insights as we prepare for what’s ahead.

General Holiday E-Commerce Statistics

2019 was the first holiday season to pass the trillion-dollar mark in retail sales. Brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce spending totaled $1.007 trillion. (eMarketer)

Brick-and-mortar revenue comprised $869.4 billion of the total season’s revenue, a growth of 2.4% year over year. (eMarketer)

Online spending in the U.S. increased by 13.1% with a total of $142.5 billion spent. (Adobe)

When asked how they’d split their holiday shopping, consumers indicated they’d use the following channels:

• 59% online shopping
• 36% in-store shopping (Deloitte)

Average daily sales totaled $2.3 billion. Every day netted over $1 billion in sales with the exception of Christmas Eve, which brought in $850 million. (Adobe)

Thanksgiving 2019 posted $4.2 billion in sales in the U.S. alone. This was a 14.5% increase from the previous year. (Adobe)

Black Friday 2019 sales totaled $7.4 billion in the U.S., making it the second most profitable day of the season. It was a 19.6% increase from 2018. (Adobe)

Cyber Monday 2019 had the highest single-day sales in history, totaling $9.4 billion. This was a 19.7% increase from last year. (Adobe)

There were $2.8 billion in sales made between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Cyber Monday. More money was spent in this four-hour timeframe than the average day’s sales during the holiday season. (Adobe)

The five-day Cyber Week (Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday) brought in a total of $28.5 billion in the U.S. (Statista)

$1 of every $5 spent online during the holiday season took place during Cyber Week, an 18% increase from the previous year. (Adobe)

Holiday Shopper Spending Trends

In 2019, 89.29% of Americans planned to buy gifts during the holiday season. (Finder)

82.3% of consumers planned to shop primarily with Amazon for their holiday gifts. (Statista)

On average, consumers distributed their holiday spend between the following:

• $596 on experiences
• $511 on gifts
• $389 on non-gifts (Deloitte)

The average family spend over the 2019 holiday season was $1496. (Deloitte)

60% of all holiday sales came from big spenders (those who spent over $2100). (Deloitte)

Early-bird shoppers spend more on average. Consumers who do holiday shopping before Thanksgiving spend nearly $400 more than their later counterparts. (Deloitte)

Spending habits change based on where people live. For instance, urban shoppers planned to spend $843 while rural shoppers planned to spend $636. (NPD)

The most popular categories to spend money on were:

• Clothing and accessories 26%
• Food, beverage, health, and wellness 20%
• Toys and hobbies 17%
• Electronics and accessories 15%
• Home and kitchen 9% (Deloitte)

Holiday shoppers don’t just spend money on gifts. They also spend money on socialization:

• Restaurant dining 59%
• Hotel or Resort stays 25%
• Ground travel 25%
• Air travel 18% (Deloitte)

60% of holiday shoppers start buying Christmas gifts before December 1. (Statista)

However, the average holiday shopper in the U.S. has 53% of their shopping still remaining in December. (Think with Google)

Only 26% of shoppers complete their holiday shopping before Cyber Week. (Think with Google)

33% of consumers will hold on buying holiday gifts until there’s a sale. (Think with Google)

Multichannel holiday shopping is more and more becoming the norm with:

• 69% of people researching online, but buying in-store
• 57% researching in-store, but buying online
• 45% buying online, picking up in-store (BOPIS) (Deloitte)

In 2019, BOPIS (buy online pick-up in-store) purchases grew 35% year over year. (Adobe)

In the seven days before Christmas, BOPIS purchases were 55% higher as last-minute shoppers rushed to get their gifts. (Adobe)

On average, BOPIS carts end up with 2.4 items with a value of $46 as opposed to the 2.9 items and $54 value of e-commerce only shopping. (Adobe)

Holiday Shopping Statistics by Device

While shoppers use a variety of devices during the holiday season, e-commerce spending was split unevenly among them:

• 4% desktop sales
• 5% mobile sales
• 1% tablet sales (Statista)

Of the total $142.5 billion in U.S. e-commerce sales, $64.29 billion came from mobile shoppers. (Statista)

Year over year, smartphone traffic was up 14%. (Adobe)

Smartphone sales were responsible for 84% of e-commerce growth during the holiday season. (Adobe)

Despite more order completion on desktop, the holiday shopping process starts on smartphones two-thirds as frequently as they do on desktop (Adobe)

On Christmas Day in the U.S., 67% of visits and 48% of online revenue came from smartphones. (Adobe)

Holiday E-commerce Marketing Statistics

49% of holiday revenue generated by email came from smartphone users. (Adobe)

64% of holiday revenue generated by social media came from smartphone users. (Adobe)

23% of consumers use social media to help with their holiday shopping. (Deloitte)

The 3 most popular uses of social media for holiday shopping are:

• 60% of shoppers read product reviews
• 53% browse product listings
• 52% look for promotions (Deloitte)

81% of consumers expect to be swayed by holiday promotions. (Deloitte)

As far as promotional incentives go, consumers prefer the following:

• Price discounts 74%
• Free shipping 72%
• BOGO 39%
• Cashback 29% (Deloitte)

61% of consumers are willing to share their personal information in exchange for better promotional offers. 34% prefer faster customer service while 31% prefer faster checkout. (Deloitte)

Consumers want the following assistance when shopping on websites and apps:

• Product recommendations 42%
• Visual search tools 17%
• Curated subscription products 7%
• Voice assistance 6%
• Chatbots 5% (Deloitte)

79% of shoppers are willing to buy from a new retailer over the holidays. (Deloitte)

Holiday shoppers say the following can sway them to buy from someone new:

• Better prices 72%
• Unique products 50%
• Coupons or discounts 27% (Deloitte)

In general, holiday shoppers are motivated by the following:

• Product assortment 76%
• Price 75%
• Convenience 64% (Deloitte)

Finally, Retail experts believe that the coronavirus may do a lot of good for e-commerce sales in the future, especially for mega e-commerce companies like Amazon. However, there’s debate over whether it’ll impact the 2020 holiday season or if it’ll start in 2021 (DigitalCommerce360).

These statistics offer key insights into consumer behaviors that will assist you in planning your holiday season.   Consumers want variety and convenience at a good price, and they want it right now. Do vistors have that experience when visiting your website now?  A solid digital marketing strategy ensures that your website is fully optimized, you’re reaching your target customers, and they’re buying from you over your competitors.  Targeted ads through social media, connected TV, and streaming radio platforms will put your holiday promotions, discounts, and special offers in front of your ideal audience. Tracking every dollar and receiving a decent return on your investment is important to your bottom line, especially now. Investing your ad dollars in proven digital marketing tactics will give you measurable results.  If you need any assistance in preparing your website or digital marketing strategy for the upcoming holiday season, our experts at KeyMedia Solutions are dedicated to helping your business succeed.  Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help make this your best holiday season yet!

Resources: https://websitesetup.org/holiday-ecommerce-marketing-statistics/

The world is striving to regain a sense of normalcy as communities slowly reopen. There are feelings of cautious optimism giving renewed hope to people and companies within our communities.  Although it may be a while before we are fully back to normal, we are making progress at defeating the virus and rebuilding our economy every day.

Along with that progress, many organizations have stepped up to help businesses devastated by the lockdown.  At the beginning of April, Facebook and Google presented plans to help small businesses. Initially, limited information was given as to how these programs will work, but we now know more and want to share how they could benefit you.

Facebook Small Business Grants Program

 Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits as part of their relief fund package. The social media platform that has earned a reputation with its full-fledged advertising platform, will be granting these funds to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 different countries around the world. However, to receive these funds, there are a few stipulations you must meet to qualify. First, your business has to employ between 2 and 50 employees. Second, your business must be a minimum of 1 year old. Third, your business must currently be experiencing challenges directly stemming from the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, your business needs to be in or near a location where Facebook operates.

We understand that this will not apply to everyone, but it does cover a wide range of businesses that will benefit from these funds.  As of now, Facebook has not announced how much the credits will be, when they will be distributed, or how they will be distributed. To begin your application process for consideration, visit the Small Business Grants Program page on Facebook for Business.

Ad Credits for Google Ads Small and Medium-sized Businesses

 Google is making numerous efforts as part of its response to this pandemic. One way they are offering relief is by providing $340 million in ad credits to small and medium-sized businesses around the world. This is in addition to the $15 million in cash grants Google.org is providing to non-profits and the $20 million in ad grants to community financial institutions to use for public services announcements to run regarding relief funds and other resources for small to medium-sized businesses.

The qualification process for the Google Ad Credits differs a bit from the Facebook Small Business Grants Program, in that there is no application process. Google will work to match the right clients with relief funds. This will be accomplished by reviewing all active Google Accounts established in their platform that meet set guidelines to see if an account is eligible to receive a portion of the $340 million in ad credits.

Eligibility is given to businesses that are small to medium-sized, have spent advertising dollars in Google Ads 10 of 12 months in 2019, and in January and February of this year. These businesses could have advertised directly or through a Google Partner. If your business advertised on Google Ads through a Google Partner, your account will receive the credit, not the agency representing your business.

When you receive your ad credit, it is for future use only and will not apply to a past or a current campaign.   You may use your credit on the Google Display Network, Search Network, YouTube Network, and all other Google supported ad formats. Google has stated in their documentation, that each eligible account will receive one ad credit, but the amount will vary from account to account. Google will determine credit amounts by looking at past Google Ad Spend as well as country and currency of where the business and Google Ad account were established.

Google Ad credits will start hitting accounts in late May and will be rolled out in phases over the following months. When credits are applied to an account, they will appear as a notification in your account. Once you receive your credit, you have until December 31^st, 2020 to use the entire credit or it will be removed from your account after that date.

Additional Resources

As the world continues to rebound from this crisis, we at KeyMedia Solutions will continue helping businesses find solutions to the challenges they face. We hope this gives you a bit of relief and that your business may benefit from these grants and credits.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/resource

Google: https://smallbusiness.withgoogle.com/news/resources-for-smbs-impacted-by-coronavirus/?utm_expid=.ZNWUKCwxSmSr6gqI0A5nSQ.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.google.com%2Fgoogle-ads%2Fanswer%2F9803410#!/

As we slowly reopen and adjust to a new way of interacting, businesses will become increasingly dependent upon their digital marketing strategy. Unfortunately, if you do not have a web presence now, you may not have a business when this is over.  Operating your business and communicating with your customers through digital methods is critical to surviving in a post-COVID world.

This never-done-before, nearly complete cancellation of all live events, conferences, and conducting of face-to-face business is forcing industries to operate almost exclusively through digital channels and possibly for the foreseeable future. Now is the time to review every aspect of your operation and move all feasible processes online.  Companies that rely on trade shows and conferences to network and build customer relationships must be nimble and quickly shift into social marketing and digital campaigns.  Businesses that have built off-line networks based on face-to-face meetings and handshakes require a strategy to reach those potential customers in a new contact-less world.  Organizations that usually funnel a majority of their advertising budgets into live events and conventions are now rerouting those funds into digital channels.

Transforming how you traditionally conduct business can leave you with a lot of questions. While you may have known where to find warm leads or potential customers in a face-to-face environment; how do you locate them in a virtual one? How can you be sure those who are looking can find you?  Which of your products or services do people want most? Is your brand getting in front of the right audience and conveying the proper message? These are all valid concerns to consider as you shift your marketing strategy.

Luckily, you can relax and put all of your B2B marketing worries to rest with MasterKey ATA by KeyMedia Solutions! Imagine knowing the anonymous companies who visit your website every day. MasterKey ATA uses IP address intelligence & B2B firmographic data that translates IP addresses to companies, integrates account data into your technology stack, and provides first-party intent data to identify anonymous web visitors – all based on a company’s IP address.  MasterKey ATA enables you to receive in-depth company and contact information, find the warmest leads based on visitor engagement, and connect with prospects early in their buying cycle.

Contact us at KeyMedia Solutions today for a free consultation to discover why MasterKey ATA is your marketing team’s best friend and your sales team’s secret weapon.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ― Fred Rogers

This quote reassures us that we are not alone when things are scary and reminds us to see the good in one another.  Every day, we see examples of people doing all they can for others during this time of uncertainty.  How inspiring it is to observe American ingenuity, innovation, and generosity in action! We are sewing face masks, delivering groceries to those who are unable to leave their homes, supporting local shelters, and food banks. Businesses that cannot operate in their usual capacity have retooled their establishments to serve the needs of their communities. Breweries are making hand sanitizer, manufacturers are pumping out PPE (personal protective equipment), and closed-down restaurants are shifting to serve as grocery stores.  Businesses are not only helping their patrons, but they’re also aiding other businesses with discounts, cash grants, loans, ad credits, and more.

At KeyMedia Solutions, we are committed to being helpers in every way we can.  If your business is struggling during this pandemic, we want you to know that you do have options. Figuring out how to start and where to look can feel overwhelming.  To make finding the assistance you need easier, we have compiled a comprehensive list of resources available to businesses during this economic crisis.  Here you will find links and information to successfully navigate your way through this challenging time.

https://sdgoed.com/covid-19/ Governor Noem’s Small Business Relief Fund for businesses within South Dakota.

Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits. Google is offering USD 10,000 in ad grants to nonprofit organizations.

https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9803410?hl=en Google is giving ad credits to small and medium-sized businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants Facebook is offering $100M in grants and ad credits to small businesses around the world.

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options The Small Business Administration COVID relief options.  Here is information on the Paycheck Protection Program and other federal resources available to small businesses right now.

https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/verizon-small-business-recovery-fund/Verizon Business and LISC have teamed up to offer small business grants to those struggling to remain open.

https://www.gofundme.com/c/small-business-relief-initiative-and-fund-faqs Go Fund Me has started a small business relief initiative to help small businesses throughout the country.

https://www.uschamber.com/save-small-business The Us Chamber of Commerce Foundation, in partnership with Vistaprint launched the Save Small Business Fund which provides  $5k for businesses that employe between 3 and 20 people along with other qualifications.

https://businessforall.helloalice.com/ In partnership with Verizon, the digital fundraising and advocacy platform Hello Alice is offering emergency grants of up to $10,000 for companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

https://blog.yelp.com/2020/03/yelp-covid-19-response-and-support-for-local-businesses Yelp is offering advertising credits and more for small, independently owned restaurants and bars.

https://beautychangeslives.org/horst-rechelbacher-foundation-covid-19-relief-grant/ Beauty Changes lives is offering $1,000 grants for licensed beauty professionals who are out of work due to the coronavirus.

https://www.globalgiving.org/redbackpackfund/ Spanx and The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation, administered by GlobalGiving, are providing 1,000 grants of $5,000 to women-owned small businesses affected by COVID-19 in monthly rounds. The application will open again on May 4.

https://www.digitalundivided.com/dooniefund Digitalundivided, a nonprofit that supports black and Latinx women entrepreneurs, is providing quick grants of $100 to black women business owners.

Check back often as this list will be updated regularly to provide the latest information on resources available to businesses during this time.  If you would like to discuss your business needs or if we can be of service in any way, please contact us today!

In February of this year, Google announced that there would be a new set of requirements for Agencies to partner with Google. These changes were scheduled to go into effect in June of 2020. However, no one saw the coronavirus coming or the toll it would take on the marketing world.  In light of this, Google announced they’ll be delaying the launch of the program until 2021. Here are some of the changes that were scheduled to take place and are expected next year:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Advertisers will be required to have an Optimization score provided by Google’s AI, of 70% on average. These recommendations include everything from creating new ads and keywords to changing your bidding strategy.
                     2. You must have a minimum Google Ad Spend of $20,000 in the last 90 days.
                     3. At least 50% of the users connected to your account must maintain current Google Ads Certifications in Search, Display, Video, and Shopping.

Google concluded that it would be too difficult for advertisers to meet the new Google Partners Program requirements by the June 2020 timeline in the climate of Coronavirus. With the impact of the virus-crisis on the economy, many businesses are pulling back their marketing budgets, even though communicating with your customers is more important than ever. Businesses must understand that it is crucial to shift their marketing along with how they operate during this pandemic.

At KeyMedia Solutions, we don’t recommend completely cutting your advertisements or freezing your marketing efforts. However, we do feel this situation presents an opportunity to revise your strategy and refresh your messaging. For businesses to survive, they must effectively communicate with their customers and let them know how they are changing business operations to meet the moment.  Now is the time for businesses to optimize their online presence and put every ad dollar to work.

KeyMedia Solutions is devoted to helping your business. We are here to serve as a reliable source for the latest developments in digital marketing and offer customized solutions to ensure your survival now, and continued success beyond this crisis.  We are experts at solving marketing challenges with result-driven strategies.  Let our innovative team help design your plan for marketing success, contact us today!

During this time of uncertainty, businesses are struggling on a variety of fronts and under circumstances beyond their control.  While this unprecedented economic shutdown has been devastating to many, there are opportunities to come out of this crisis – not only intact but improved and positioned for better days ahead!  Survival marketing is the process of assessing and shifting your business to meet the needs of your customers right now.  Marketing experts, Korena Keys (CEO of KeyMedia Solutions), and Courtney Davidson (VP of Matt Jensen Marketing), recently joined together with Small Business Owners and Executives for an online interactive discussion on what actionable steps businesses can take today.

Get started now by conducting a comprehensive audit of your current marketing strategy.  Is your message still relevant in light of what’s happening? Revise your messaging to be reflective of the moment and informative to your patrons.  For example, if your retail location is currently closed, but you use a CRM to send automated emails, make sure the email messages do not invite customers to your physical locations.  It is also imperative to update your Google My Business information to reflect any changes to your hours or services.  Your customers are still your customers and they want to find you!

Look closely at your paid and non-paid media. If your company’s marketing budget is currently frozen, that doesn’t mean your marketing efforts should be!  Google is offering $10k in Google Ad Grants to nonprofit organizations and Google Ad Credits to businesses that have been consistent advertisers.  Facebook is also offering assistance options.  Increase your social media posts and email campaigns to keep customers engaged.  Change up your paid media mix to stretch your budget.  With the world online, your ad dollars may go further with OTT or streaming platforms over traditional broadcast television or over-the-air radio. Make sure your paid search keywords are relevant and updated.

Next, perform a thorough inspection of your website.  Use the site to communicate your current situation, changes in hours, and ways to shop or connect with your business.  State your company’s response to the current crisis and your commitment to your customers.  Confirm that your content is current and applicable to the present climate.  Is your website user friendly? How about optimized for mobile devices? Perhaps your site needs new landing pages? Make the necessary updates to your website and refresh your content.

Finally, evaluate your business operations. Use the extra time on your hands to improve your customer experience.  Map the customer journey and review every touchpoint, from the initial site visit to after the sale. Have you put off training initiatives because you’ve been too busy?  Utilize this downtime to train your employees and streamline internal processes to prepare for tomorrow.

Remember, while this crisis is difficult, it is also temporary. Stay calm and focus on what you can do for your customers and employees today.  Seize every opportunity available to sustain or advance your business.  At KeyMedia Solutions, we are dedicated to helping businesses through this challenging time and we would be honored to discuss your current needs and help you with strategies to write your success story!