by Vuyelwa Gxakushe
As Black Friday approaches, one thing is certain: your customers are already on the hunt for deals. They’re researching products, comparing prices, and planning their purchases. For you business owners, this is a golden opportunity. But here’s the catch—you won’t just magically appear in front of your customers. To stand out, your business needs to be found online, and your competitors are thinking the exact same thing. So, how do you make sure you’re the first choice when customers start searching for Black Friday deals? It all starts with getting prepared early and adjusting your marketing strategy for the busiest shopping season of the year.
Start Early: Shoppers are Already Looking
Gone are the days when Black Friday shopping started on the day itself. Customers today are savvy—they begin browsing weeks in advance, bookmarking products, and making mental notes of where they’ll spend their hard-earned cash. If your business isn’t visible during this critical period, you’re missing out on capturing their attention early. Imagine you run a local electronics store. Your competitors are already pushing their ads out on Google Search, targeting keywords like “best Black Friday electronics deals.” If you’re not in the mix, those shoppers may not even know your store exists. Last year at Adbot, we worked with a retailer who thought waiting until the week of Black Friday would be fine. They quickly realized their competitors were ahead of the game, having already captured customer attention. By the time they got their ads running, it was too late—their traffic never picked up, and their sales fell flat. Lesson learned: start early.
Increase Your Budget: Competition is Fierce
Every business wants to be the first one customers see when they search for deals. During Black Friday, the competition skyrockets, and businesses are willing to invest more to secure those top ad positions. If your budget remains the same as any other month, your ads could get buried by competitors who are bidding higher.Think of it as a bidding war on the most prime real estate in a busy marketplace. If your competitors are spending double on their ads, they’ll dominate those prime ad spots. You’ll end up with less visibility, fewer clicks, and ultimately, fewer sales. At Adbot, we’ve seen firsthand how increasing your ad spend just before Black Friday can make a massive difference. Last year, one of our clients, a small fashion brand, boosted their budget by 40% during November. The result? A 60% increase in traffic and a massive surge in sales. They weren’t competing with the biggest brands out there, but their increased ad spend put them in front of the right audience at the right time.
Optimise Your Google Ads: Keywords Matter More Than Ever
When it comes to Black Friday, customers are searching for specific deals. It’s crucial that your Google Search Ads are optimised to target the right keywords and phrases. But here’s where many businesses fall short—they don’t adjust their keywords for seasonal trends. If your ads are still using generic terms, you’re missing the boat. A home appliance store should be focusing on keywords like “Black Friday washer and dryer deals” or “best Black Friday appliance sales.” By using seasonal and high-intent keywords, you’ll appear in front of customers who are actively searching for those deals right now. Our Bot has helped businesses fine-tune their keyword strategy during peak sales periods. One client, a small online retailer, wasn’t seeing much traction with their generic search terms. After tweaking their ad copy and adding Black Friday-specific keywords, their click-through rate nearly doubled.
Be Mobile-Ready: Customers Shop on Their Phones
It’s no secret that mobile shopping is taking over. In fact, last year, nearly half of all Black Friday purchases were made on mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-optimized, or if your checkout process is slow or clunky on mobile, you’re likely losing out on a huge chunk of sales.
Picture this—your customer is sitting on their couch, scrolling through their phone looking for Black Friday deals. They click on your ad, but your website takes forever to load. Frustrated, they close the window and move on to a competitor with a faster site. You’ve just lost a potential sale because your mobile experience wasn’t up to scratch. I’ve seen businesses get caught off guard by the surge of mobile traffic during Black Friday. Last year, one of our clients saw their website crash because it wasn’t optimized for the influx of mobile shoppers.
Track and Adapt: Real-Time Adjustments are Key
Black Friday is a fast-paced environment, and what works in the morning might not work by the afternoon. To get the best results, you need to track your ads in real-time and make quick adjustments based on performance. If certain ads are driving lots of traffic, consider increasing your bids. If others are falling flat, pivot quickly. Last Black Friday, In one of our clients we noticed that their ad for “Black Friday laptop deals” was significantly outperforming their ad for “Black Friday tech accessories.” Thanks to Adbot’s bot, which continuously evaluates ad performance, the system automatically shifted more budget to the better-performing ad. This flexibility led to a substantial increase in their return on investment without any manual adjustments. Flexibility is key, and that’s where Adbot shines. During peak sales periods, our bot monitors ad performance in real-time and makes quick adjustments. It ensures your best-performing ads get the most visibility, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on potential sales.
Ready to Win Black Friday?
Black Friday is one of the most important sales events of the year, and it’s not something you can afford to wing at the last minute. Your customers are ready to buy—they’re searching, comparing, and preparing to make purchases. The question is, will your business be the one they choose? To make sure you’re in the running, start preparing now. Update your Google Ads with seasonal keywords, increase your budget to outbid competitors, and don’t forget to optimise your site for mobile shoppers. Most importantly, stay flexible and be ready to adapt throughout the day. At Adbot, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Our AI-powered platform makes it easy to manage your Google Search Ads and ensures your campaigns are optimised for success.
Black Friday is coming—are you ready to stand out?
Vuyelwa Gxakushe is a passionate marketing manager with 3 years of experience in the advertising industry, specializing in working with small businesses across Africa. Driven by a desire to create meaningful connections, Vuyelwa leverages the power of clear, concise language to bridge the gap between brands and their target audiences.
More articles by Vuyelwa
As Black Friday approaches, one thing is certain: your customers are already on the hunt for deals. They’re researching products, comparing prices, and planning their purchases. For you business owners, this is a golden opportunity. But here’s the catch—you won’t just magically appear in front of your customers. To stand out, your business needs to be found online, and your competitors are thinking the exact same thing. So, how do you make sure you’re the first choice when customers start searching for Black Friday deals? It all starts with getting prepared early and adjusting your marketing strategy for the busiest shopping season of the year.