9 Ways to Prepare Your Website for the Holiday Season
Rachel Wing
October 22, 2023
It's Fall! And we all know what that means... time to update your website to prepare for the holidays!
It may seem a little early, but you'll want to get a jump on this now. That way, changes have enough time to propagate in Google's index and you'll get the SEO bump you need to drive organic traffic to your site during peak holiday shopping time.
Also, from a practical perspective, it is great to start on this before you get busy with all that the holiday season entails. Here are some ways to update your website in advance of the holidays:
For a service industry, this may be as simple as reminding customers to be ready for the holidays (e.g. “look your best for the holidays!” for a hair salon or “finish that home improvement project before Christmas” for a construction company).
It may seem a little early, but you'll want to get a jump on this now. That way, changes have enough time to propagate in Google's index and you'll get the SEO bump you need to drive organic traffic to your site during peak holiday shopping time.
Also, from a practical perspective, it is great to start on this before you get busy with all that the holiday season entails. Here are some ways to update your website in advance of the holidays:
1. Include gifting ideas in your product descriptions
For example, if you sell scarves, let's make sure that your product descriptions include words like “great Christmas gift for Mom”. This is important from an SEO perspective (people may not commonly search for “scarf” unless they know they need one, but lots of people WILL search “gift for mom”). Plus, it never hurts to plant ideas for shoppers already on your site, who are interested in your product and just need a reason to make that purchase.
For a service industry, this may be as simple as reminding customers to be ready for the holidays (e.g. “look your best for the holidays!” for a hair salon or “finish that home improvement project before Christmas” for a construction company).
2. Highlight promotions with banners and call to action buttons
Encourage customers to make purchases by promoting discounts or giveaways. Banners can include discount codes to use at checkout, links to on sale items, or even alerts about when a sale will start. Consider adding countdown timers to create a sense of urgency. For example, countdowns to shipping deadlines or flash sales can encourage last-minute shoppers.
3. Enhance Customer Support
Update your FAQ section with holiday-specific information, including shipping times, return policies, and contact information for customer support.
4. Update photos and design elements
Update photos to show holiday settings and themes (e.g. photos of the candles you sell on a Thanksgiving table). Incorporate holiday-themed design elements such as background images and color schemes that reflect the season and create a festive atmosphere.
5. Optimize for Mobile
Ensure your website is mobile-responsive to cater to users on smartphones and tablets. Many people do their holiday shopping on mobile devices, so a seamless mobile experience is crucial.
6. Create Holiday Content
Develop holiday-themed blog posts, videos, or gift guides that provide value to your audience (and is great for SEO!). Share tips, ideas, or holiday-related content that aligns with your brand.
7. Show how you are giving back this season - let your values shine
Or, consider a personal photo and note thanking customers. This adds more color to who you are as a brand and what you value.
8. Social Media Integration
Link your website to your social media profiles and encourage visitors to follow you for updates, promotions, and holiday content. Share user-generated content and engage with your audience on social platforms.
9. Update your hours
Open late before the holidays for last minute shopping? Or, keeping your days shorter due to decreased sunlight. Let's make it obvious so that clients have all the important information.
Want help updating your website for the holidays? We'd love to work with you!