How to get eCommerce ready for summer bank holiday traffic

The final bank holiday of the year before Christmas-associated observations is fast approaching. Is your business ready?

Each bank holiday has the power to add £500 million in spending to the economy in the UK, with consumers using the time off to take part in leisure expenditure. Bank holidays can also boost sales by 15%, with savvy shoppers looking to make the most of special offers and seasonal promotions.

The summer bank holiday often signifies the final get-together for families before the summer holidays end, so spending is often focused on events and seasonal products. Think BBQ food, outdoor toys, and summer clothing! If the Jubilee increase of 20% extra on groceries is anything to go by, we think this will be a huge retail date as people are looking for a form of escapism from the many issues in the world.

Planning for this date is essential if you want a slice of the estimated £37.66 billion August spend that Brits are predicted to spend this year.

So how can you plan for success? Check out our top tips below to help ensure your summer bank holiday is one of the brightest!

Plan your social content in advance.

Having content ready to flood the feeds of your target customers is essential if you want to be the centre of attention on the August bank holiday.

Make sure that you focus on relevant, eye-catching topics to ensure that you have a steady feed of well-timed content. You should also integrate reactive posting, replying to comments, and live-engagement pieces over the weekend.

Being able to focus on live events is essential when traffic is hopefully going to be heavier on your social channels.

Budget for increased spending on your PPC campaigns.

More traffic means more spending, so ensure you have accounted for this to make the most of your budget.

Also, looking ahead to which search terms are likely to be more active during the bank holiday weekend is essential for seeing how you can make your product or service more relevant to consumers.

Whilst organic traffic is a brilliant strategy, for small businesses, peak times are essential for using your PPC strategy for increased exposure.

Tailor your products for the seasonal shopper.

If you have summer-ready products, brilliant, but if not, it doesn't mean you need to miss out on the increased traffic and engagement available.

For brands with products that can be marketed as something that people will be looking for, make sure you optimise copy and content to grab the consumer's attention. If you do not have a summer-ready product, no worries, as consumers will also be aware that they only have a few months before Christmas, so they will be looking to bag a bargain!

Clever copywriting and graphics are essential to adapt your product or service to be relevant in the summer bank holiday. Time to get creative!

Get your timings just right.

Bank holiday traffic doesn't just have to be secured on the 3-day weekend itself. Shoppers look for deals and required products as much as a month in advance.

Your social content and website messaging should highlight the upcoming day in a way that plants the idea, of your product or service, into the consumer's mind. Being too early could mean your message is lost, whereas being late is the difference between you or your competitor getting the consumer's interest.

Of course, be active on the weekend itself, but make sure you have planned what the run-up of your campaign activity looks like.

Discounts and offers are what consumers will be looking for.

Shoppers want a bargain all year round, but especially when it comes to seasonal holidays.

The reality is, if you don't run a deal, then your competitor likely will be. You should therefore make sure you have implemented a compelling call to action and offer that your target consumers can not stand to miss out on.

The traffic you will receive is also likely to be filled with new consumer opportunities, so having some incentive to shop is a great way to secure them as paying and loyal customers.

Be prepared for increased traffic.

As well as ensuring that your content is on point, you should ensure your website and social channels are ready for extra visitors.

Branding and bios should be as relevant as possible, with a call to action and links to other resources being the difference between converting a consumer to a customer. You should also ensure aspects such as banners and logos reflect the bank holiday to instantly represent that your product or service is suitable for the savvy-summer shopper.

Running a technical audit is also recommended to ensure that the dreaded website crash does not happen to you! Check loading times and operational features in advance of the traffic ramp-up.

Incorporate a family focus into your messaging

As we have discussed, the summer bank holiday is often a time for families to meet.

Therefore, ensuring that you include copywriting and images that are tailored to this warm, memory-evoking type of event is essential for looking relevant.

The prospect of a long weekend filled with food and (hopefully) good weather will put people in a good mood; aligning your content with this will help you resonate with consumers and target people of all demographics.

Are you feeling more confident about your bank holiday eCommerce strategies now?

Kopa Marketing are always on hand to help with PPC, website, and organic social media projects so be sure to let us know if you have any further questions.

With consumer spending lower in general due to the cost-of-living crisis, making the most out of seasonal holidays is more important than ever.

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