Getting More Engagement Online at Christmas

By now, the Christmas shopping season is in high gear. Many of those looking for presents online now are feeling a bit of pressure.  And that is a fantastic opportunity for online retailers to step up their game. Those worried shoppers need help and reassurance.  Delivering it is the way to convert those visitors to solid sales. What specific steps can you take at the last minute to reassure your site visitors and encourage them to follow those calls to action and make a purchase?

1. If you don’t have a pop-up chat feature offering customer assistance, this is the one time of year you are definitely missing out. People have questions about their gift choices, and they are under time pressure. If they have the option to ask questions and have them answered immediately, then people can make a decision and a purchase more easily.
2. Offer gift wrapping. It’s a little extra work for you, and a huge relief for shoppers. It shows that you are anticipating their needs and respecting their time. If people can have gifts wrapped, they can have them sent directly to the recipient instead of adding the extra steps of receiving, wrapping and delivering the gifts themselves. Most importantly, make it clear on your website and in your social media that you are doing this.
3. What other services can you add? Are you selling toys or anything else that requires assembly? Many of Santa’s helpers are very happy to have the option to purchase the product already assembled. Parents know and dread the late-night toy assembly process, and going the extra mile to spare them is greatly appreciated. This is a great topic for social media posts.
4. On your social media, this is an ideal time to encourage a bit of chat and engagement. So share a Christmas memory or recipe related to your product and ask people to share theirs. Post photos of how you have decorated your office or studio and invite people to share their own pictures of how they’ve decorated their workspace.
5. Holiday and Christmas hashtags are a must for your social media these days. This is the easiest step you can take right now to boost your engagement by drawing more people to your posts. While there’s no handy list of such hashtags, you have the knowledge already. It’s a matter of knowing your audience and tweaking your most successful hashtags for the season.

We’re all a little hungry for the human touch in things at this time of year. And a little effort can give your marketing a boost that will pay off in the year ahead. If you can’t implement these ideas now, then you can plan for next year.