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How to Optimise Your Holiday Campaign This Season

‘Tis the season: we’ve barely said goodbye to winter yet holiday shoppers are already crossing items off their gift lists.

As in recent years, holiday shopping will begin earlier and last longer. Deloitte predicts retail sales are set to hit 5.5% growth in the 2022 calendar year, primarily driven by e-commerce.

From inflation concerns to weakened brand loyalty to ever-increasing competition for consumer attention, this year is all about crafting a holiday campaign that prioritises performance and efficiency across every channel.

As we cover in our new guide, “How to Make Your Omnichannel Holiday Campaign a Success,” an omnichannel marketing strategy is essential to effectively reach shoppers across every screen. Here’s what you need to know.

Consumer behavior is increasingly digital and omnichannel—and your holiday campaign should be, too

Marketers will be challenged this year to create a seamless digital experience that engages holiday shoppers across screens. Each month, consumers spend an average of over 100 hours on digital channels, with 8.6 million Australians accessing content on connected devices daily.

Between 2020 and 2022, Australians increased their daily time spent on mobile by 35%, making mobile and in-app ads another effective way to engage hard-to-reach audiences, including gamers, during the holidays.

Streaming viewership is increasing, with 63.8% of Australians having access to at least one streaming service in 2022. As families and friends gather around to watch holiday movies, you have a valuable opportunity to engage your desired audience on the biggest screen in the home.

“Media buyers and marketers are continuing to funnel ad dollars towards mobile, and there’s no indication of this trend slowing down. The latest IAB Australia Online Advertising Expenditure Report for the 2022 Financial Year indicates mobile advertising accounts for AU$7.1 billion of total ad spend, up by 15.6% in comparison to the 2021 financial year.”

Gai Le Roy, CEO
IAB Australia

Reach consumers as they switch devices throughout the day

It takes the right mix of channels and formats working in concert with the right personalised message to guide each consumer’s path to purchase. While digital programmatic campaigns allow you to reach your target audience at any time on any channel, you’ll need to consider your approach to dayparting in order to efficiently optimise your bidding strategy.

Looking at our platform data, we see that desktop web traffic is high during the workday and into the evening. Mobile usage is consistent throughout midday, then spikes during the late-night hours. CTV continues to rule primetime as viewers tune in during the evening hours and late into the night.

Weekday trends by device chart: CTV, mobile, and desktop usage over 24 hour period

While behavior changes on the weekend, we still see the same trend of CTV and mobile usage spiking in the late-night hours after desktop drops off.

Weekend trends by device chart: CTV, mobile, and desktop usage over 24 hour period

Be sure to download the full guide, “How to Make Your Omnichannel Holiday Campaign a Success.” You’ll find more insights and advice on making the most of the 2022 holiday shopping season, including: 

  • How to win consumer attention early and build throughout the season
  • Ways to increase efficiency with deals and inventory packages
  • How to refine your approach to addressability 
  • Why it’s time to invest in sustainability initiatives
Rachel Sullivan

Rachel Sullivan

Senior content marketing manager

As senior content marketing manager, Rachel Sullivan leads Index Exchange's content and social media strategies. She helps shape the stories, insights, and news that leaders across the advertising ecosystem need to advance the industry. Rachel previously managed content and digital marketing for a range of B2B technology companies and has both agency and in-house experience. Outside of work, you can find her traveling the world or exploring her home of New York City.

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