The Recipe to a successful Holiday Media Strategy

The holiday season is fast approaching, and if you haven’t already planned your media strategy, now is the time to do it. It's undoubtedly the best time of the year for businesses, as consumers' attention is at its peak, and therefore there's a massive opportunity for retailers to engage effectively with them and drive increased sales.

In fact, 3 in 5 US consumer's say gift shopping is one of their most anticipated holiday activities, just behind spending time with family! ¹ However, it's a tough needle to thread. With so many brands fighting for market share, standing out and gaining consumers' attention is easier said than done.

Still, this year 2 in 5 holiday advertisers expect their holiday budgets to increase compared to last year, and 1 in 2 plan to keep their budget the same as last year.² To ensure your products and services stand out in a crowded marketplace, targeting the right audience across channels with meaningful messaging is essential.

1. Start with the  signature ingredient: key holiday audience segments 

Understanding your consumer's shopping behaviors and at which  stage of the consumer journey they are will help you find your high-value audience effectively, and that's an essential step for the success of your holiday campaign. 

Being able to reach potential customers based on interests in key as well and further customize your audience based on your goals will boost the potential of your media strategy. 

Yahoo DSP offers a wide range of proprietary audiences that can be tailored based on your needs but also partners with leading audience providers, like Resonate, that can help you connect with your target audience at the peak of the purchase journey.

Resonate offers a comprehensive suite of audience segments that is refreshed continuously, ensuring you have access to the latest insights into consumer behavior and preferences. Some of the key holiday segments include:

• Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deal Finders: These shoppers are active on social media and appreciate personalized advertising based on their interests.
• Christmas and Winter Shoppers: This group values product quality, safety, and convenience. They are also receptive to personalized advertising and hassle-free shopping experiences.
• Travelers: This segment is strategic in their shopping practices, value quality and uniqueness, and are influenced by social media influencers.
• High-Spend Gift Givers: These shoppers are mindful of their finances but are also willing to spend on quality gifts. They value personalization and appreciate coupons and discounts.
• Low Spend Gift Givers: This group is more budget-conscious but still appreciates quality and unique products.
• Resonate's Custom Audiences: In addition to thepre-built segments, Resonate can create custom audiences leveraging 15,000+ attributes, including demographics, interests, and psychographics.

2. Add a mix of channels with an extra dash of CTV 

After identifying your right audience, the next step is to reach them across channels. An omnichannel strategy enables you to maximize communication with your high-value audience across every touchpoint, online and offline. And CTV should be on the top of your list, as36% of CTV viewers saying they'll search online after seeing a compelling holiday ad, and 1 in 5 consumers say they typically get shopping ideas from CTV. ³

An identity resolution partner will help you find your customers across devices, achieve user-level reach and frequency, and measure the results of your campaigns accurately, offering at the same time invaluable insights for campaign optimization. For example, think about when you reach your consumer on CTV, but the conversion happens on mobile or in-store. Identity resolution is instrumental to link exposures and conversions, regardless of where they happen. Yahoo Identity Solutions can help you connect the dots and ensure audience identification across all types of environments, even cookieless ones. (Remember, more than 1/4  of market share is currently cookieless and growing!).

3. Decorate with a sprinkle of creative for persuasive messaging

The final touch for your holiday strategy is crafting creative assets that captivate your holiday shoppers. Holiday-themed creatives not only increase relevance but also enhance performance. According to Yahoo Creative, Q4 2023 data showed a remarkable 4.4x higher conversion rate with holiday creatives compared to non-holiday creatives.⁴

Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) can significantly enhance your personalization strategy by combining data with tailored creative elements, helping your brand stand out in the Q4 confusion. To create engaging, targeted content for specific audiences, you'll need access to valuable data, flexible design tools, and advanced mapping technology. When executed effectively, targeted creative ensures more relevant messaging and better campaign outcomes. Yahoo Creative integrates seamlessly with Yahoo DSP, enabling future-proof personalization through Yahoo Identity Solutions. 

A thoughtful media strategy that addresses the above best practices can make a difference for your brand this holiday season. Be strategic, and let the holiday spirit guide you. 

‍¹ Yahoo Holiday Planning Insights & Trends, August 2024
²Yahoo Holiday Ad Planning Report, Sept 2024
‍³eMarketer report, Tapping into CTV Audiences 2024
⁴ Yahoo Internal Data, 2024