As seen on Ad Age: https://adage.com/article/industry-insights/3-targeting-adjustments-help-brands-achieve-best-holiday-results/2221466

Believe it or not, holiday shoppers have been filling their carts under our noses for months. Even before Black Friday and Cyber Monday hit, consumers flocked to their screens to stock up on gifts, with most industries kicking off between October and November and peaking during the second week of December, according to a study by software and digital service provider Wordstream.

The holiday season consistently offers companies a huge boost in sales. Before the holidays, most retailers see a 20 percent lift, according to the Wordstream data. And on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, advertising campaigns can reach more than six times their usual daily traffic.

The sooner marketers launch their ad campaigns, the more they can benefit from the holiday shopping rush. Here are three simple ways to improve your targeting efforts and reap the benefits this season:

1. Narrow your audience

Reestablishing your holiday targeting starts with redefining your audience profiles. Because returning customers pose such significant profit potential, focus your efforts on warm leads. By marketing to customers who have interacted with your brand previously, you can avoid spending time and resources on customers who are less likely to convert.

By making these shoppers the focal point of holiday strategies, brands can reestablish a connection with consumers who previously expressed interest in their brand to promote future purchases. Brands can use email lists, as well as manually crafted profiles, to reach these consumers. Facebook even offers a “lookalike audiences” option to capture customers who are likely to convert, even if they haven’t previously interacted with your brand. After outlining your buyer personas, create content that speaks directly to each of your audience segments.

2. Tailor your message

Revising the creative on your advertisements -- from copy to visual -- is a simple but necessary way to attract customers during the holiday season. Before launching your campaigns, revisit copy and the strategies guiding it. Then, rather than using standard sales language, include relevant keywords that connect your product to holiday themes. Not only does updated copy engage audiences with seasonal messaging, but it also shows prospects that your offers are current.

As I mentioned before, having tailored content is vital to holiday ad targeting. Create multiple versions of your ads to suit each audience profile. For example, you could encourage new consumers to join your email list, while inviting returning customers to earn double loyalty points on their purchases.

Regardless, always craft copy that addresses the customer’s end goal, whether it’s saving money, time or stress or finding an especially unique gift. By pairing tailored copy with unique creative, brands can tell a compelling story that stands out and drives sales.

3. Increase and monitor ad spending

If there was ever a time for brands to increase their ad spending, it’s during the holidays. Not only are there huge returns on the line, but also huge competition fighting for paid search and social ads. But there’s also more traffic and commercial intent to be taken advantage of.

Revisit your ad spending limits for the upcoming month, and if necessary, see where you can cut costs leading up to or following promotions. Failing to increase ad budgets puts brands at risk of reaching spending limits early and losing sales when ads disappear. Monitor your spending and make timely adjustments to your strategies through Facebook Business Manager.

Another way to ensure ad visibility is to use Facebook’s “auto-placement” option, which increases ad visibility by opting for less-competitive formats. With 16 ad placement options -- including Stories, sidebar and audience network -- auto-placement allows Facebook to give brands the second-best option, with a higher probability of success, rather than having them fight for the top option and never being seen.

Implementing these simple changes can help brands target more effectively and drive greater sales during the holiday season and beyond.