6 Digital Trends Driving Sales This Holiday Season

With Black Friday signaling the final stretch of holiday shopping, it's more important than ever for retailers to execute their digital marketing strategies with precision. In a noisy marketplace with countless retailers clamoring for consumers’ limited dollars and attention, using the right message to reach the right people in the right channel at the right time of day is critical.

Of course, it's much easier said than done. Marketing avenues, digital platforms and technologies are seemingly unlimited, but resources and budgets certainly are not. How do retailers pick the right omnichannel mix of tactics that complement their existing digital strategy while also improving sales?

At Blueocean Market Intelligence, we conduct an ongoing, proprietary analysis of the social media efforts of the nation's top 100 retailers (as defined by the National Retail Federation) and use this information to develop the the Social Media Effectiveness Index for Retailers. This index helps us derive predictions about what's working and what's not in holiday retailing. Incorporating these tactics — customized according to the specific needs and behaviors of your target audience — will help you convert followers without busting your marketing budget.

1. Video wins the day: Retailers that use video to showcase their products and services on social networks are more likely to capture shoppers’ attention. And with more attention on your products, the higher the likelihood of generating sales.

2. Social shopping has arrived: Twitter's "Buy" button and Facebook's e-commerce integration have ushered in the era of social shopping. That said, use caution here. Retailers should only consider social shopping for products already trending on social media networks.

3. Geo-targeting is more important than ever: Retailers that promote diverse, targeted offers based on city, state or ZIP code are sure to drive more holiday sales. Taking advantage of external variables (e.g., a major snowstorm) is especially powerful for businesses pushing seasonal products or driving customers to nearby brick-and-mortar locations.

4. The game starts early: Consumers are shopping early this year, and retailers that are already marketing in earnest have access to a larger pool of consumers who want to beat the holiday madness. If the trend of early shopping continues in years ahead, some retailers may opt for guaranteed delivery cutoff dates closer to mid-December, rather than waiting until Christmas Eve. Even so, Black Friday just opened the floodgates for another rush of holiday shoppers, so retailers still can get in on the game.

5. Mobile is big business: Mobile visits to e-commerce websites are booming year-over-year. Apps that customize the user experience, enhance convenience and offer real-time deals are a sound part of any holiday sales strategy.

6. Customers don't want to pay for shipping: According to a 2014 survey by UPS and comScore, 81 percent of online shoppers believe free shipping is important. Offering free in-store pickup also has proven an effective promotion in recent years. Share your incentives via social networks to gain an edge over competitors.

Anees Merchant is the senior vice president of digital at Blueocean Market Intelligence, a provider of market research and market intelligence services.