Black Friday Marketing Trends & Quora Audience Insights
Black Friday, the annual shopping extravaganza following Thanksgiving, presents a unique and compelling opportunity for advertisers. As the holiday season kicks off, consumer interest and engagement surge, making Black Friday trends a pivotal focus for businesses looking to maximize their advertising impact.
The origins of Black Friday
The term “Black Friday” first emerged in the 1950s, when retailers would refer to the day after Thanksgiving as the point where their annual accounting books would shift from “red” (losses) to “black” (profits). This marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season, when stores would see a major uptick in sales and foot traffic.
Over time, Black Friday evolved from an informal term used within the retail industry to become the widely recognized shopping event we know today. In the 1980s, retailers began actively marketing Black Friday and promoting it as the biggest shopping day of the year. As online shopping gained popularity in the 2000s, Cyber Monday soon emerged as the companion e-commerce version of Black Friday.
Image generated using DALL-E-3 on Poe, Quora’s AI chat app.
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday were once distinct shopping events, the lines have become increasingly blurred in recent years. Many retailers now offer “Black Friday” deals both in-store and online, extending the shopping frenzy from Friday through the entire “Cyber Weekend.”
Black Friday is primarily associated with in-store, brick-and-mortar shopping, while Cyber Monday focuses more on online purchases.
Consumers tend to seek out doorbuster deals and impulse purchases on Black Friday, whereas Cyber Monday shopping is often more deliberate and researched.
Black Friday is typically the busier and more chaotic of the two days, with long lines and crowded stores, while Cyber Monday sees higher online traffic and sales.
The importance of Black Friday marketing
For retailers and e-commerce businesses, Black Friday represents a critical make-or-break moment. It’s the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, when consumers are primed and ready to open their wallets. In 2023, 200.4 million people in the US shopped during the Thanksgiving weekend, spending an estimated $9.8 billion.
Effective Black Friday marketing can make all the difference, helping brands cut through the noise, attract customers, and drive sales. By offering enticing deals, promotions, and experiences – both online and in-store – businesses can maximize their revenue during this lucrative shopping period.
Whether you’re an e-commerce retailer, brick-and-mortar store, or B2B provider, developing a strategic Black Friday marketing plan is crucial to capitalizing on this annual retail phenomenon.
Image generated using DALL-E-3 on Poe, Quora’s AI chat app.
Black Friday outlook & statistics
Black Friday is a significant shopping event for both consumers and retailers, with billions of dollars being spent both online and offline. A record 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, surpassing last year’s record of 196.7 million, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The figures surpassed NRF’s initial expectations of 182 million shoppers by more than 18 million.
$9.8 Billion
Average spent on Black Friday in 2023
$5.3 Billion
Of Black Friday online sales in 2023 came from online shopping
$79M
of Black Friday sales came from customers who opted for “Buy Now Pay Later” methods
Consumer electronics
The best-selling categories of Black Friday
Black Friday trends for 2024
As holiday spending ramps up, so do Black Friday sales.
Retailers are increasingly offering early bird deals and loyalty programs to entice shoppers before Black Friday. By providing exclusive discounts or limited-time offers in advance, retailers can capture the attention of eager buyers and secure a share of their spending.
Although Black Friday is still somewhat omnichannel, retailers can expect up to a 3x increase in traffic compared to a normal day in October, according to Shopbox AI. Additionally, consumers are increasingly using their phones to purchase—not just browse. Last year, consumers utilized both online and in-store channels throughout the weekend, with 121.4 million people visiting physical retail locations to browse items and make in-store purchases. Online shoppers totalled 134.2 million, up from 130.2 million last year.
Image generated using DALL-E-3 on Poe, Quora’s AI chat app.
Black Friday also continued its streak as the most popular day for in-store shopping, with 76.2 million shoppers opting to visit bricks-and-mortar locations, up from 72.9 million in 2022. Roughly 90.6 million consumers shopped online on Black Friday, up from 87.2 million in 2022. E-commerce will likely to continue this growth in 2024, so make sure your web presence is robust and mobile friendly.
Finally, as consumers come to expect more flexibility from retailers, multiple payment options, free shipping, and simple returns will be critical to running compelling seasonal promotions.
Winning Black Friday marketing strategies
As the biggest shopping event of the year, Black Friday requires a multi-faceted marketing approach. Here are some of the top strategies and tactics to consider:
Pre-Black Friday teasers and sneak peeks
Start building excitement and anticipation for your Black Friday deals well in advance. Offer “sneak peeks” of your upcoming promotions in the weeks leading up to the big day. This can take the form of social media posts, email newsletters, or even interactive teaser campaigns like a “Spin to Win” wheel.
Leverage social media
Social platforms are prime real estate for Black Friday marketing. Use relevant hashtags, run social media contests, and create shareable content that gets your audience excited. Encourage user-generated content and leverage influencer partnerships to further expand your reach.
Optimize for mobile
With the majority of Black Friday shopping now happening on mobile devices, it’s critical to ensure your website and online experiences are optimized for small screens. Make it easy for customers to browse, research, and purchase on the go.
Remarket to cart abandoners
Shoppers who have added items to their carts but didn’t complete the purchase are hot leads. Use retargeting ads and personalized email campaigns to entice these potential customers back with exclusive Black Friday offers.
Extend the deals beyond Friday
While Black Friday itself is the main event, savvy marketers are now turning it into a multi-day “Cyber Weekend” shopping extravaganza. Stretch your promotions from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday to capitalize on the extended consumer frenzy.
Tailor strategies by business type
The optimal Black Friday marketing approach will vary based on whether you’re an e-commerce retailer, brick-and-mortar store, or B2B provider. E-commerce brands may focus more on paid ads and email campaigns, while physical stores emphasize in-store experiences and omnichannel strategies. B2B companies could leverage content marketing and lead generation tactics.
Black Friday marketing tips for different business types
While the overall goal of Black Friday marketing is to boost sales and revenue, the optimal strategies and tactics can vary significantly depending on your business model. Here are some tips for e-commerce, brick-and-mortar retail, and B2B companies:
E-commerce Black Friday marketing
For online-only retailers, a strong digital marketing strategy is key. Focus on paid advertising campaigns, email marketing, and website optimization to drive traffic and conversions:
Run targeted social media and search ads to reach interested shoppers
Create a dedicated Black Friday landing page with clear, compelling offers
Leverage email marketing to announce deals and re-engage cart abandoners
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and optimized for speed/conversions
Brick-and-mortar retail Black Friday
Traditional retailers need to seamlessly blend their in-store and online experiences to deliver a cohesive omnichannel Black Friday strategy:
Design eye-catching in-store displays, signage, and promotions
Offer “buy online, pick up in-store” options to drive both digital and foot traffic
Leverage mobile shopping tools to enhance the in-store experience
Promote Black Friday deals across your website, social media, and local marketing
B2B Black Friday marketing
While Black Friday is primarily a consumer shopping event, B2B companies can also capitalize on the increased buyer activity and holiday spending mood:
Create valuable gated content (e.g. ebooks, webinars) to build lead lists
Launch pre-Black Friday campaigns to nurture leads and build awareness
Offer exclusive Black Friday deals and discounts to both new and existing customers
Leverage native advertising to promote your Black Friday B2B offerings
Black Friday advertising on Quora
Beyond retailers’ own websites, Black Friday sellers can gain additional visibility for their promotions on our platform of over 400 million monthly unique visitors engaging in organic discussions about Black Friday, shopping hacks, and related subjects on Quora.
Quora users share their personal experiences, recommendations, and insights regarding the deals and discounts provided by various retailers during Black Friday and similar shopping events. Quora presents advertisers with a distinctive chance to connect with influential consumers as they explore holiday shopping choices and finalize their purchasing decisions.
Quora’s high-intent audience is on the platform conducting research for their holiday shopping plans. They like to gather information and make informed decisions before buying.
I research a product online before buying it
Brand discovery via paid media
Hot Black Friday and retail topics on Quora
Black Friday
45.8K Followers
Black Friday Sales
17K Followers
Shopping
2.3M Followers
Deals and Promotions
39.4K Followers
Gifts
348.6K Followers
How people research holiday purchases on Quora
Quora users show high purchase intent around the holidays—and they do their research early on, starting in September every year. They ask different types of questions depending on how ready they are to buy.
Advertisers can meet this audience wherever they are in the purchase journey by matching ads to intent. Their questions often fall into one of the following categories:
Figuring out what type of gifts to buy
Comparing and selecting the best product
Avoid scams and bad products
Getting the best deals
How people research Black Friday on Quora
Quora users start researching and asking about Black Friday in September every year, with content views peaking in November.
Black Friday related content views
Popular Black Friday questions on Quora
Top Black Friday gift categories on Quora
Health & Fitness
8.5M
Questions
36.8M
Answers
Apparel & Footwear
2.6M
Questions
9.9M
Answers
Consumer Electronics
7.6M
Questions
17.3M
Answers
Beauty or Personal Care
1.1M
Questions
3.8M
Answers
Home Products
487.8K
Questions
1.7M
Answers
What people on Quora are saying about Black Friday
“It is a great time for people to buy more for less and for retailers to clear their stocks while keeping the money flowing and the business going.”
– Diana Guta, Content Marketing Specialist
“This year, like has been the case in the past few years, retailers will offer some of the year’s best online sales and deals.”
– Abhishek Ambad, Growth Marketer
“Shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be quite overwhelming, with so many deals and promotions to choose from. But with the right strategy, you can make the most out of these marketing events and score some great deals.”
– Zara Smith
How to run a successful Black Friday ad campaign
Here is a sample Quora Ad campaign you could run to give your Black Friday promotion an extra boost. We recommend running one campaign in two phases.
Phase 1 – Awareness
To build brand and product awareness in the lead-up to Black Friday, we recommend running a Traffic campaign using Broad Targeting. This configuration will promote your ads widely across Quora to get maximum impressions.
Format: Image Ad
Objective: Traffic
Audience: All genders, United States
Additional Targeting: Broad targeting, all placements, mobile + desktop
Timeline: November 1 – 27
Phase 2 – Black Friday Promo
On Thanksgiving, swap out your creative for messaging that showcases your special promotion. We recommend changing the creative—rather than setting up a new campaign—because Quora’s machine learning algorithm has already started optimizing the existing campaign over the last month.
Timeline: November 28-29
Black Friday creative best practices on Quora
Phrase your headline as a question.
Most of Quora’s content is in the form of questions and answers. As a result, headline sentences with question marks tend to have higher CTRs, especially in feed and digest placements.
Overlay your logo or CTA.
Have a clear value proposition.
Run A/B tests.
Adopt ad to landing page congruence.
Make Quora a part of your marketing plan
Including Quora in your Black Friday marketing plans can expose your brand to a massive audience discussing and sharing their experiences, recommendations, and insights about these special sales events. This valuable user-generated content can help you understand customer preferences, gather feedback, and tailor your marketing strategies to better meet their needs, ultimately driving engagement and sales during the holiday season and beyond.
Related Content
Seasonal Insights
Seasonal Insights
Seasonal Insights
Seasonal Insights
Seasonal Insights
Seasonal Insights
Book a consultation with a Quora expert
