Quora Insights

Holiday Marketing Trends & Quora Audience Insights

The holiday season is a pivotal time for businesses to maximize their sales, elevate brand awareness, and forge meaningful connections with their target audience. As consumers prepare for the festive season, they are actively seeking the ideal gifts, the most attractive deals, and the brands that resonate with them on a personal level. To fully capitalize on this heightened demand and differentiate themselves from competitors, it is imperative for businesses to develop a comprehensive holiday marketing strategy that effectively utilizes the appropriate channels, tactics, and messaging.

This article provides valuable insights and actionable advice to help businesses create successful holiday marketing campaigns. We’ll explore key strategies, creative campaign ideas, and best practices while highlighting common mistakes to avoid and showcasing real-world examples of exceptional holiday marketing initiatives. Additionally, we’ll discuss the potential of incorporating Quora Ads into your holiday marketing mix to effectively reach a highly engaged and targeted audience. Whether you’re a seasoned marketing professional or a small business owner, the insights in this article will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration needed to excel in your holiday marketing efforts.

holiday marketing on quora

Image generated using DALL-E-3 on Poe, Quora’s AI chat app.

Holiday marketing statistics

As you plan your holiday marketing campaigns for the upcoming season, it’s essential to stay informed about the latest trends and consumer behaviors. Statistics from the 2023 holiday season provide valuable insights to guide your strategy and decision-making.

Online sales continued to grow in 2023, with U.S. holiday e-commerce sales reaching $211.7 billion, a 2.5% year-over-year increase, according to Adobe Analytics. While this growth was slower compared to the 8.6% increase in 2022, largely due to concerns about inflation and slower consumer spending, it still highlights the importance of having a strong online presence during the holiday season. When developing your holiday marketing strategy, consider allocating a significant portion of your budget to digital channels, such as search engine marketing, social media advertising, and Quora Ads, to capitalize on this trend.

60%

of holiday shoppers planned to start their shopping before Thanksgiving in 2023.

$11.2 Billion

Amount of online Cyber Monday sales in 2023.

$9.5 Billion

Amount of online Black Friday sales in 2023.

These data points highlight the continued growth of online sales, the increasing importance of mobile commerce, and the popularity of flexible payment and fulfillment options during the 2023 holiday season. Businesses can use these insights to inform their holiday marketing strategies and better cater to the evolving needs and preferences of holiday shoppers.

Holiday marketing strategies

Developing effective holiday marketing strategies is crucial for businesses looking to capitalize on the increased consumer spending during the festive season. By planning ahead and implementing a well-thought-out approach, brands can maximize their visibility, engage with their target audience, and drive sales. Here are some key strategies to consider when crafting your holiday marketing plan:

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Planning and preparation

The foundation of any successful holiday marketing campaign lies in thorough planning and preparation. Start early to give yourself ample time to research your target audience, analyze previous years’ data, and identify key opportunities. Develop a clear timeline and allocate resources accordingly to ensure a smooth execution of your holiday marketing initiatives.

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Multichannel approach

To reach your target audience effectively, it’s essential to adopt a multichannel approach in your holiday marketing efforts. Leverage a combination of channels, such as social media, email, content marketing, and paid advertising, to maximize your brand’s visibility and engage with potential customers across various touchpoints. Ensure that your messaging and visuals are consistent across all channels to create a cohesive and memorable brand experience.

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Personalization and segmentation

One of the most effective holiday marketing strategies is to personalize your communications and offerings based on your audience’s preferences and behavior. Segment your customer base using data-driven insights, such as purchase history, browsing behavior, and demographic information. Tailor your messaging, promotions, and product recommendations to each segment to create a more relevant and compelling experience for your customers.

By incorporating these holiday marketing strategies into your overall plan, you can create a strong foundation for your campaigns and increase your chances of success during the busy festive season. Remember to stay agile and adapt your strategies as needed based on real-time data and insights to optimize your performance and achieve your goals.

Holiday marketing campaign ideas

To stand out from the competition and capture the attention of your target audience, it’s essential to develop creative and engaging holiday marketing campaigns. Here are some ideas to inspire your holiday marketing efforts:

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Social media campaigns

Leverage the power of social media platforms to connect with your audience and spread holiday cheer. Create holiday-themed content, such as festive images, videos, or interactive polls, to encourage engagement and shares. Run social media contests or giveaways to incentivize user-generated content and increase brand awareness. Don’t forget to use relevant holiday hashtags to expand your reach and join the conversation. Consider using Quora Ads to target users based on their interests and behaviors, driving them to your social media campaigns and increasing your visibility.

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Email marketing

Email marketing is a highly effective channel for driving sales and fostering customer loyalty during the holiday season. Develop a series of targeted email campaigns that showcase your holiday offerings, promotions, and gift ideas. Segment your email list based on customer preferences and behavior to deliver personalized content and product recommendations. Use compelling subject lines and visuals to increase open rates and click-through rates. Integrate Quora Ads with your email marketing strategy by retargeting users who have engaged with your Quora content, providing a seamless experience across platforms.

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Content marketing

Create valuable and informative content that helps your audience navigate the holiday shopping experience. Develop gift guides showcasing your products or services, categorized by recipient, price range, or theme. Write blog posts or create videos offering holiday shopping tips, gift wrapping tutorials, or festive recipes. Share your content across your website, social media channels, and email newsletters to maximize its reach and engagement. Utilize Quora Ads to promote your holiday content to users actively searching for related topics, increasing your brand’s visibility and driving traffic to your website.

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Influencer collaborations

Partner with influencers in your niche to expand your reach and tap into new audiences. Collaborate on sponsored posts, product reviews, or holiday gift guides that showcase your offerings in an authentic and engaging way. Leverage the influencer’s credibility and rapport with their followers to drive brand awareness and sales. Make sure to choose influencers whose values and aesthetic align with your brand to ensure a genuine and impactful collaboration. Use Quora Ads to amplify the reach of your influencer collaborations, targeting users who have shown interest in related topics or influencers.

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Retargeting and remarketing

Implement retargeting and remarketing campaigns to re-engage website visitors and cart abandoners during the holiday season. Use targeted ads across social media, search engines, and display networks to remind potential customers of the products they viewed or added to their cart. Offer special promotions or limited-time discounts to incentivize them to complete their purchase and become loyal customers. Leverage Quora Ads’ retargeting capabilities to reach users who have interacted with your brand on the platform, keeping your products top-of-mind and encouraging them to make a purchase.

By implementing these holiday marketing campaign ideas and adapting them to your brand’s unique voice and offerings, you can create a memorable and effective holiday marketing strategy that drives engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty. Incorporating Quora Ads into your holiday marketing mix can help you reach a highly engaged audience, increase your brand’s visibility, and maximize your campaign’s impact.

Quora’s holiday shopping audience

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 and pay attention to the ads they see online.

I research a product online before buying it

research a product before buying graph

Brand discovery via paid media

brand discovery via paid media graph

While consumers may be more cautious with their spending due to economic uncertainty, most still plan to shop for the holidays—and they may also be willing to invest in higher-quality products that offer long-term value.

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

Holiday season shopping related content views

Holiday season topic views on quora graph 2024

Popular holiday shopping related questions

Shopping and gifting topics see growth during the holiday season

Shopping topics see growth in questions in November.

+2502%

MoM increase in “Black Friday Sales” content in November 2023

+6154%

MoM increase in “Cyber Monday” content in November 2023

Gifting topics see growth in questions in December.

+152%

MoM increase in “Christmas Presents” content in December 2023

+31%

MoM increase in “Gifting Recommendations” content in December 2023

+155%

MoM increase in “Gifting Ideas” content in December 2023

Black Friday shopping audience 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

Black friday season topic views on quora graph

Cyber Monday shopping audience on Quora

Quora users start researching and asking about Cyber Monday in October every year, with a notable spike in interest last year, especially.

Cyber Monday related content views

Cyber Monday season topic views on quora graph 2024

Christmas shopping audience on Quora

Quora users start researching and asking about Christmas in September every year, with overall engagement growing steadily over time.

Christmas related content views

Christmas presents season topic views on quora graph 2024

Top holiday 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

Why add Quora to your marketing mix?

As a question-and-answer forum, Quora attracts a diverse and engaged user base looking for high-quality content and insights. Running holiday ad campaigns on Quora offers several benefits for marketers.

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Reach

Quora has over 400 million monthly unique visitors from around the world, coming to the platform for answers.

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Intent

Quora users come to the platform actively seeking solutions to specific problems or looking to make informed decisions.

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Cost-effectiveness

Quora offers lower cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM) rates than other channels, allowing businesses to reach a large global audience without breaking the bank. 

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High-quality conversations

Quora has several brand safety measures in place to ensure the quality of content and interactions between users, and a safe advertising experience for brands.

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Targeted engagement

Marketers can leverage Quora’s ad targeting suite to hone in on specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring their ads reach the right people at the right time.

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Analytics and tracking

The Quora Ads platform offers robust analytics and tracking capabilities, including the Quora Pixel, allowing marketers to monitor the performance of their ads and optimize their campaigns for maximum ROI.

2024 Holiday marketing calendar – key dates to connect

November

28th

Thanksgiving

29th

Black Friday

30th

Small Business Saturday

December

2nd

Cyber Monday

3rd

Giving Tuesday

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24th

Christmas Eve

25th

First Day of Hanukkah

quora ads calendar icon

25th

Christmas Day

quora ads calendar icon

26th

First Day of Kwanzaa

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31st

New Year’s Eve

Holiday marketing tips and best practices on Quora

Here are some key creative and targeting considerations to maximize your impact in Q4.

Holiday marketing creative best practices

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.

Including a logo or CTA in your image generally improves CTR. This applies to Image Ads used in both prospecting and remarketing campaigns.

Have a clear value proposition.

Your ad creative and form headline should tell users why they should share their information with you and what they would get out of it.

Run A/B tests.

Have a test and learn mindset when starting a new platform. On Quora, we recommend testing at least four different visuals simultaneously to optimize your campaign.

Don’t neglect your text.

Certain placements on Quora, such as question pages, are Text Ad-only. Image Ads that win these placements will convert to Text Ads, so make sure your message makes sense without the hero image.

Holiday marketing targeting best practices

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Explore your potential reach.

You can type topics and interests into Quora Ads Manager to see potential reach and understand the kinds of users interested in certain topics.

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Split up your campaign or ad sets by device.

Targeting users via mobile and desktop? Split them into separate campaigns or ad sets to measure and compare performance.

target icon quora ads

Utilize Topic Targeting.

Topic Targeting places ads on feeds and questions tagged under your targeted topics. It’s an ideal way to balance scale and contextual relevance.

quora ads comment icon

Install the Quora Pixel.

This is required to run Conversion campaigns or attribute conversions to specific campaigns, ad sets, or ads. The Quora Pixel is strongly recommended to unlock multiple conversion tracking, retargeting, and lookalike targeting.

quora ads Tribe icon

Create a Lookalike Audience.

Lookalike Audiences take an existing audience and target users who closely resemble them. Test out various precision points for the right mix of precision and volume.

Holiday marketing campaign examples

shipbob image ad example

Image ad

shipbob promoted answer ad example

Promoted Answer

DTC fulfillment service ShipBob leveraged a combination of Image Ads and Promoted Answers to help online retailers prepare for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping frenzy.

“Quora is a new ad channel for us, so we started advertising by testing a few content options, including a seasonal blog promotion. It performed better compared to the evergreen content, so we’ve decided to create a dedicated question on Quora, answer it, and boost that answer in a new campaign. So far, it is the second-best ad we have in the campaign based on click volume, with the highest CTR of 1.66%.”

#2023HolidayChecklist

Holiday marketing campaign checklist

September

quora ads checkmark icon

Launch awareness campaigns with Image and/or Video Ads for brand visibility

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Decide your goals and where you want to drive users on your site
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Brainstorm ad ideas and potential questions for a Promoted Answers campaign
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Prioritize your budget

October

quora ads checkmark icon
Write your Promoted Answers
quora ads checkmark icon
Create a backlog of 2-3 pieces of creative to refresh on your Image Ads
quora ads checkmark icon
Write copy alternatives to run tests and optimize throughout the season

November

quora ads checkmark icon
Launch conversion campaigns to reach mid- to bottom-funnel users doing product research
quora ads checkmark icon
Make sure your conversion campaign pixel is implemented and working
quora ads checkmark icon
Monitor all campaigns to optimize for success
quora ads checkmark icon
Ensure you have strong, compelling CTAs

December-January

quora ads checkmark icon

Scale up spend on your top performing campaigns 

quora ads checkmark icon

Monitor campaigns closely to swap out visuals and copy as needed

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Keep CTAs clear to make it easy for people to take action

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Run any last-minute promotions

Common holiday marketing mistakes to avoid

While developing and executing a successful holiday marketing strategy, it’s crucial to be aware of potential pitfalls that can hinder your efforts. Here are some common holiday marketing mistakes to avoid:

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Lack of planning

One of the most significant mistakes businesses make is failing to plan their holiday marketing campaigns well in advance. Rushing to put together a last-minute strategy can lead to inconsistent messaging, poor execution, and missed opportunities. To avoid this, start planning your holiday marketing efforts early, setting clear goals, timelines, and budgets. This will allow you to allocate resources effectively and ensure a smooth implementation of your campaigns across all channels.

quora ads stats icon

Ignoring customer data and insights

Another common mistake is neglecting to leverage customer data and insights when crafting holiday marketing strategies. Failing to understand your target audience’s preferences, behaviors, and pain points can result in generic, irrelevant campaigns that fail to resonate. To avoid this, analyze your customer data, including demographics, purchase history, and engagement metrics, to inform your holiday marketing decisions. Use these insights to create targeted, personalized campaigns on platforms like Quora Ads, where you can reach users based on their interests and behaviors.

quora ads crown icon

Failing to stand out from competitors

During the holiday season, consumers are bombarded with countless marketing messages from businesses vying for their attention. Failing to differentiate your brand and offerings from competitors can lead to your campaigns being overlooked or forgotten. To avoid this, focus on creating unique, compelling content that showcases your brand’s personality and values. Develop eye-catching visuals and engaging copy that sets you apart from the noise. Leverage Quora Ads’ targeting options to reach users who are more likely to be receptive to your distinctive messaging, increasing your chances of standing out and making a lasting impression.

quora ads outdated icon

Neglecting post-holiday follow-up

Many businesses make the mistake of focusing solely on the lead-up to the holidays, neglecting the importance of post-holiday follow-up. Failing to engage with customers after the festive season can lead to missed opportunities for fostering loyalty and driving repeat sales. To avoid this, develop a post-holiday communication plan that includes personalized thank-you messages, exclusive offers for repeat customers, and targeted Quora Ads campaigns that re-engage users who have previously interacted with your brand. By maintaining a consistent presence and building relationships beyond the holiday rush, you can turn one-time buyers into loyal, long-term customers.

By being mindful of these common holiday marketing mistakes and taking proactive steps to avoid them, you can create a more effective and impactful holiday marketing strategy. Remember to plan ahead, leverage customer insights, differentiate your brand, and maintain post-holiday engagement to maximize your success. Incorporating Quora Ads into your holiday marketing efforts can help you reach a highly targeted audience, avoid common pitfalls, and drive meaningful results for your business.

Frequently asked questions about holiday marketing

What are some effective holiday marketing strategies to drive sales?

Some proven holiday marketing strategies to drive sales include offering exclusive discounts and promotions, creating gift guides and product bundles, leveraging user-generated content, and implementing retargeting campaigns. Personalization is also key – use customer data and insights to create targeted, relevant campaigns that address your audience’s specific needs and preferences. Don’t forget to optimize your website and landing pages for conversions, making it easy for customers to find and purchase your products.

How can I make my holiday marketing campaigns stand out from competitors?

To differentiate your campaigns from competitors, focus on creating unique, compelling content that showcases your brand’s personality and values. Develop eye-catching visuals and engaging copy that resonates with your target audience. Leverage the power of storytelling to create an emotional connection with your customers. Additionally, consider using Quora Ads to reach a highly targeted audience based on their interests and behaviors, ensuring your campaigns are seen by users who are more likely to engage with your brand.

How can Quora Ads help me achieve my holiday marketing goals?

Quora Ads offers a unique opportunity to reach a highly engaged and targeted audience during the holiday season. By leveraging Quora’s detailed targeting options, you can reach users based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics, ensuring your campaigns are seen by those most likely to convert. Quora Ads also offers a variety of ad formats, including image, video, and text ads, allowing you to create compelling, visually appealing campaigns that stand out in users’ feeds. Additionally, Quora’s platform provides robust analytics and insights, enabling you to track your campaign performance and make data-driven optimizations to maximize your results.

phone and laptop image ad example

How can I measure the success of my holiday marketing campaigns?

To measure the success of your holiday marketing efforts, establish clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) upfront. These may include website traffic, conversion rates, revenue, and customer acquisition costs. Use tools like Google Analytics and Quora Ads Manager to track your campaign performance in real-time, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your strategies. Regularly review your metrics and adjust your tactics as needed to ensure you’re meeting your goals and maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

When should I start planning my holiday marketing campaigns?

It’s essential to start planning your holiday marketing strategies well in advance, ideally several months before the peak holiday season. This allows you to develop a comprehensive strategy, allocate resources effectively, and ensure a smooth execution across all channels. By starting early, you can also take advantage of early bird discounts on advertising and secure prime placements for your campaigns.

Make Quora a part of your marketing plan this holiday season

Running holiday ad campaigns on Quora presents an excellent opportunity for marketers to reach an engaged, high-intent audience in a cost-effective manner. By leveraging the platform’s unique features and targeting capabilities, businesses can create meaningful connections with potential customers, increase brand awareness, and drive conversions during the holiday season.

Connect with over 400 million monthly unique visitors on Quora this holiday season.

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