It is August 1st 2023 and already I’m thinking about Holiday shopping! That is, from an online sales perspective (not the shopping that I’ll be doing 🙂 )
I want my clients to be wildly successful this Holiday season. So, my intention in writing this was to encourage them to start working on their Holiday sales SEO strategy and to increase the creation of SEO-powered content for their premiere products and services.
Then I thought…wait…it’s August.
What SEO advice do I have for them now? What would I advise a business who comes to me this week looking for SEO services in order to boost Holiday sales?
The truth is, there is not one clear answer. The answer to whether they can boost holiday sales for THIS season by adding SEO to their web pages now, largely depends on the current state of their website.
Why? Because SEO brings traffic. SEO does not convert visitors to customers.
The state of your website (the design, ease of use, and content) is what convinces prospects to purchase from you. You know…the buyers journey.
Doubtful that there is enough time to make meaningful strides starting a Holiday sales SEO strategy in August, I asked ChatGPT:
“Is there a time correlation between adding SEO to the content on your website and holiday sales?”
ChatGPT responded with several paragraphs, concluding with:
“In summary, while adding SEO to website content can positively impact holiday sales, it’s essential to recognize that SEO is a long-term strategy that requires consistent effort and optimization. The success of holiday sales will depend on various factors, including the industry, competition, overall marketing efforts, and the website’s ability to convert visitors into customers. For the best results, businesses should plan and implement their SEO strategies well in advance of the holiday season and complement it with other marketing activities.” [I added the bold.]
How long does it take SEO to work?
How much time is “well in advance”? If you want the sales in November, is August considered well in advance?
I think not. I think that noticeable increases in traffic can be gained, however, I question the quality of that traffic. In order to increase sales, you want to attract high-probability prospects, those who will actually buy from you, not just increase the number of visitors to your website.
So my advice would be to start applying SEO as soon as you can, keeping in mind that,
- SEO is a long-term practice.
- SEO value builds over time. (The average age of a page listed within the Top 10 organic positions on the search results page is 2 years old. (ahrefs)
- SEO does not convert visitors to customers. SEO’s job is to get the “right” traffic to the website – not sell. When starting to add SEO then, you also want to review the quality of your content. Does it inform your prospects? Does it lead them through the purchasing journey? Is navigation obvious and easy?
When is the best time to start executing your Holiday sales SEO strategy in order to significantly increase sales for the current season?
My personal opinion? Six to eight months out. But the most important action to take, is to get started.
Start adding SEO to your webpages. Be consistent. Trust the process. And call me (508-480-8833) if you want a coach to guide you, provide accountability, and cheer you on!
For best results, SEO should be a common practice like working out, practicing yoga, doing meditation or whatever your go-to thing is to keep your core healthy.
On-going SEO adjustments make your Holiday sales SEO strategy very simple. The strategy becomes to double-check your products and services pages.