Christmas copywriting starts early

by Stratton Craig

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Recent research from eBay shows that consumers are already searching for online Christmas presents, and suggests that brands should tailor their communications accordingly.[1]
Between May and June 2013, there were over 150,000 UK searches for the word ‘Christmas’ on the eBay website. It’s too early to expect a great number of these to convert into purchases. But initiating Christmas campaigns promptly can ensure that your product is at the forefront of consumers’ minds when they do begin shopping.
One problem with Christmas campaigns is that they often appear gimmicky, and the earlier the campaign starts, the more likely it is to wind people up. That means that getting the copywriting right is imperative – from the start of your campaign, right through to its conclusion.
If you’re already thinking about your Christmas communications, we’d advise you to take a few important considerations into account:
·         Don’t overdo it. Try to avoid using Christmas clichés, like: ‘Our latest deal is a real Christmas cracker!’. eBay advises companies to begin tailoring their communications around October, but at this point a subtler approach is best. As the 25th gets closer, your copywriting can become increasingly Christmas-focused, but we’d still steer clear of the festive puns.
·         Offer relevant content.The research from eBay shows that people worry about Christmas months in advance. By offering free advice, like blog posts on creative present ideas or making the perfect Christmas card, you’ll increase the likelihood of consumers returning to your website.
·         Stay specific. Never let a particular marketing push – whether it’s for Christmas or something else – get in the way of the actual product or service. Simply sticking the word ‘Christmas’ onto your product descriptions seems absurd if they’ve no relevance to the occasion, and it’s unlikely to help with your search engine rankings either. Mentioning a specific Christmas offer could be effective – listing ‘Brand new goggles, perfect for Christmas!’ is unlikely to have much of an effect.
From September to December 2012 there were more than 250,000 eBay searches for ‘Christmas presents’, so it could be time to consider updating your own communications. To find out about how Stratton Craig can help, please contact us.


[1]http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/ebay-marketers-cannot-afford-to-miss-out-on-xmas-long-listers/4007760.article