Holiday Campaign Guide: Advertising for Local Businesses

Unlike Coca-Cola’s emotional Christmas ads, local businesses don’t always have the budget for elaborate campaigns. But with the right approach, you can still create effective holiday ads that resonate with your community, drive sales, and build lasting relationships.

First of all, what can we learn from Coca-Cola? Love it or cringe at it, we all their holiday ads. Whether it’s Santa drinking a Coke or those polar bears, they always come up with a brilliant idea. Some people find them heartwarming, others roll their eyes—but let’s be real, we all watch them anyway. They’ve know how to tap into holiday nostalgia and keeping their brand at the center of it.

Now, while your local business might not have a Coca-Cola-sized budget, you can still use some of that magic. By focusing on emotional connection and community spirit (without overdoing it), your holiday ads can resonate very well with your target audience. Let's see what strategies we can use to do so.

Start Early, Plan Wisely

While it’s tempting to think shoppers wait until the last minute, the reality is that many start early—like really early. According to statistics, a lot of the holiday shopping begins in October, especialy in the Northern Hemipshere, where people get into the Christmas 'spirit' as soon as it is fall. This gives you time to set up, tweak, and optimize your ad campaigns without the stress of last-minute panic.

So, how can you use this to optimize your strategy? Start with launching your ads in October.

• Test and Refine Your Strategy: Running your ads ahead of the rest lets you test different versions of your copy, creative, and targeting. You’ll be able to see what resonates with your audience and optimize for better performance as you head into the peak season.

• Beat the Competition: Many businesses wait until mid-November to launch their holiday ads, which means costs for ad placements can skyrocket due to increased demand. By launching earlier, you can take advantage of lower costs and face less competition for attention.

• Build Momentum: Starting early helps you build brand awareness and momentum. By the time holiday shopping reaches its peak, shoppers will already be familiar with your offers and more likely to choose your business over competitors.

Want to launch your ads, but don't want to do all the testing yourself? That is exactly where Roya comes in, everything will be automated from A to Z, so you can focus on doing what you actually love and running your business. Click here for a demo.

Use Emotion—Without Overdoing It

Sure, Coca-Cola goes all in with festive nostalgia, but as a local business, you can create emotional connections by simply showing your place in the community. Use stories about how your business is helping local families enjoy the holidays or how your products or services make the season just a little brighter for your customers.

You don’t need to go full Hallmark Channel, but a little heart goes a long way. And remember, what works for Coca-Cola might not be the right flavor for your local shop.

How can you do this? Let's say you own a fitness studio. By implementing the following, you create an emotional connection with your target audience:

• Real Stories: Highlight a member’s success story in achieving their fitness goals before the holidays. Create a video ad or social media post showing how staying fit at your gym helped them enjoy the holiday season with more energy and confidence.

• Highlight Community Involvement: Organize a charity fitness challenge where members donate to a local cause based on their workout progress in December. Share posts of the community coming together for the challenge, making it both fun and meaningful.

• Personalized Messaging: Send your loyal members a holiday message thanking them for being part of your fitness community, with a special offer like a free personal training session or a discounted class package for the new year.

Google Search Campaigns: Capture Holiday Intent

When it comes to Google ads, the holiday season is the best time to capture shoppers with clear intent. Whether they’re searching for “best holiday gifts near me” or “local Christmas deals,” they’re actively looking to spend—and you want to be the business they find! This is exactly what Google Ads will do for your business.

What strategy can you use to launch succesfull Google Ads?

• Keyword Research: Focus on holiday-specific keywords that match what your customers are looking for, like “Christmas gifts,” “Small Business Saturday deals,” or even niche terms like “eco-friendly gifts” or “stocking stuffers.” You’ll want to target words that speak directly to their holiday shopping intent.

• Holiday-Themed Ad Copy: Use AI tools write festive ad copy that adds urgency and excitement. Phrases like “Get 20% off local holiday gifts—limited time!” will draw more attention than standard ads. Make sure to highlight deals, exclusivity, or time-sensitive promotions that compel shoppers to click. Click here to read more about you can use AI to write your copy.

• Landing Page Consistency: Don’t leave your customers feeling like they landed in the wrong place! Ensure your landing page matches the holiday theme and offer in your ad. If you’re promoting a discount, make it front and center when they click through. Consistency between the ad and landing page not only improves user experience but also boosts conversions. Keep everything festive, aligned, and easy to navigate. Want to know how to optimize your landing page? You read it all in this guide.

Facebook Retargeting

Holiday shoppers love to browse. Whether they’re casually checking out gift ideas or comparing prices, they don’t always buy on their first visit. This is where Facebook retargeting works its magic, giving you the chance to reel those potential customers back in.

Best Strategies for Facebook Retargeting:

• Target Visitors: Anyone who’s visited your website, Facebook page, or Instagram account during the holiday season is fair game for retargeting. Remind them of the items they’ve browsed but didn’t buy. Whether they’re comparing options or waiting for the right deal, a well-timed retargeting ad can be the nudge they need to complete their purchase.

• Holiday-Themed Visuals: Go all out with warm, festive visuals that evoke the season—think snowflakes, twinkling lights, and cozy holiday vibes. Add a dash of urgency with phrases like, “Still searching for the perfect gift? Our holiday sale ends soon!” Shoppers usually fall for limited-time offers, especially when paired with holiday visuals.

• Exclusive Offers: An offer can convince that buyer who is thinking about buying something, but hasn't done it yet. A limited-time discount or exclusive promotion for returning visitors can be the extra push they need to click “buy.” Something like, “Come back for 15% off your order—just for you!” makes customers feel like they’re getting a special deal that’s too good to pass up.

Track Your Success & Make Quick Adjustments

The holiday season can feel like a whirlwind, but don’t let the chaos distract you from monitoring your campaign performance. Both Google and Facebook provide  analytics that show what’s working and what’s not.

If one of your ads is driving more clicks or conversions, don’t hesitate—allocate more of your budget to it! On the flip side, if another ad isn’t delivering, it’s time to tweak it or cut your losses and replace it with something more engaging. This quick response will maximize your ROI during the critical holiday shopping period.

Conclusion

You don’t need a Coca-Cola-sized budget to create effective holiday campaigns By starting early, connecting with your local community, and using smart, cost-effective strategies, your business can stand out this holiday season and truly capture the spirit of the festivities.

And here’s where Roya comes in to make your life easier! With Roya’s AI-powered tools, you can create high-performing Google and Facebook ads in just minutes—no marketing agency required. Our platform helps you optimize your ads, track performance, and adjust in real time, ensuring your holiday campaigns run smoothly and deliver results.