Seasonal Marketing: How to Get the Most Out of Your Peak and Off Season

Leveraging seasonal marketing strategies year-round can increase your customers and sales.

In today’s always-on world, where nothing is predictable and change is the only constant, seasonal marketing has to be a year-long initiative. So-called “slow periods” are the ideal time to collect information about existing and potential customers and to prepare agile marketing strategies and campaigns.

Businesses need to advertise well before the peak season to keep your brand front of mind for customers and stay ahead of your competition. This always-on approach will help you stay connected to existing customers and grow your audience and sales when peak season hits.

7 ways to use seasonal marketing to build your brand year-round

1. Use Google Trends to plan agile marketing strategies

Google Trends helps you identify rising topics and shopping behaviors in real time, allowing you to tailor your marketing to current consumer interests. For example, the surge in searches for “outdoor fire pits” in 2020 highlighted how seasonal trends can drive demand. In 2024, the growth of niche categories like "sustainable fashion" and "home fitness gear" is expected to continue, with Google Trends helping you capitalize on these shifts.

Leverage trends to predict seasonal peaks, and optimize your content strategy by incorporating high-demand keywords. Enhance your product presentations with engaging video content or tutorials, as “how-to” video searches have nearly doubled, according to Google.

Tip: Use Google Trends not just for seasonal campaigns, but to continuously update your content strategy throughout the year.

2. Build your audience

The key to leveraging seasonal marketing is expanding your audience base and maintaining ongoing communication. Start by capturing leads during peak seasons, then nurture them with personalized email marketing throughout the year. Retarget visitors who engaged with your seasonal offers, and offer loyalty rewards or discounts to encourage referrals.

With customer acquisition becoming more expensive, it’s essential to build long-term relationships. For instance, in 2023, the cost of acquiring a new customer increased by 18% across industries. Using email campaigns, loyalty programs, and automated retargeting strategies will help maintain engagement well beyond the holiday season.

Tip: Collect customer reviews during high-traffic periods and incorporate them into your marketing year-round, especially on social media and your website.

3. Assess last season’s campaign and improve

Review the data from previous seasons to identify what worked and what didn’t. Track demand, performance, and customer behavior to spot inefficiencies and missed opportunities. For instance, check which days or times of the day drove the most traffic and increase your ad budgets around those peak moments. Additionally, evaluate mobile traffic performance—mobile commerce is predicted to reach $510 billion in 2024 in the U.S. alone, making mobile optimization essential.

Look at your paid search campaigns too. Were your keywords aligned with customer intent? Did you leverage the right bidding strategies? Optimizing your campaigns based on previous insights will give you a competitive edge.

Tip: Test multiple promotional offers, from flash sales to loyalty incentives, to see which performs best in converting seasonal interest into long-term customers.

4. Keep your website and content fresh

Maintaining an updated and engaging online presence is key to sustaining interest outside of peak seasons. Proactively refresh your website with seasonally relevant content, and offer post-season deals to keep customers engaged during quieter periods. For major holidays like Christmas, Mother's Day, and Black Friday, create urgency with time-sensitive offers and seasonal messaging to push customers down the purchase funnel.

This approach doesn’t only boost conversions during seasonal peaks—it also helps with SEO. Regularly updated content signals to search engines that your website is active and relevant, improving your organic visibility.

Tip: Use interactive content, like quizzes or product finders, to keep visitors engaged and encourage repeat visits.

5. Leverage Google Ads to boost your paid seasonal marketing

Start planning your seasonal Google Ads campaigns well in advance. This gives Google enough time to review and approve your pay-per-click campaigns, ensuring they go live smoothly. Google’s Smart Bidding tool can help optimize bids based on location and user behavior, making it easier to target the right audience at the right time.

In 2024, dynamic search ads are becoming even more valuable for seasonal marketing. Google’s AI now generates tailored ad copy based on your site's content, which means less manual work for you and better relevancy for your customers. Additionally, ad extensions (location, call, and sitelinks) can boost CTR and drive more traffic to your seasonal offers.

Tip: Keep an eye on search query trends, and increase your ad budget during periods of high consumer interest, especially around key shopping holidays.

6. Build anticipation for seasonal events on your site and across your social channels

Create buzz leading up to your seasonal events by building anticipation on both your website and social media channels. On your site, a countdown timer or pop-up can help remind visitors of upcoming sales and offers, encouraging them to return. Social media is a great platform for generating excitement—engage your followers with polls, behind-the-scenes content, and sneak peeks of your seasonal offerings.

In 2024, more brands are incorporating video and live-streaming into their marketing strategies. Live shopping events, where consumers can watch products in real-time and purchase directly, are expected to grow significantly, especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Tip: Use social media to start conversations. Engage customers with user-generated content, polls, or teaser videos to create a buzz around your seasonal promotions.

7. Make sure all your products are can be purchased online

The shift to e-commerce continues to accelerate, with mobile commerce projected to exceed $520 billion by 2025 in the U.S. alone. Make sure all your products are visible and easy to purchase online—this includes listing them on Google Shopping and utilizing platforms like Instagram Shopping and Amazon. High-quality images, detailed product descriptions, and user reviews can significantly boost conversions.

If your e-commerce site isn’t optimized for mobile, now is the time to make that a priority. With mobile commerce becoming a primary driver of retail growth, ensuring a smooth and fast mobile shopping experience is non-negotiable.

Tip: Reduce friction in the checkout process. The easier and quicker it is for customers to buy, the lower your bounce rate will be.

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, brands must remain visible to customers year-round. While seasonal events present unique opportunities to boost sales, they also offer valuable insights into customer behavior that can be used to fuel agile, data-driven marketing campaigns. By capturing and nurturing customer interest during peak periods, businesses can build a loyal, engaged audience that supports long-term growth throughout the year.