As Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) approach, businesses are gearing up their advertising strategies to capture attention in a highly competitive environment. Paid social media advertising offers unparalleled targeting and visibility, but timing is key. Knowing when and how to schedule your ads can be the difference between a campaign that drives sales and one that gets lost in the holiday noise.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday present businesses with exceptional opportunities for boosting revenue. In 2023, Cyber Monday alone saw an astounding $12.7 billion in online sales, marking a significant year-over-year growth. Black Friday also generated impressive numbers, with $11.8 billion in sales, both in-store and online. To capitalize on these opportunities, proper planning is essential to ensure your business attracts a large customer base eager to take advantage of your deals. Paid social media advertising is a key element of this strategy, especially when executed with a well-structured plan. This guide outlines a paid social media advertising schedule to help you navigate Black Friday and Cyber Monday successfully.

Why Paid Social Advertising is Crucial for BFCM

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn give businesses powerful tools to target specific audiences with personalized ads during BFCM:

• Reach precise audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.

• Increase visibility during the high-traffic BFCM shopping period.

• Engage users instantly with dynamic ads and retargeting, driving conversions.

• Maximize conversion rates by delivering the right message at the right time.

However, running an effective paid social media campaign for Black Friday and Cyber Monday requires strategic planning and precise scheduling. Let’s break down the ideal schedule for a successful BFCM campaign.

3+ Months Out: Filling the Funnel

At least three months before Black Friday and Cyber Monday, your focus should be on filling the middle and bottom of your marketing funnels. For paid social ads to work effectively during the sales period, it’s essential to have a warm, engaged audience that is familiar with your brand and products.

Key Objectives:

• Build awareness and educate your audience about your business and products.

• Warm up potential customers for the sales period.

• Develop and grow your middle and bottom funnel audiences for retargeting.

Key Tasks:

• Create social media ads that educate your audience about your business. Focus on what makes your brand unique and how your products add value.

• Test broad audience segments to understand their behavior and preferences. Learn what resonates with your target audience through A/B testing and refine your messaging.

• Build audiences for retargeting during BFCM, focusing on those who interact with your ads or visit your website.

2 Months Out: Developing the Paid Social Media Campaign

At the two-month mark, it's time to shift your focus towards creating an irresistible Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer. Start working on campaigns that will encourage people to engage with your brand and get ready to shop.

Key Objectives:

• Develop a standout offer for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

• Prepare to increase average order value (AOV) with bundles and upsells.

• Analyze last year’s performance to identify areas for improvement.

Key Tasks:

• Create your BFCM offer: Develop discounts, bundles, or bonuses that are attractive to your audience and aligned with your business objectives.

• Ensure your profit margins are robust enough to rely on purchase volume rather than heavy discounting.

• Create a dedicated landing page for your Black Friday deals. Make it easy for customers to browse and purchase.

• Analyze previous campaigns to see what worked well and how you can optimize this year’s offers for better performance.

1 Month Out: Building and Testing Ads

With just a month to go, it's time to start building and testing your ad creatives. Use this period to finalize the Black Friday and Cyber Monday themes in your advertising and begin testing to see what works best for your target audience.

Key Objectives:

• Design ad creatives that align with your Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion.

• Test creatives and offers for maximum engagement and conversions.

• Optimize retargeting with extended windows to capture potential buyers.

Key Tasks:

• Develop creatives that clearly communicate your Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, emphasizing savings. Personalize these creatives for different audience segments.

• Utilize lookalike audiences based on previous holiday shoppers or high-converting customers to find new customers similar to your best buyers.

• Set up retargeting ads with extended retargeting windows to reach potential customers who may need multiple touchpoints before purchasing.

• Implement a multi-channel approach: Consider running ads across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, email, and SMS to reach customers at different points in their journey.

• Verify tracking: Ensure your website pixels are firing correctly to track conversions and optimize ads. If using Shopify, ensure your conversions API is set up for accurate insights.

1-2 Weeks Out: Launching the Campaign

One to two weeks before Black Friday, it’s time to launch your ads. Many companies start their sales earlier than the actual Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates, extending deals across the weekend and beyond. By doing this, you allow for greater flexibility, giving your customers more time to shop.

Key Objectives:

• Build traffic and awareness by starting sales early.

• Capitalize on the lowest ad costs before the peak sales days.

• Retarget existing customers and high-intent visitors.

Key Tasks:

• Start running your ads: Build anticipation with pre-Black Friday sales or early access deals.

• Use 3rd party audiences to go beyond standard Facebook targeting. For example, retarget Shopify customers with high AOV.

• Turn off evergreen ads: Use Facebook’s rules to automatically stop your non-promotional ads so that your BFCM ads get maximum exposure.

• Leverage your email lists: Push your existing customers through the door by targeting them with personalized offers and special promotions through email and SMS.

• Continue your multi-channel approach: Keep engaging your customers through paid social ads, email campaigns, and SMS reminders to ensure your brand stays top-of-mind.

During Cyber Week: Real-Time Monitoring and Adjustments

As Cyber Week progresses, it’s essential to keep a close eye on your ad performance. Monitor your campaigns to ensure everything runs smoothly and that you’re getting the best ROI.

Key Objectives:

• Monitor ad performance in real time.

• Keep an eye on competitor activity to ensure you remain competitive.

• Be ready to adjust or pause underperforming ads.

Key Tasks:

• Use tools like Mailcharts.com and Milled.com to monitor your competitors and see what types of offers and messaging are working for them.

• Adjust your ads in real-time based on performance. Use automation tools like Meta’s optimization to divert budget away from underperforming ads and towards higher-performing ones.

• Pay attention to customer feedback: Look for comments on your ads or reviews on your website to ensure nothing is broken or missing (e.g., promo codes not working or broken links).

Post-Cyber Week: Analyzing and Collecting Data

Once Cyber Week is over, it’s time to analyze the performance of your campaigns and gather data for future improvements. Post-sale analysis will help you refine your strategy for next year and other future campaigns.

Key Objectives:

• Collect and analyze data from your BFCM campaigns.

• Document your biggest wins and areas for improvement.

• Develop insights for next year’s Cyber Week strategy.

Key Tasks:

• Use analytics tools to measure conversion rates, CTR, ROAS, and other KPIs.

• Document campaign performance: Identify which ads, creatives, and audiences delivered the best results and which need improvement.

• Prepare for next year: Use the insights gathered to start planning for BFCM 2025.

Final Thoughts

Planning and executing a successful paid social advertising strategy for Black Friday and Cyber Monday requires time, attention to detail, and constant monitoring. By following this timeline and adjusting your approach as needed, you can capitalize on the massive shopping season and maximize your sales.

For those ready to take full advantage of BFCM 2024, this strategy will set you up for success. Start early, build anticipation, and engage your audience across multiple channels to create a winning Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign.