Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) is a period of massive opportunity, but for many businesses, it can feel overwhelming during what may be the busiest service time of year. We get it. Many of the clients who come to Big Storm don’t realize just how much goes into a full-funnel strategy for the holiday season.
The truth is, a successful BFCM isn’t about one quick fix; it requires a strategy that allows for better reach and more revenue. Here is our high-level, approachable checklist for navigating the critical Google Ads components of Black Friday, positioning your business for real growth.
The Overarching Strategy: Capitalize on the Upswing
The core of your BFCM strategy should be simple: sales and conversion rates typically skyrocket during this time. Your goal on the Google Ads side is to ensure your promotion is displayed everywhere it can be and that you manage your keywords and budgets effectively.
At Big Storm, we apply a checklist and strategy that is tailored to each individual client, whether you are generating monthly revenue of $1,000,000 or $10,000. Our tactics may be similar, but the scale and custom application are tailored to your business.
1. Get Your Deals in Front of the Right Eyes
Before a customer can convert, they need to know what you’re offering. Here’s how to ensure your promotions are front and center in Google Ads:
Strike-Through Pricing & Sale Badges
If you offer a straight-up price decrease, make sure your Google Shopping Ads reflect it with strike-through pricing and a “SALE” badge. This is usually handled automatically if you input the sale price in your store platform and your product feed updates correctly.
Pro Tip: Double-check your platform to ensure the update happens properly. Also, be wary of the base price requirements—if you run discounts all the time, Google may not show the strike-through pricing unless the base price has been valid for a minimum number of days recently (e.g., 5 days in the past 30 days for the USA).
Google Merchant Center (GMC) Promotions
GMC Promotions allow for more customized promotion setups. This is where you can get fancy, setting limits on things like basket size or the number of items bought, or requiring a promo code. You can also choose to show the promotion only to specific audiences, like people who are new to your site.
Pro Tip: Unlike strike-through pricing, for GMC promotions, the sale price doesn’t have to be displayed on the landing page if the promotion is applied at checkout. You can also schedule these ahead of time to run on the exact sale date, but we recommend setting them up a few days prior in case Google needs a little time to approve them.
2. Leverage Promotion Assets (Extensions)
Promotion assets, which show up on your Search text ads, are critical for drawing attention. They add an eye-catching deal like “Deal: 15% off Limited Time Savings” right under your ad copy.
- Set it and forget it (mostly): You can set these up once at the Account Level, and they will apply to all eligible campaigns.
- Schedule Ahead: Like GMC promotions, promotion assets can be scheduled to run only on the exact sale dates. Set this up early to avoid last-minute approval headaches.
Pro Tip: For the main sale event, create dedicated search ads for the sale that include countdown timers to instill a sense of urgency. Urgency is a powerful motivator, and a countdown is a clear, simple way to show that a great deal is ending soon.
3. Don’t Forget the Funnel: Pre-Loading Your Audience
A lot of the BFCM talk focuses on Google Ads, but your whole funnel needs a plan. This involves increasing your top-of-funnel spend before the BFCM sale to get more people onto your site and past the initial awareness hurdle. You allow for looser performance targets (ROAS/CPA) during this time because you plan to make it back during the promotion.
Pro Tip: At Big Storm, we utilize platforms other than Google, like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, to expand your reach and find potential customers who aren’t currently on Google Platforms. This holistic approach is how we connect the dots across channels and help you move forward with purpose.
Once the sale starts, the play is to hammer your retargeting budgets to convert those newly aware users you brought in.
4. Prep Your Budget for the Surge
Expect higher spend, sales, ROAS, and conversion rates during BFCM. Your daily budgets must be ready to capture the raised demand.
If you are running a stable Target ROAS bid strategy, your daily budget should normally be around 50% higher than your average daily spend. However, during BFCM, you might want to go as high as 250%+ higher than average to ensure you don’t miss out on the demand. Don’t let your daily budget be the limiting factor; let your bidding strategy manage the risk.
After the Storm: What’s Next?
Once the deals wind down, most businesses are left asking the same question: Now what? You need a plan for the weeks that follow to continue building momentum instead of losing it.
Big Storm helps businesses move into the post-BFCM phase with clarity and direction. We identify what worked, what didn’t, and where the biggest opportunities are so you can continue growing long after the sale ends. By stripping away outdated tactics and focusing on what truly drives performance, we create space for smarter decisions and sustainable results.
Ready to make your next season the most profitable yet?
Don’t let your marketing efforts feel like a gamble. Our team of Google Ads experts is ready to act as an extension of your team, creating custom marketing solutions built on facts, not guesses.
Let’s talk Black Friday Marketing and Advertising strategy. Reach out to Big Storm today to start a conversation about how we can build a powerful, refreshingly different plan to convert more customers for your business.