Christmas Is Coming! How To Plan Your Christmas Marketing

Just like that, we are already in the second half of 2026. Which means Christmas is coming.

If you run a product based business, now is the time to be planning your marketing strategy for the Christmas period, if you have not started already.

We all know Christmas is an expensive time of year, for businesses and for customers, with more advertising in front of shoppers and what can feel like never ending email campaigns. To find success with your Christmas marketing, you need to get strategic.

We will cover why ads cost more at Christmas, roughly how much more you might need to invest, and what you need to do to get your marketing strategy sorted before the rush hits.

‘Tis The Season For More Competition

Every year, more Kiwis buy their Christmas gifts online. NZ Post reported New Zealanders spent $1.5 billion online in the first quarter of 2025 alone, up 7% on the year before, and online spending in the first half of 2026 was up a further 12% on the same period in 2025. Just like you, your competitors want eyes on their products too, and Q4, from Labour Weekend through the November sales events to year end, is consistently the busiest stretch in the New Zealand online retail calendar.

That means the holidays are a genuinely cluttered time for digital marketing. There is more competition, including big name businesses with large marketing budgets, and international retailers who spend heavily to be seen.

Some Christmas cheer though: this does not mean smaller budgets get automatically drowned out. You just need to think strategically about the paid advertising you run this Christmas, rather than throwing money at it and hoping.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, So Are The Bid Prices

Increased demand equals increased bid prices.

Unfortunately, the cost to advertise begins climbing steadily from around Labour Weekend through to Christmas, as demand peaks and everyone competes for the same attention at once.

So what kind of increase are we talking about?

Industry advertising intelligence puts category level cost per click for apparel and home goods as much as 65% above the annual average during the two week Black Friday period alone, with the surge driven partly by aggressive spend from international fast fashion retailers. That is a global figure rather than a New Zealand one, but it lines up with what we see locally. Q4 typically accounts for around 39% of annual ad spend for New Zealand retailers, with November and December each carrying roughly 16% on their own, so you will need to be prepared to put more behind your digital advertising through the holiday season.

What Should Your Budget Look Like?

It is worth reviewing your ad budget to see whether you can invest more in your Christmas marketing campaign. You already know competition is higher and bid prices will climb.

But remember consumer spending rises too, so when you are looking at cost per click or return on investment, it can still be worthwhile putting more into ad spend in the lead up to Christmas. We are also continuing to see shoppers get more organised and start their Christmas shopping earlier each year, so the lead up matters as much as the peak itself.

Whether you can invest more or not, it pays to get strategic about your paid marketing at Christmas, so your cost per click stays a good investment rather than just a bigger number.

Get Your Christmas Marketing Plan Wrapped Up Early

Now is the right time to start planning your holiday season marketing strategy, and to work out how much extra you can, or cannot, invest in ad spend.

These are the main things worth considering when you plan your Christmas marketing strategy:

Revisit last year’s results

Did you run a specific marketing strategy last Christmas? Now is a good time to look back at the results and work out what worked, what did not, and where to focus this year.

Check in on your audience

When did you last look properly at consumer behaviour and data on your target market? This is a good moment to confirm you still understand your customers’ buying behaviour, particularly with how much online shopping habits have shifted over the past couple of years.

If things have changed, update your customer avatars before you start planning your Christmas marketing strategy.

Decide what promotions you’ll run

Now is the time to decide on any Christmas related promotions. Will you save your sale for Boxing Day, or entice customers earlier with offers through November?

One of the fun parts of Christmas marketing is that you can run themed promotions, such as an advent calendar style campaign combining competitions, deals and bundle offers across the month. You can even collaborate with other businesses to extend your reach.

Make sure your website is set up to convert

Consider whether you want to dress your website for Christmas with festive icons, colours and seasonal copy.

Do some of your products make great gifts for grandparents, while others suit kids better? Make it easy for customers to find the right gift with a Christmas menu grouping gifts by recipient or occasion, such as “Gifts For Grandma” or “Under $50.”

Focus on existing customers

Christmas is a great time to run campaigns targeting customers who have already bought from you, commonly known as retargeting.

In amongst all the noise, it is reassuring for a customer to shop with a business they already know and trust. Targeting past customers through email remains one of the most cost effective parts of a Christmas marketing strategy.

Include social media in your plan

Social media still earns its place in your Christmas marketing. The potential to get eyes on your products across social platforms is significant. Promote your products and Christmas offers across your channels, and do not forget to spread some seasonal cheer with festive posts along the way.

Get Help Planning Your Christmas Marketing

Christmas remains a huge opportunity for product based businesses. If you want to make the most of it this year, it is worth getting expert help.

Working with us will leave you confident you have the right strategy for your business and your goals.

Got questions? Book a complimentary 30 minute discovery call with me to find out how our team can help you map out your marketing strategy this holiday season.