Back in mid-September, there was a lot of confusion and reluctance to discuss the way stay-at-home orders would affect online shopping in 2020. Many businesses weren’t prepared for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, almost a year into the pandemic, it’s time to reflect on how the pandemic changed digital marketing and explore the key takeaways from the Cyber 5 shopping weekend.
There Was More Shopping and Less Advertising
In contrast to what online businesses saw in March at the beginning of the stay-at-home orders, people spent the shopping weekend online shopping. At the start of the pandemic, people avoided spending, and companies invested in advertising opportunities. At that time, companies were still trying to adjust to online shopping and figure out logistics and distribution issues.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Became More Important
Black Friday and Cyber Monday were more important in 2019 than they were in 2016. The weeks after these significant sale days became less important than they were in previous years.
What we got wrong: In an earlier blog, we predicted this trend would continue, but 2020 had other plans.
In 2020, instead of following the trend that began in 2016, Cyber Monday lost importance. The biggest shopping day of the 2020 Cyber shopping weekend was Thanksgiving. This was one of the key takeaways from the Cyber 5 shopping weekend.
Automated Systems Are Out
Industry professionally made predictions, and ultimately, they affected companies with automated systems. Automated systems that work off of assumptions can result in missed opportunities. This year’s growth in online shopping highlights the importance of fluidity and adaptation in digital marketing plans.
As we move into a new year and the COVID-19 pandemic starts to slow with the introduction of multiple vaccines, it’s unclear what we should expect. While advertising is still cheaper than it’s ever been, many companies are starting to see sales taper off and go back to their standard numbers.
For industry insights and professional digital marketing service, contact Logical Position. We are a professional agency offering targeted email marketing, pay per click advertising, search engine optimization, and so much more. If you want to take your business to the next level in 2021, reach out to us today.
