Category: Black Friday

This article was originally published in September 2024, and then updated in October 2025.

To make the most out of this shopping season, your Black Friday planning should begin as soon as possible. There are all sorts of things you need to do to prepare for Black Friday—from your marketing, content, email, and sales strategy, to logistics, preparing your ecommerce website for traffic, among heaps of other tasks.

What lies at the core of your Black Friday success, though, is driving as many sales as possible to your website. We’ve got you covered on this most important part with 21 Black Friday ideas that will boost your sales.

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Why Smart Black Friday Marketing Matters for Small Businesses

For small businesses, Black Friday isn’t just another sales event; it’s a rare opportunity to compete with big-name brands, attract new customers, and significantly increase end-of-year revenue. But with so many businesses elbowing for attention, simply slashing prices isn’t going to cut it.

That’s where smart Black Friday marketing strategies come in. The right ideas help you maximize your reach and turn limited-time shoppers into long-term, VIP customers. By planning early and promoting strategically, you’ll not only increase traffic to your website, but you’ll drive more meaningful conversions and build stronger brand awareness that lasts beyond Black Friday.

21 Creative Black Friday marketing ideas for your business

If you’re still asking yourself, “but how do I attract customers on Black Friday?” Worry no more: let’s dive into those 21 proven techniques for drawing more clients to your website.

1. Sneak Peeks

One of the most powerful Black Friday promotion ideas is providing a sneak peek of what you’ll be offering during the Black Friday sale. Create a collection of your top products and services and explain how they will benefit your customers.

The beauty of sneak peeks is that they help spark interest and build excitement among your followers. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you advertise your Black Friday sneak peek well in advance and through appropriate channels.

For example, when it comes to the best time to send Black Friday emails, you can reach out to your audience once your Black Friday teaser is ready (ideally at the end of October or beginning of November), and once again when the sale is live on your website. What’s more, use various channels to communicate the sneak peek, such as email campaigns, social media platforms, website pop-ups, and PPC ads. It makes for great content fuel across all your channels.

2. Early-Bird Sales

Early-bird sales are also among the must-have Black Friday marketing ideas. Consider offering this type of sale ahead of Black Friday to your loyal and VIP customers. These are people who already know your brand, they’ve purchased your products and services, and are more likely to engage with your business. Offering exclusive discounts will also inspire them to take action.

You can also make your promotional email exclusive to just email subscribers by sending them targeted early-bird sale email campaigns. Tailor your content in a way that emphasizes the fact that you’re giving them early access to your deals. Use phrases like “exclusively for you,” “before everyone else,” or “early access” to make them feel like they’re insiders on your special Black Friday deals.

To make the offer sound even more exclusive, you can evoke a sense of urgency with words like “limited availability,” “limited-time offer,” or “don’t miss out.”

Having an early-bird access sale will help you not only make customers feel valued and appreciated, but also increase sales before Black Friday deals actually begin. At the end of the day, you’ll increase both your brand recognition and your margins.

3. Bundle Deals

Bundled deals have proven to be some of the most successful and clever Black Friday marketing campaign ideas. For the Black Friday holiday shopping season, consider bundling products or services (that are usually purchased together) and offering a special bundle price. This price should be lower than if these products or services were purchased separately.

You can go even further and curate different levels of bundled Black Friday deals with different prices, depending on the products or services that are included. For example, a basic set of facial care products will be less expensive than more advanced care products.

With bundled deals, your customers will appreciate that they’re getting more value from your Black Friday deal, and you will benefit from an increased average order value.

4. Gift Cards

Another Black Friday advertising idea includes offering gift cards, which is ideal for the upcoming holiday shopping season as well. There are two main ways to incorporate gift cards into your Black Friday marketing strategies. 

First, you can offer them upon purchase. When a customer buys something specific or above a certain value, they get a gift card for their future purchase (maybe even offer a special follow-up Cyber Monday deal). This way, you ensure the customer will return to make another purchase. What’s more, they often end up spending more than the actual value of the gift card, which further increases your revenue.

The second Black Friday marketing strategy involves offering a discounted rate on your gift card value. If the card’s value was initially $100, you can offer it at a reduced price for just $80. Your customers will be incentivized to make a purchase because it’s not only a deal for them, but allows them to give an even bigger gift.

5. New Product Launch

Launching a new product is one of the most profitable Black Friday ideas for ecommerce businesses. This will set your brand apart from all general discounts and sales. 

If you announce a new product for Black Friday, you’ll not only stand out among the competition, but you’ll also increase your sales. Your customers will feel a sense of exclusivity and uniqueness when they see a brand-new product. In fact, you may even wish to make it a limited-time product to add an extra sense of urgency.

To unveil your new product, you can publish a dedicated Black Friday post on your social media channels. You can even build up your followers’ curiosity by sending a product launch email with a countdown timer ahead of Black Friday. Or you can add the product a few days before Black Friday in order to increase your sales.

Keep in mind that consumers are always on the lookout for something new and exclusive, so Black Friday can be the perfect timing to provide them with your newest product.

6. Gift Guides

Creating a gift guide is one of the best Black Friday marketing ideas, as well as one of the most practical and useful ones for your customers. It’s a curated collection of products or services that suit different groups or events. This is yet another chance to showcase your products and make them appeal to new and existing customers alike.

Assemble a list with appropriate gifts, depending on different target groups, such as the type of gift recipient (e.g. teens, women, babies, etc.), or the occasion (e.g. holiday season, birthday, wedding anniversary, etc.). 

Research who your target audiences are shopping for, and then provide them with a relevant Black Friday gift guide. They will be keen to take advantage of it because a gift guide will save them time, effort and stress when choosing the perfect item for their loved ones.

Your gift guide can take many forms. For example, it can be a downloadable asset on some of your web pages, an email newsletter well ahead of Black Friday, or even a blog post.

7. Partner with Influencers

If you want to make it into Black Friday headlines, you may want to consider partnering with an influencer as part of your Black Friday marketing strategy.

Your first move should be to research and select the right influencers for your brand. Start by making sure their audience aligns with your own target group. Next, it’s important that their own personal branding and communication style corresponds with your own brand. Last but not least, consider their audience size.

Once you identify the right influencer(s), you have to approach them. You can even give them some guidelines on the promotional campaign that you imagine. Another thing to consider is giving an exclusive discount code for their followers so that they feel even more special. Keep in mind that many influencers will want to be paid.

Remember to let them be creative. They will come up with some unique Black Friday ads, videos, reels, etc, that they know will resonate with their audience and that will elevate your brand. They may even create a Black Friday interactive post for your customers to engage with on their social media platform of choice (usually TikTok or Instagram).

8. Giveaways

Giveaways won’t necessarily boost Black Friday sales. But what they will surely do is strengthen your brand awareness. 

To leverage this, you need to make the giveaway appealing for your followers to participate in. It should have very precise rules for participation in order to avoid complaints from unhappy customers. Not only should the rules be clear, but they should also be easy to follow, so that more people are motivated to take part.

For example, you can get inspiration from some of these ideas: “tag 2 friends and follow us,” “use the hashtag to repost,” “follow us and leave a comment which prize you want to win,” etc. You can include your rules on the image, too.

Last but not least, offer tempting Black Friday prizes. You can have three prizes, where the first one is the biggest. Or you can have one big prize and many (e.g., around 10) smaller prizes. Make sure that you brand all the prizes to raise brand awareness.

9. Flash Sales

Flash sales, also known as daily or hourly deals, are among popular Black Friday sale ideas for small businesses. 

This type of Black Friday campaign can bring many benefits because they keep your customers excited and expecting more sales every hour or day. Flash sales also encourage your customers to come back to your website in order to check the next deal. These sales also allow you to sell different categories of products from your inventory. 

An important aspect to keep in mind is to incorporate your flash sales into your Black Friday social media campaigns. Timely posts, alerts, and reminders on social media can work miracles in terms of web traffic and sales conversions.

If you have an international audience, flash sales can be particularly beneficial because they allow you to target different parts of the world with different time zones.

10. Partner With a Charity Organization

Partner with a non-profit organization whose cause aligns with your and/or your brand’s values and resonates with your target audience. This might not sound like one of the common Black Friday marketing ideas, yet it can be beneficial both for your business and your community.

For every purchase made on Black Friday, donate a small percentage to the cause. Inform your audience about the organization you’re supporting across all your communication channels. You can also share stories, videos, or information related to the cause. These can appeal to your audience and make a big difference when it comes to their buying decisions.

11. Gamification

If you’re looking for outside-the-box Black Friday promotion ideas, you can gamify your offer. Gamification can increase your audience’s engagement and boost your website’s traffic. Give your followers a chance to win discounts, prizes, or coupons.

You can incorporate a pop-up game on your website, such as a virtual spin wheel. To do that, use an external application or hire a web developer to code it on your website.

Gamifying your Black Friday sale will not only create fun for your audience, but also provide them with a positive experience with your brand.

Other proven Black Friday ad examples include leveraging the power of social media challenges.

Encourage your followers to participate in a challenge on your social media channels and incentivize them with a gift or discount code. Ask them to create a wishlist with your products, share a Black Friday (carousel) post you’ve created, or post a photo or video of them using your product(s).

You can even think of some fun promo code ideas to include in your social media posts to grab the attention of your audience. Incorporate them into your image or buttons, etc.

12. Social Media Challenges

Other proven Black Friday ad examples include leveraging the power of social media challenges.

Encourage your followers to participate in a challenge on your social media channels and incentivize them with a gift or discount code. Ask them to create a wishlist with your products, share a Black Friday (carousel) post you’ve created, or post a photo or video of them using your product(s).

You can even think of some fun promo code ideas to include in your social media posts to grab the attention of your audience. Incorporate them into your image or buttons, etc.

13. Countdown Timers

Incorporating a countdown timer on your website or main sales webpage is also among the most popular Black Friday banner ideas. Countdown timers create a sense of urgency among your website visitors. This sense of limited-time availability will entice shoppers that are still doubting whether to make a purchase or not.

You can set the countdown timer to reflect how much time is left until your sale starts or ends. In the first case, your sale will remain top of mind for your customers, and in the second case, it will encourage them to buy as quickly as possible.

To incorporate a countdown timer, you can leverage a third-party tool to generate the timer on your website, or hire a developer to insert the necessary code on your site.

14. Referral Rewards

Take advantage of referral discounts on Black Friday to get more customers, and even use it as an opportunity to (re)start an ongoing referral program.

Provide loyal and existing customers with discount codes, extra sales, redeemable points, or other incentives that entice them to share your brand with other potential customers. This way, you will strengthen your brand, drive more sales, and increase your customer base—something especially important to keep in mind when it comes to your email customer journey.

At the end of the day, word of mouth is one of the most powerful and effective ways to attract new customers during Black Friday.

15. Upsell and Cross-Sell Promotions

With upsells, encourage customers to buy a more premium product or service than they had planned to purchase initially. For example, encourage them to buy your premium subscription plan by showing them the benefits—even if they originally only planned to purchase your basic plan.

Cross-selling, on the other hand, involves encouraging customers to buy another item or service that is complementary to what they have already purchased. For example, recommend a related product, such as a scarf matching a hat that they’ve bought.

Some good Black Friday ideas for upselling and cross-selling are to provide free or discounted upgrades for upselling purposes, and a special bundle deal for cross-selling ones.

16. Exclusive Email Deals

When it comes to email marketing, exclusive email deals are among the Black Friday ideas that will drive more sales to your website. Make the most out of your email list, because your email subscribers are the ones that are already interested in your brand.

Send them exclusive deals in an email blast well ahead of Black Friday. In this dedicated email campaign, you can include special discounts or early access to limited edition products or services that will only be available to the rest of your audience later on. You can also give them access to limited-edition products, among other Black Friday email examples.

In this way, you will show your appreciation for your customers’ loyalty and strengthen your brand recognition even further.

17. Virtual Shopping Events

One of the most creative Black Friday campaigns is hosting virtual shopping events. These events can bring the in-person shopping experience to your online store.  In doing this, you can showcase your products, hold a Q&A session, and offer attendees special discounts. It’s also a great way to acquire new leads.

You can also stream your online shopping event via social media platform, where more people can gain insights about your products.

To take this idea to the next level, you can even use augmented reality (AR) for the online event. With the help of AR, customers can visualize how different products will look in their natural environment (such as trying on outfits, or placing furniture in their home) by using their digital devices.

18. Conditional Discounts

Conditional discounts can include anything from “buy 1, get 1 free,” free shipping when you purchase a product above a certain price value, “[X]% off on orders above $[Y],” among other offers.

The conditional discounts can include products or services from different categories in order to encourage people to buy more items. By doing this, you also allow them to create their own “special deal” that suits their needs, and therefore increase the chances of them buying more products or services.

Make sure to spread the word about your special and exclusive discounts. You can communicate the conditional discounts to your customers via all your channels – website sales page, email campaigns, social media platforms, or even create a traditional Black Friday flier with a catchy design.

19. Checkout Coupons

Once your potential customers end up on your checkout page, you certainly don’t want them abandoning their shopping cart. With that in mind, we have another Black Friday idea that minimizes this risk.

Provide your potential customers with a special (or even surprising) checkout discount to stimulate that final click and close the purchase. You can even decide to have that checkout discount appear only if the orders are above a certain value or contain particular products from your inventory.

On another note, you can offer customers a discount code that’s visible at checkout, and which they can redeem with their next order. In doing so, you increase your chances of returning customers, and drive even more sales.

20. Free Shipping

Shipping cost is another reason why you might end up having many abandoned shopping carts. As a result,  offering free shipping on Black Friday could be another intriguing way to incentivize visitors to eventually make a purchase.

That said, offering free shipping on every purchase can be financially overwhelming for your business. Therefore, you can choose to only include free shipping under certain conditions, such as only making it applicable on orders above a specific price.

This will be a win-win for your business—you’ll avoid abandoned shopping carts and boost your margins at the same time.

21. Free Gift(s) with Purchases

Attract more customers by giving them free gifts with every purchase.

To avoid a situation where free gifts hurt overall profit margins, offer small gifts whose overall value is around $2. Alternatively, provide a gift for purchases that are above a certain order value.

Make sure to provide good visibility for this special offer by including a banner on your home page, promoting it on social media, and/or spreading the word about the freebie via email.

Wrapping Up: Make Your Black Friday Marketing Count in 2025

Black Friday can be your most successful season in terms of sales, yet it’s definitely the most competitive time of the year. That’s why creative Black Friday ideas play a vital role in your marketing strategy.

With all these aces in your sleeve, you’ll be able to drive more sales to your website and create buzz around your brand this shopping season.

What are some Black Friday marketing ideas that we haven’t yet thought about, but you have already successfully incorporated? Share in the comments below.

This article was originally published in September 2024, and then updated in July 2025.

This article was originally published in September 2024, and was updated in October 2025

Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the year’s biggest shopping events, are fast approaching. With shoppers eager to spend and an abundance of mega sales in both physical and online stores, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to connect with customers and boost your business.

In this article, we’ll cover all the essential information you need to know to prepare for the busy shopping days. We’ll explain the differences between Black Friday and Cyber Monday – including when they start and how long they last. Additionally, we’ll provide tips on how to get ready for them effectively and stress-free.

BFCM Meaning: Introduction to BFCM 2025

So, what is BFCM? BFCM stands for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the two most popular shopping events of the year. BFCM is highly anticipated by customers because of the major discounts, sales, and special promotions in both physical and online stores. For businesses, BFCM offers a great opportunity to boost sales, get new customers, and clear inventory.

To maximize sales, though, you need to prepare well in advance. Most businesses typically offer attractive deals and savings for both new and loyal customers, so the competition is quite extreme.

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Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: Understanding the Differences

Even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often referred to collectively, given their major discounts, they are two separate events with distinct differences. Each has a different focus, so let’s take a closer look at them individually.

Black Friday Overview

Historically, Black Friday originated in the United States in the 60s. Initially, it was focused on brick-and-mortar stores, and buyers would line up early in the morning to get their desired purchase and deal.

Today, Black Friday officially marks the start of the holiday shopping season, with alluring offers on products varying from electronics to cosmetics and clothing. It takes place on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. In 2025, Black Friday falls on November 28.

Cyber Monday Overview

Cyber Monday was created much later, in 2005, by the US National Retail Federation as a counterpoint to the Black Friday in-store discounts. The idea was to entice people to shop online from the convenience of their homes, avoiding the Black Friday shopping crowds and chaos. That’s why Cyber Monday offers are exclusively online.

Traditionally, Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after Thanksgiving, which in 2025, is December 1. On Cyber Monday, the discounted products are mainly electronics, software, tech gadgets, and digital products, but in recent years, the offerings have extended to fashion and other goods as well.

BFCM Weekend: How Are the Two Events Connected?

In recent years, as the popularity of both events has grown, they have evolved into an extended four-day shopping event known as BFCM weekend. Some businesses even stretch their discounts to last an entire week. In most cases, however, sales and special offers begin on Black Friday, continue through the weekend, and culminate with Cyber Monday.

As online shopping continues to rise, the lines between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are blurring more and more. Many businesses now offer online deals during Black Friday, and some even announce their promotions well in advance of the actual date. This trend is beneficial not only for traditional retailers but also for online business owners.

How to Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Given the expected intense competition, eager customers, heavy Black Friday web traffic, and increased workload, preparing for BFCM 2025 is a must for businesses of all sizes and types. Whether you manage a physical store, an e-commerce business, or just a website featuring products or services, follow the essential steps and tips we’ve described below to ensure peace of mind in this busy period.

1. Plan Your Goals and Steps in Advance

Before anything else, take time to clearly define what you want to achieve with your BFCM strategy and understand who your target audience would be. This will make it much easier to determine the focus of your BFCM sale. List what your top goals are, for example:

• Maximizing sales on specific products, new collections, or products with limited quantities
• Promoting digital products or services (online courses, consultations, etc.)
• Providing special offers on subscription-based services
• Attracting and acquiring new customers
• Enhancing customer loyalty
• Boosting brand awareness or increasing website traffic
• Building your email subscription list 
• Clearing out discontinued items or excess inventory 

Note that you might have several goals and that’s perfectly fine.

2. Define Your Offers and Sales for BFCM 2025

Once you’ve set your goals, it’s time to come up with Black Friday ideas, and determine what specific products, offers, or deals you’ll provide. When making these decisions, keep your goals in mind, consider your current capabilities, and profit margins.

For physical product sellers, this involves inventory planning, while for service providers and creators of digital products, it means considering your capacity to deliver your digital goods. Thoroughly consider whether you will offer discounts on specific products or services only – probably using them as doorbusters – or instead have all-inclusive promotions.

3. Prepare Your Resources and Stock Up on Inventory

Next, ensure you are well-prepared to meet the expected surge in demand and orders during the BFCM weekend. For physical-product merchants, this requires inventory planning: review your sales and inventory reports, analyze them to predict how much stock you’ll need, and contact suppliers to confirm that you will have sufficient quantities of your discounted products to fulfill orders.

For creators of digital products and service-based businesses, the preparation process might involve creating additional content or digital products in advance, updating existing ones, creating bundled offers, ensuring your site can handle the traffic, etc.

4. Update Your Content, Descriptions, and Design

Once you’ve taken care of your inventory, take time to review your website content and design. Update any outdated information, including sales pages, product descriptions, menus, categories, and anything else that needs a refresh. Ensure your website content is compelling and valuable to your audience.

Before BFCM 2025, update product prices that will go on sale. Prepare descriptions, sales announcements, offers, homepage banners, and other promotional graphics that you will need for your website, social media, or newsletters. Have everything ready well before the BFCM weekend so you can make any necessary changes and be prepared to upload them on time. And if you need help coming up with descriptions, just lean on ChatGPT prompts to help you get the job done.

5. Optimize for AI-Driven Shopping Searches

Shoppers aren’t just heading to Google anymore—they’re turning to AI tools for business like ChatGPT to research and compare BFCM deals. OpenAI’s recent updates have made it easier for users to discover products directly in ChatGPT when they search for things like “best laptop deals for Black Friday” or “top website hosting offers for Cyber Monday.”

To increase your chances of showing up in these AI-generated shopping results:

• Make your product listings clear and structured. Use clean HTML and include essential info like product names, descriptions, pricing, and images. Structured, crawlable content makes it easier for AI tools to understand what you’re offering.
• Get listed in popular shopping data sources. ChatGPT’s shopping results are powered by third-party providers like Shopify, Instacart, and Klarna. If you sell through one of these platforms, make sure your listings are accurate and optimized.
• Use descriptive, natural language. AI models work best with language that reflects how people search. Phrases like “affordable web hosting for small businesses” or “Black Friday deal on climbing ropes” can help match user intent.

When it comes to AI and SEO, AI is in fact becoming a key player in product discovery, especially during high-intent shopping seasons like BFCM. Make sure your deals are easy for humans and machines to find.

6. Check & Optimize Your Site Speed for the Black Friday Web Traffic

Another crucial step when preparing your website for BFCM is optimizing its speed and ensuring it can handle the expected high traffic so that this doesn’t cost you sales and annoyed website visitors.

• Check current website speed: Ensure your website loads in less than 2 seconds, as sites that need more time to load are typically considered slow and risk driving visitors away. You can test your site speed with various online tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom, and if you’re on WordPress, you can use our Speed Optimizer plugin, which, besides speed testing, will also equip you with all the essential optimization tools seamlessly.
  
• Make sure you’re hosted on a high-speed infrastructure: Having a reliable web host that provides you with a fast hosting infrastructure is extremely important for optimal performance. It directly influences critical factors such as server performance, the way traffic is managed and allocated (especially important when you expect huge traffic spikes during events like BFCM), network latency, caching implementation, CDN systems, and much more.
  
• Assess if your website can handle the Black Friday web traffic: Bringing in increased Black Friday ecommerce sales is great, but prior to BFCM, it’s wise to first review your website’s daily resource usage, such as CPU seconds and program executions. Also, analyze your website traffic stats and try to find information for previous periods when you’ve had sales or special offers. In doing so, try to estimate if you’ll need more resources and possibly a larger hosting plan in order to prepare your website for the Black Friday traffic.

• Optimize images: There are several simple yet effective ways to optimize your website images and improve their loading speed. First, only use images that are necessary – avoid cluttering your site with unnecessary ones. Reduce image size and ensure they aren’t larger than their display dimensions. Save them in the WebP format, which offers strong compression while maintaining high image quality. Additionally, you can implement lazy-loading, which delays image loading until they’re about to enter the user’s view.
  
• Implement a content delivery network (CDN): If your website has visitors from different countries and continents, don’t miss using a CDN. It will store cached versions of your site’s content across multiple data centers worldwide, so when a new visitor comes, they will see the cached version from the closest location to them, ensuring optimal performance. As a SiteGround hosting customer, you can enjoy a standard CDN for free with every hosting plan, and for a limited-time only our Premium CDN at 50% OFF, which can significantly boost your website’s speed.
  
• Use caching: This is another powerful method for improving your website’s loading time by storing copies of its content on the server temporarily. Some web hosting companies offer this service as a built-in solution. At SiteGround, for example, we have SuperCacher, which offers three different layers of caching: NGINX Direct Delivery (for static content), Dynamic Cache (for dynamic content), and Memcached (for object caching). When enabled on top of the static cache, Memcached and Dynamic cache can lead to a website speed boost of up to 5 times!

7. Enhance Website Security and Prevent Bad Bot Traffic

Ensuring website security is just as important as optimizing speed, especially in periods with expected high traffic. If your website gets infected with malware or goes under a DDOS attack, it could go offline, resulting in lost sales and even damaged client trust. Here are some quick and easy tricks that you can do in advance to guarantee your website’s safety during BFCM. 

• Choose a secure web hosting service: Make sure you’re using a secure hosting provider with robust server infrastructure and solutions, such as DDOS protection, server monitoring systems, and backups. At SiteGround, we’re proud to provide clients with all of those essential features, including even more, such as an AI anti-bot system, Web Application Firewall, as well as the latest and most secure software versions, including the default PHP 8.2 and the latest MySQL 8.
  
• Keep your software and plugins updated: To avoid making your website vulnerable to attacks, remember to always keep its software, plugins, and themes updated with the latest stable versions.
  
• Add an SSL certificate: If you haven’t already, installing an SSL certificate is a total must, as it encrypts and secures sensitive website data such as IDs, passwords, credit card numbers. It also verifies your website’s identity and is needed if you want to meet the requirements of search engines that flag unsecured sites.
  
• Use strong passwords and implement two-factor authentication (2FA): Keep in mind that both you and your users should create strong, complex passwords. Also, add an extra layer of security for your website admin accounts. With 2FA enabled, your login will require one additional step before anybody can access your website admin account, making it much more secure. If you’re on WordPress, don’t skip adding 2FA with just a click using our free Security Optimizer plugin.

8. Prepare Your Customer Support

Once you’ve addressed your website speed and security, it’s time to focus on your support service during Black Friday campaigns. Providing adequate support to your website visitors is quite important as customers nowadays expect quick responses to their inquiries, especially during heavy-traffic events like BFCM.

Regardless of whether your business has a dedicated support team, adding a visible, clear, and helpful FAQ section is crucial. It can significantly reduce the load on your support team and improve overall customer experience. Try to give a thorough response to all popular customer questions, including product details, shipping and delivery info, return policies, etc.

For those managing customer support, whether as a dedicated team or if you’re handling it yourself, make sure to increase availability for BFCM-related requests. Consider increasing your support hours or incorporating live chat or AI-driven bots to help you handle routine inquiries.

9. Plan Your Black Friday Marketing Efforts

To make the most out of your BFCM sale, set aside time to think and prepare a well-planned BFCM marketing strategy. The earlier you start building the anticipation, the better the results you can expect. For your marketing strategy, consider focusing on and using the channel that is traditionally most effective for your particular business.

Typically, email marketing is one of the best ways to promote your upcoming BFCM sales. To make your promotional emails more relevant and personalized, segment your email subscriber list for precise targeting. Consider sending teaser emails well in advance of BFCM, which will help you keep your brand top of mind. And don’t forget to pay attention to the best times for sending those Black Friday emails.

Your presence on social media is also critical during BFCM, especially on the most popular and effective platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Start generating buzz around your special offers with countdowns, a sneak peek of your top sales, and think about partnering with influencers if you want to reach a specific or wider audience. Don’t miss also using social media ads to further promote your deals with clear, compelling, and urgent ad copy. 

Another powerful way to increase sales and drive traffic to your website during BFCM, is through leveraging blog content. If you have a blog, start writing informative and engaging articles that highlight your BFCM deals and the value of your products or services. 

For maximum impact, consider preparing a series of blog articles leading up to Black Friday with shopping tips, product information, and hacks that could attract potential buyers and build anticipation. Be sure to share each blog article via social media and email to reach a broader audience. To make your BFCM marketing efforts really work, write compelling content, use multiple channels so that you can reach a bigger audience, and take advantage of paid advertising once the sales begin.

Get Ready for BFCM Now to Maximize Your Results

The most intense shopping days of the year are coming lightning fast, so start preparing today to make the most out of your sales during BFCM weekend. Set your goals and utilize the tactics that you think will be most effective for your business.

And when it comes to having a reliable, high-performing site that can handle those coming traffic spikes, look no further than SiteGround. With its reliable hosting and support, you can handle increased traffic and keep your site running smoothly. Here’s to a strong BFCM 2025!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday FAQ

Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday?

When it comes to the number of sales and which of the two events performs better, this greatly depends on the industry, the type of business, and customer preferences. If you own a physical store, then Black Friday might bring you better results, as it’s associated with in-store shopping. On the other hand, if your business is solely online, then Cyber Monday might be more advantageous. We’d definitely recommend utilizing both events, given that the line distinguishing them has blurred more and more in recent years.

How long does BFCM last?

Traditionally, Black Friday starts in the US on the Friday (November 28) right after Thanksgiving, and lasts a full 24 hours. In recent years, though, most retailers have begun extending the shopping event throughout the weekend up until Cyber Monday, which falls on the following Monday. As for when Cyber Monday ends, most deals will end late Monday night (December 1), but some merchants will extend the deals until Tuesday and beyond.

How to increase sales on Black Friday?

To increase sales on Black Friday, start preparing early and announce your promotions in advance to build anticipation. Advertise them using multiple channels so that you reach a wider audience, and be sure to highlight their value, benefits, and limited quantity. Verify that your website is fast and secure enough to handle the traffic surge and volume of orders. And last but not least, create legitimately attractive discounts and bundles, rather than deceptive ones where prices are raised beforehand and then lowered on Black Friday to appear discounted.

This article was originally published in September 2024, and was updated in October 2025

Ready to rock BFCM 2025? This isn’t just any shopping spree—it’s the ultimate showdown where small businesses can shine just as bright as the big guys. From tapping into the latest BFCM trends like AI, chatbots, and full-funnel marketing to embracing the eco-friendly wave, there are a ton of ways to stand out. Buckle up, because we’re about to spill the secrets that’ll turn those casual browsers into your biggest fans.

What is BFCM?

BFCM stands for Black Friday and Cyber Monday—two of the biggest shopping events of the year. Around this time, the buzz is everywhere. But what does it really mean? Think of it as the Super Bowl of shopping: deals are hot, and wallets open wide.

So, what segment of the market do Black Friday and Cyber Monday target? Simply put—all of them. These events draw in various kinds of shoppers, from bargain hunters on the lookout for killer deals to tech lovers chasing the latest gadgets, and even folks looking to snag luxury items at a discount.
With BFCM growing bigger and better every year, reaching new places and seeing spending soar, it’s the perfect moment for small businesses to jump in and make their mark with smart marketing. Whether you’re running a charming boutique or an online shop, it’s time to embrace the potential of BFCM and turn those casual browsers into loyal customers.

Black Friday Ecommerce Trends

With BFCM defined, let’s explore what’s happening in the world of Black Friday ecommerce trends. Did you know that a big chunk of BFCM sales are driven by Gen Z and Millennials?

These tech-savvy shoppers aren’t just browsing; they’re actively seeking out the best deals.

For small businesses, this is a golden opportunity to craft offerings that appeal directly to these influential demographics. With recent stats indicating a shift in consumer behavior, more young shoppers are choosing online purchases and placing a premium on convenience and value.

As these trends keep changing, it’s super important for businesses to keep up with the shifts in who’s shopping and how they’re doing it. Stay flexible, give them what they want, and you could see your sales really take off.

Longer Shopping Period

The first Black Friday trend is that it’s not just about Black Friday anymore—it’s a whole season of shopping excitement. Your BFCM strategy now stretches beyond a single day to include Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, and even what’s being called the “Cyber Ten,” which refers to the ten-day shopping period that kicks off with Black Friday and extends through the week after Cyber Monday.

This longer shopping period means more opportunities for small businesses to engage with eager shoppers. To make the most of this extended timeframe, consider these strategies:

These approaches can help you make the most of the extended shopping season and boost your sales.

Mobile Shopping

As we enter this extended shopping season, there’s no ignoring the mobile shopping trend that’s taking BFCM 2025 by storm. Mobile-first might not be the new kid on the block, but it’s still extremely relevant, with more people than ever grabbing their phones to score those sweet deals.

And let’s not forget about voice commerce—just a few words, and boom, your order’s on its way! In-app purchasing is also making waves, offering a slick, seamless shopping experience.

So, how can you ride this mobile wave? It’s all about optimizing your mobile presence.

To really make the most of these trends, let SiteGround have your back, keeping your website smooth and ready for the rush.

AI and Chatbots

Next up in the BFCM 2025 trends is how AI and chatbots are stepping up in the world of customer service. These tech tools aren’t just for the big guys anymore—they’re perfect for small businesses aiming to increase customer engagement and satisfaction. With Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) techniques, AI systems are getting smarter, delivering spot-on responses that boost customer service for businesses big and small.

With AI and chatbots, you can:

While AI and chatbots can totally revamp your customer service and leave a lasting impression, it’s key to keep ethics in mind. Make sure your AI respects customer privacy, stays transparent, and avoids bias. By being mindful of these aspects, you’ll build trust and create positive vibes with your customers.

For example, SiteGround combines AI and human support by letting AI handle the routine stuff, so our human team can focus on the tricky bits, keeping the customer service both efficient and friendly.

Full-Funnel Marketing Campaigns

Let’s keep the momentum going with another hot trend in BFCM marketing: full-funnel campaigns. What does that mean? It’s about engaging customers at every stage of their journey. It’s time to look beyond just paid ads and emails and explore channels like direct messaging, social media, and affiliate marketing. These avenues let you connect with customers in ways that feel personal and real.
For small businesses, the aim is to craft black friday campaigns that guide customers from “Hey, what’s this?” to “I need this in my life!” Here’s how you can do it:

Fast and Free Shipping

Let’s jump into another crucial trend for BFCM 2025: fast and free shipping. Consumers have come to expect their goodies to arrive yesterday, and the allure of free shipping is often the cherry on top that seals the deal.

For small businesses, meeting these expectations might seem challenging, but it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Streamlining your shipping process can keep your customers happy and coming back for more and helps you stay ahead in the busy BFCM rush.

Premium and High-Value Purchases

Let’s check out the trend of premium and high-value purchases during BFCM 2025, especially in electronics and luxury goods. Shoppers are more willing than ever to splurge on big-ticket items, and small businesses can totally get in on this action by showcasing their products as premium options.

Even on a smaller scale, there are ways to make your offerings shine.

With these approaches, you’ll attract customers ready to indulge in something special.

Sustainability

With climate awareness on the rise, eco-friendly shopping and shipping are becoming more important than ever. 

When it comes to the demographics of the typical Cyber Monday shopper, they’re often young and increasingly eco-conscious. They actively seek out brands that share their commitment to the planet and are keen on making purchases that align with their environmental values.

Small businesses can tap into this by adopting sustainable practices, such as: 

Not only does this contribute to the health of the planet, but it‘s also attractive for a green-minded crowd and sets your brand apart as a forward-thinking, responsible choice.

BFCM Trends Final Thoughts

Alright, let’s tie this all together! BFCM 2025 is shaping up to be a wild ride, and there’s no shortage of ways for small businesses to shine. Whether you’re offering fast and free shipping, diving into AI and chatbots, or crafting killer full-funnel marketing campaigns, there’s something for everyone to get a piece of the action. 

Don’t overlook the power of sustainability and mobile shopping either—they’re really shaking things up. And before you jump in, grab our Black Friday Checklist. It’s your ultimate guide to staying on top of your game and crushing it this season. Here’s to making this BFCM your best one yet!

Get Your Ultimate Black Friday Prep Checklist!

Black Friday is often seen as one of the most exciting days of the year, but it can also feel overwhelming for both consumers and businesses alike. Consumers are flooded with deals from every brand they’ve ever interacted with, browsed, or even stumbled upon, while companies are fiercely competing for attention. That’s why a well-executed Black Friday campaign is essential to stand out in a sea of offers. 

However, Black Friday marketing isn’t only about offering big discounts and special deals anymore. Brands are implementing a variety of strategies nowadays to make the most of the shopping season – from eye-catching paid advertisements to creative email marketing and social media campaigns designed to engage customers and boost sales. Of course, there are always exceptions to the norm with some brands trying to promote mindful shopping habits or opting out of Black Friday altogether.

So whether you are looking for inspiration or you are just curious to see how leading brands tackle the shopping frenzy, we’ve put together a list of 10 inspiring Black Friday campaigns to have a look at.

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1. Influencer Lookalikes by Puma India

Recognizing the popularity of their products – and the flood of their unsuccessful duplicates – Puma India took an innovative approach for their 2022 Black Friday campaign by partnering with Indian influencers. In addition to hiring lookalikes of their prominent brand ambassadors, the brand set up fake pop-up stores with altered branding outside a few of their key locations, where the famous lookalikes were seen posing in front of fake Puma merchandise.

The real influencers, including Indian national team cricketer Virat Kohli, which we see above, joined in by calling out Puma on social media, sparking curiosity. To add to the hype, the brand even made their website look like it had been hacked, prompting Instagram users to express on their social media accounts their confusion at the supposed “bugs” they spotted while visiting the site. 

The underlying message of the campaign was clear: while everything can be imitated, Puma’s Black Friday deals are 100% authentic. During a shopping season where many customers are skeptical of the discounts brands offer, Puma set themself apart with truly unbeatable deals on their top products, promoted through videos featuring all the participating influencers. 

The campaign was a masterpiece, capturing the attention of customers while addressing the doubt many have when shopping during this season.

2. Best Buy’s Gift Recommendations on TikTok

Another great example of leveraging social media for Black Friday comes from Best Buy, the American multinational electronics retailer. The busiest shopping day of the year isn’t only about grabbing deals on long-awaited items for ourselves, it’s also the perfect time to shop gifts, and Best Buy seized the opportunity.

The brand’s campaign revolved around the theme of the perfect tech gift, in collaboration with TikTok influencers to highlight holiday gift ideas. The short video format on the platform was ideal for boosting visibility and engaging with Best Buy’s customers.

For small business owners and freelancers who may not have the budget for a large-scale campaign, partnering with micro-influencers on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, can be a smart, affordable alternative to generate buzz and to connect with your target audience.

3. Walmart’s Video Ad Campaign Targeting Millennials

As we’ve seen already, social media can be a powerful tool in your Black Friday marketing toolbox. However, instead of sticking to the usual path, Walmart took a more creative leap by launching the Mean Girls ad series, connecting with a generation that grew up with the iconic movie.

The campaign brought back Lindsay Lohan, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried reprising their Mean Girls roles, but now as moms. Each week of November, a different character was featured in videos and social media posts alongside exclusive Walmart deals. The campaign became a success among both fans of the film and savvy shoppers.

4. AussieBum’s Black Friday Film Intro

Some campaigns remain timeless, as shown by AussieBum’s 2016 Black Friday film intro ad. The Australian apparel company cleverly parodied famous production company logos, such as 20th Century Fox, Marvel, and Warner Brothers, but with a funny twist – featuring underwear instead. While the aim of a film intro is to create excitement and anticipation for the particular film, AussieBum repurposed it to generate buzz for their substantial discount.

Feel free to draw inspiration from well-known movie openings or pop-cultural references that your audience will appreciate, but always be mindful of copyright laws.

5. Patagonia’s Sustainable Approach to Black Friday Marketing

Black Friday can be a great time to distinguish your brand by highlighting their values, something that Patagonia opted for in 2011, launching one of the first ever anti-Black Friday campaigns with the “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad in the New York Times. In it, the brand deliberately explained what resources and how many of them were needed to produce a single one of their bestselling jackets, with the aim of encouraging consumers to think twice before choosing a new one.

Staying true to their values, Patagonia is actively going against the common Black Friday trend of slashing prices and offering huge discounts. Instead, the brand uses their campaigns to advocate for mindful consumption, such as their campaign last year: “Let’s Find a Better Way.” Rather than pushing for new purchases, they urged consumers to consider buying used items, trading or repairing what they already own, and if a new purchase is necessary, to choose only high-quality gear that lasts.

6. Black-out-Friday Campaign by Pantee

Another brand that has been known for advocating for sustainable consumer behavior is Pantee. Recognized for creating products from unsold inventory that would otherwise end up in landfills, the brand is committed to both comfort and sustainability, fighting against mindless buying. 

In line with their beliefs, Pantee took a unique approach by restricting access to their Black Friday sale with a password on their website. Only subscribers to their mailing list received it, giving them exclusive access to new items and old favorites on the day. This strategy not only rewarded loyal customers, but also generated new ones as the brand provided a sign-up form on their social channels for anyone wanting to join in.

The campaign was a huge success in its launch year, 2021. Organic social media impressions reached over four times the brand’s total followers at the time, and November web traffic that year increased 122% month-on-month without any paid ads. Moreover, Pantee’s email list grew 33% in the week leading up to Black Friday.

7. Casper’s Alarm Campaign

Do you find yourself setting multiple alarms in order to get up early in the morning? Casper, an American sleep product company, cleverly tapped into this relatable habit for their Black Friday email campaign. By sparking a humorous conversation around a shared morning struggle, they connected with customers on a personal level. In doing so, they also highlighted their current offers, making the campaign both engaging and effective.

8. Barnes & Noble’s Signed Editions Campaign

Barnes & Noble (B&N), the largest bookseller in the U.S., sought to make their customers feel special on Black Friday without relying on any splashy discounts. In 2016, the bookseller invited over 200 renowned writers across a wide variety of genres, including Lee Child, Rupi Kaur and Reese Witherspoon, to sign thousands of copies of their popular books, exclusively for Barnes & Noble customers.

To enhance the experience, Barnes & Noble shared behind-the-scenes content of the signing process, using #BNSignedEditions on Twitter (now X), Instagram, and Facebook. Customers could also enjoy personal video messages from selected authors leading up to the campaign’s launch. 

As a result, the campaign contributed to one of Barnes & Noble’s most successful holiday seasons, with over 650,000 signed books sold. 

9. REI’s Tradition to #OptOutside Black Friday

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you put your phone aside on Black Friday and, instead of fighting for deals, opted for a day in nature? Well, REI’s idea was not far from that. Founded by 23 climbing enthusiasts on a mission to change how people experience the outdoors, the brand started their #OptOutside movement in 2015 – a bold initiative to close REI stores on Black Friday, pay their 12,000 employees to spend the day outside, and invite everyone else to join them.

#OptOutside was the first campaign of its kind, as no other major retailer had ever closed on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Following REI’s example, more than 1.4 million people and 170 companies, nonprofits and outdoor organizations decided to spend Black Friday outside the office, with more people embracing the movement each year.

10. Cards Against Humanity Out-Of-The-Box Campaigns

In case you don’t really want to contribute to the crazy shopping madness, the fill-in-the-blank witty party game Cards Against Humanity has you covered. Known for taking a stand against mass consumerism, the brand’s Black Friday campaigns are anything but typical.

Despite their controversial name, most of their Black Friday campaigns are surprisingly altruistic. For instance, the profits the brand has made from several of their campaigns have been donated to various organizations, including the Wikimedia Foundation, which is dedicated to encouraging the growth and distribution of free, multilingual content. In 2020, the brand went further by donating their whole Black Friday budget, consisting of $250,000, to nonprofits suggested by their staff that support causes like Black Lives Matter, voting rights, and fair housing. 

Another way that Cards Against Humanity boycotts the first day of the shopping season is by mocking it. In one campaign, they offered customers the chance to buy nothing for $5. Shockingly, 11,248 people gave them $5, with 1,199 contributing more than $5 by submitting the form more than once. Another campaign featured a whopping 99% price reduction on bizarre items such as an original Picasso Lithograph, a life-size Orlando Bloom cut-out, and a 2015 red Ford Fiesta, showcasing their unique approach to Black Friday marketing.

Key Takeaways for a Successful Black Friday Campaign 

It’s no secret that over the last few years Black Friday has become one of the most profitable days for businesses, and because of this, brands will go to great extremes to stand out and avoid becoming yet another annoying email or social media post. Hopefully you’ve taken some useful ideas from our list  to kick off the holiday shopping season – but as you prepare your Black Friday campaign, don’t forget to keep these key elements in mind: 

• Stay true to your brand identity

As we’ve discussed above, even though some brands opt out of offering massive sales and discounts, their loyal customers continue to support them because the brands remain true to their values. This authenticity can sometimes be the best form of advertising. For example, if your brand advocates for sustainable shopping habits, go for it – the right customers will find their way to you.

In the race to maximize revenue, many brands lose sight of their purpose. Staying aligned with your core value ensures that your messaging is consistent with your long-term goals.

• Maintain consistency in your messaging and communication channels

Whether you’re opting for a traditional Black Friday marketing approach or trying something unconventional, it’s essential to set a clear vision on how you will present your brand. If your campaign supports a specific cause, communicate how it aligns with your brand values and highlight its importance throughout the whole campaign. If your focus is purely on offering discounts, prioritize the most effective channels and stick to them.

For instance, avoid starting with an email campaign announcing the start of your Black Friday sale and then shifting entirely to social media to disguise what it will be. Inconsistent messaging can confuse and frustrate your audience, ultimately leading to a drop in sales. 

Kick off the Holiday Season with SiteGround’s Email Marketing Tool

If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the ideas and unsure where to begin, email marketing is a great way for starters. Whether you’re new to email campaigns or a seasoned pro, SiteGround offers a user-friendly email marketing tool that simplifies the process. With features like pre-built layouts, an AI assistant to write messages and generate images, and a lead generation plugin to easily import contacts from anywhere, you’ll be set up for success in no time. 

Sounds great, right? Choose Siteground’s Email Marketing tool to engage your audience and drive results this Black Friday!