We all know Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. It prompts massive sales from many major companies and causing huge crowds at shopping malls across the country. But how could retailers translate this sales booster into the digital age? Enter Cyber Monday! Here’s a quick overview of the history of this commercial phenomenon, and how your public relations agency can get involved in the global event:
Origin Story
The National Retail Federation coined the term “Cyber Monday” in 2005 to bring the buzz of Black Friday to the world of e-commerce. While the concept didn’t catch on straight away, the number of participating companies and shoppers grew each year. In 2018, Cyber Monday even became the biggest shopping day in company history at Amazon! This is just another example of how internet marketing is as powerful as physical advertising. If shoppers are willing to stand in line before dawn, they’re definitely willing to shop deals online. In addition, Cyber Monday was intentionally slated a few days after Black Friday, making it the perfect opportunity for those whose shopping lists aren’t complete after Black Friday sales!
Cyber Monday + PR Pros = Gold Client Content
Cyber Monday is a golden opportunity for public relations agencies to create sales-driven content and obtain major press placements for clients. Adding the extra pull of a hot deal to the existing features and benefits of your clients’ brands will make for ultra-engaging pitches and social campaigns. Encourage your clients to get creative with their Cyber Monday sales, promoting more than just a banner ad on their website. Use this opportunity to tease the sale on social media, building excitement for the event. Here at BLND, we love to create fun Instagram stories for our clients to tease a special announcement. This prompts followers to keep an eye out for the upcoming campaign and promotional content. Cyber Monday is also a great opportunity to pitch content marketing articles featuring bestselling products that will be on sale. Roundups highlighting editors’ favorite on-sale products are wildly popular during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Don’t let your clients miss out on some major press!
Therefore, as online shopping continues to rise, e-commerce remains an essential industry for public relations agencies. These factors contribute to the opportunities Cyber Monday offers PR professionals to drive sales for their clients. These should be of high priority for agencies in kicking off the holiday season.
Want to learn more about holiday marketing? Click here!
