2022 Search Trends to Leverage This Valentine’s Day

It feels like we were planning our search campaigns for Christmas yesterday, but December has come and gone, and love is in the air. Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, and consumers are starting to think about how they can show their love with lavish purchases and thoughtful dates, and they’re looking for ideas online. Your business can leverage search trends to get your products and services in front of love-struck consumers this Valentine’s Day. However, if you’re not sure where to start, you might need to consult the experts. SponsoredLinX is here to prepare your digital marketing strategy, so your customers can find the perfect gifts this Valentine’s Day. 

 

How Has Gift-Giving Changed Over The Last Couple Of Years? 

Consumer behaviour has changed dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic, and that extends to the act of gift-giving. Due to lockdowns, isolation, and restrictions, people haven’t been able to socialise and see their loved ones, so they’ve been looking for other ways to connect. 

• People are looking for more online gifts. Search trends for ‘online gifts’ have been rising over the last few years (Google, 2021), as people purchase their gifts online and send them to the recipient’s address. 
• People are trying to make up for lost time. If 2021 Valentine’s Day plans were interrupted by the pandemic, consumers are trying to make up for it in 2022. Some plan more extravagant date ideas and others spend more on gifts, but the sentiment is the same; let’s make up for the time we lost last year. 
• There are less surprises. The pandemic has caused many household budgets to tighten significantly, meaning people aren’t wasting money on thoughtless gifts. Instead, there has been an increase in people asking their loved ones what they would like to receive or purchasing vouchers and gift cards. In fact, between 2020 and 2021, there was a 100% increase in search trends for ‘gift card online’ (Google, 2021), indicating that people aren’t gambling on what their loved ones might or might not like. 
• People are thinking about Valentine’s Day sooner. Search trends from 2020 indicate that shoppers are thinking about their Valentine’s Day gifts almost immediately after Christmas, with online searches gradually increasing toward February (Google, 2020). However, Valentine’s Day is still the #2 holiday for last-minute gift shopping, so searches spike around February 11-17. 
• Consumers are spending more. Less people celebrate Valentine’s Day as a holiday, but search trends indicate that they’re spending more money on gifts. Between 2009 and 2019, the average amount consumers spend on Valentine’s Day gifts increased by $60 (Google, 2020). 

 

4 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Valentine’s Day Sales 

So, now we’ve learned a little bit about how people are searching online for Valentine’s Day, it’s time to leverage a few of those trends to improve your traffic and sales.

• Be there for the last-minute shoppers. The people who leave their Valentine’s shopping until the last minute (which, according to Google, women tend to do more than men) are usually in the ‘purchase’ phase of their consumer journey. They want to buy now, so make sure your ads are there when they’re looking for them. Try using phrases like ‘quick valentines gifts’, ‘easy valentines gifts’, and ‘last-minute gifts’. 
• Think outside the box. Not everyone is looking for flowers and chocolates. Promote unique Valentine’s gifts and content that your consumers will actually find useful. For example, if you run a bakery, promote your Valentine’s Day baked goods as well as some recipes customers can make at home. If you run a beauty business, you can promote gift vouchers as well as a video on simple massages people can do for their partners at home. There are so many ways to get your business out there with unique, helpful content. 
• Make online shopping as attractive as possible. The simpler and more enticing you make the purchase experience for your customers, the more likely they’ll be to invest in your business. Offers like free shipping and discounts go a long way in pushing already eager consumers to make a purchase. 
• Start your campaigns early. The earlier you start advertising your Valentine’s Day campaign, the more successful it will be. Look over your analytics from the previous year and identify keywords and phrases you can use in your 2022 campaign. Start your campaign in late December and gradually increase your bidding strategy as you get closer to Valentine’s Day. 

 

If You Need Help With Your 2022 Search Strategy, Contact The Experts At SponsoredLinX

Show your search campaigns a little bit of love this Valentine’s Day by leveraging the latest digital marketing trends. The SponsoredLinX team of marketing experts are passionate about seeing our clients succeed. We’ll do everything we can to help you improve your search strategy and boost your traffic and conversions. So, what are you waiting for? Contact the team at SponsoredLinX to get started!

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