9 Black Friday and Cyber Monday video marketing strategies — tips and examples

Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just shopping events – they are global phenomena. In 2023, online Black Friday sales alone exceeded $70 billion ($9.8 billion in the U.S.), with Cyber Monday closely following as the largest online shopping day of the year. For small businesses, these 2024 holidays offer an exciting chance to attract new customers and tap into the holiday spending surge to boost revenue. Stand out in this busy shopping season with something extra in your marketing this year—video marketing.

Creating video posts and social media ads can make your small business memorable during the holiday sale season, so explore 9 powerful video marketing strategies to make the most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Explore tips and learn how to pair your video ideas with Clipchamp video editor to set your brand up for success this November.

1. Early bird promos

Reach your audience before the holiday rush with early bird promotions! Starting your Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals ahead of time helps cut through the competition and make an impression before shoppers are overwhelmed with choices. According to recent data, shoppers increasingly start their holiday buying early—48 percent of holiday shoppers will begin shopping in August, September or October)— making early promotions a smart strategy for small businesses.

How to apply this strategy

Launch a series of “early access” emails and promo video ads, inviting your loyal customers to shop exclusive deals before Black Friday begins. By creating a sense of exclusivity, you can encourage purchases and build excitement.

Example

Giving loyalty club members early access to the promotion code before standard customers. Highlight this exclusive perk in your video to motivate viewers to join the loyalty program. This not only drives sales now but also boosts membership for future campaigns.

2. Social media video marketing strategy

Social media is one of the best ways to connect with holiday shoppers, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are perfect for promoting video ads that quickly capture attention with scroll-stopping visuals. For small businesses, an effective social media strategy can create buzz, drive traffic to your site, and turn casual scrollers into eager buyers.

How to apply this strategy

Craft short, engaging videos tailored to each platform. On Instagram, try Reels or Stories for time-sensitive deals, where users can view, swipe up, and shop immediately. TikTok is great for adding a creative spin such as a fun behind-the-scenes look, holiday gift guides, or trends that showcase your products. Use video templates to create platform-specific content easily, optimizing for different formats like vertical or square video.

Example

A small business could use Instagram Reels to promote a “12 Days of Black Friday” series, where each day introduces a new deal. Each Reel can feature product highlights, countdowns, or behind-the-scenes clips, with text overlays prompting viewers to “swipe up to shop.” By releasing daily content, you’ll keep followers engaged and excited, reminding them of your ongoing holiday promotions. You can get started with an editable sales template in Clipchamp.

3. Influencer marketing with video content

Influencers bring authenticity and trust to your brand, making them a good marketing partner for Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing. Teaming up with influencers to create video content can increase reach and credibility, especially with audiences who value recommendations from trusted voices. Even small businesses can benefit from micro-influencers, as their niche followers deeply connect with their content. This strategy helps a business find buyers in their target market quickly.

How to apply this strategy

Collaborate with influencers who align with your brand values and target audience. Have them create short-form videos demonstrating your products, sharing personal endorsements, or showcasing how they’re using your items in their holiday prep. Encourage influencers to use branded hashtags and add limited-time promo codes to drive their followers directly to your site. Such videos can be posted across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, based on where your target market is most online.

Example

A small business specializing in skincare could partner with a beauty influencer to create an Instagram Story series featuring a “Get Holiday-Ready” skincare routine using the business's products. The video should have a swipe-up link with an exclusive Black Friday discount code, such as “HOLIDAY20,” available only to their followers. 

4. Organic gift guide content

Gift guides are an ideal way to inspire holiday shoppers while naturally promoting your products. By creating organic, non-promotional gift guide videos, small businesses can attract online shoppers and highlight their offerings as perfect holiday gifts in a relaxed, relatable way. These videos provide gift ideas that both new and existing customers can enjoy, subtly encouraging them to shop while positioning your brand as thoughtful and helpful.

How to apply this strategy

Organize products into gift categories that resonate with your audience, like “Gifts for Her” or “Stocking Stuffers Under $25.” This format makes it easy for online shoppers to visualize how your products could fit into their holiday plans. You can share these gift guide videos on social media or even within loyalty emails to existing customers.

Example

A small business selling home décor items could create a “Holiday Gift Guide for the Homebody” video. Featuring cozy items like blankets, candles, and mugs, the video could include captions like “Perfect for those cozy winter nights” and a call-to-action directing viewers to shop the collection. This approach offers online shoppers creative ideas while allowing existing customers to discover new items they may not have seen before.

5. Limited-time offers to drive urgency

Nothing motivates online shoppers quite like a limited-time offer. By creating a sense of urgency with time-sensitive discounts, small businesses can drive higher conversions, especially during Cyber Week. Highlighting these offers in videos can make them feel even more immediate, prompting viewers to act fast before the deals disappear.

How to apply this strategy

Develop video ads featuring countdowns or limited-time banners to showcase exclusive Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts. Consider running a “flash sale” video series where each day highlights a new product or category with a special discount, keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more.

Example

A small business in fashion retail could create a video ad promoting a 24-hour Cyber Week flash sale on winter accessories. The video could feature a countdown timer overlay with a call-to-action like, “Hurry, only 24 hours left to save!” This time-sensitive approach encourages online shoppers to make quick decisions, turning casual browsers into instant buyers.

6. Campaign landing pages with video

A dedicated landing page for your Black Friday and Cyber Week campaigns can be a game-changer for driving online sales. Research indicates that using video can lead to an 80% increase in conversions, so adding a promotional video to this page is something to consider seriously. It enhances a landing page's effectiveness, instantly capturing attention and delivering your message in a visually engaging way.

How to apply this strategy

Design a landing page specifically for your holiday offers, embedding a short, high-impact video at the top. Use this video to showcase key promotions, highlight exclusive Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, or feature popular products. Ensuring the page is mobile-friendly is essential, as many online sales will come from shoppers browsing on their phones.

Example

A small electronics retailer could create a Cyber Week landing page featuring a video that introduces their top holiday deals, such as discounts on headphones, gadgets, and smart home devices. The video might guide viewers through the promotions, ending with a call-to-action like “Shop Cyber Monday promotions now".

7. TikTok trends and video challenges

TikTok’s trending sounds and challenges offer a fun way to engage audiences, especially during the holiday season. Small businesses can use these trends to create a Cyber Monday marketing campaign that feels relevant, entertaining, and aligned with popular culture. By tapping into TikTok trends, you can reach new viewers and give your brand a fresh, approachable vibe.

How to apply this strategy

Search TikTok trends for November, popular sounds, or challenges that can align with your brand and target audience. Once you select a trend, use Clipchamp to quickly edit video clips, add text overlays and sound effects, making your campaign polished and engaging.

Example

A small business could try the ‘Gen Z marketing script’ TikTok trend where companies give their plain ad video scripts a Gen Z makeover using slang and recruiting an older employee with a strong poker face. The trend first went viral after Fyfield Manor B&B in the UK did it, and global brands soon joined in. By using a trending sound and adding text like “Cyber Monday Deals Inside,” you can create a timely and relevant Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing campaign.

8. Retargeting video ads

Retargeting is a powerful way to re-engage potential customers who have shown interest in your products but haven’t purchased. During the holiday shopping season, when shoppers often compare deals across multiple sites, retargeting video ads help keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage those final conversions. This tactic is especially valuable for small businesses aiming to boost holiday sales without stretching their ad budgets.

How to apply this strategy

Create retargeting ads that remind viewers of items they previously viewed or abandoned in their cart. Design short video ads highlighting these products, emphasizing limited-time discounts, or even mentioning free shipping offers. Retargeting ads work well across platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where they can nudge online shoppers back to your site to complete their purchases.

Example

A small homewares brand could retarget visitors who looked at specific products during the holiday shopping season but didn’t buy. Their video ad might show the items again with a caption like, “Still thinking about it?” paired with discount code to nudge customers that need to finalize their purchase. This mindful video template helps showcase products in a slideshow video and can be easily customized to suit your needs. 

9. Product demo and tutorial videos

Help potential customers imagine how your products fit into their life with tutorials made in real-life settings. Creating how-to guides and product demo videos is an effective way for online retailers to engage holiday shoppers while showcasing the value of their products. By pairing tutorials with Cyber Monday offers, small businesses can attract new buyers and encourage existing customers to explore new products.

How to apply this strategy

Produce short, interactive tutorials that demonstrate your products' unique features. For example, show step-by-step instructions or creative uses for holiday-themed items. This strategy works particularly well on social media or email, where viewers are already looking for inspiration and shopping ideas. You can also engage influencers and ask them to make Collab posts or TikTok feed videos.

Example

An online retailer could create a tutorial showing ways to use its products and incorporate a special Cyber Monday offer, such as “Buy one, get one at 50% off,” at the end of the video, they encourage viewers to shop. This approach provides value as well as an incentive to buy. Alternatively, influencers could work the products into a day in a life style vlog or Q&A video format, like in the example below.

Tips to boost sales during the holiday season

Here are some additional tips to boost sales and enhance your video marketing campaigns during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

1. Optimize for mobile shoppers

With a large share of holiday purchases made on mobile devices, ensure that your video content is mobile-friendly. Vertical or square video formats tend to work best on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where many shoppers browse. Use a video resizer to turn your landscape videos into mobile-ready sizes.

2. Add subtitles for accessibility

Since many viewers watch videos on mute, especially on mobile, adding subtitles improves accessibility and ensures your message is clear. The AI subtitle generator in Clipchamp makes it simple to create accurate captions in a click, making it easier for all viewers to understand your Cyber Week promotions.

3. Use strong calls-to-action

End each video with a clear, compelling call-to-action, like “Shop now” or “Explore Cyber Monday savings.” By guiding viewers on what step to take next, you help them act on the excitement generated by your video. You can use animated call-to-actions like linkinbio and sale stickers.

4. Keep messaging consistent 

During the busy holiday season, clear messaging is key. Ensure that your video ads, email marketing, and social posts communicate consistent offers and branding. This will help build trust with new customers and reassure existing customers about what to expect.

Watch Black Friday video tutorial for more help!

From early bird video promos to influencer partnerships, these sale promotion ideas are designed to help your brand stand out during the holiday shopping season. Use videos to their full potential to engage your customers and boost your sales. Save time with these Black Friday video templates in Clipchamp.

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