As we head into the holiday shopping season, retailers are looking to engage with shoppers earlier than in past seasons. This is due mainly to persistent kinks in supply chains, labor shortages, and shipment delays for online orders. The name of the game for Holiday 2021 is preparation. This week's roundup of news from around the web offers marketing insights to help you prepare for the season ahead.  

A Bigger (And Earlier) Holiday Ad Season Could Be In Store For Radio In 2021. - Inside Radio 

The job of forecasters has never been easy, but this year may be particularly difficult as experts try to determine how consumers will spend during the upcoming holiday season. Current indications signal it could be a good year for holiday retail ad spending. And the first holiday retail ads could show up well before the traditional start of the holiday season. <<<Read More>>>  

Retail media ads are well-tolerated among users—but increasing ad loads are a risk – eMarketer 

 Internet users don't love digital ads, but they don't hate all formats equally. Consumer surveys have found that interruptive ads that frustrate users most: ads that take over the screen, prevent users from reading text, or force them to wait before a video plays, for example. By contrast, they've been pretty open to "native" ad formats, where the ad fits in with the content on the page—especially if the message is somewhat relevant or useful. <<<Read More>>> 

How Can Brands and Retailers Prepare for the 2021 Holiday Season? - Adweek 

The holidays aren't yet top of mind for most consumers, but brands and retailers know that planning for these make-or-break moments starts now.   

Much like last year, this holiday season is sure to look unlike any other. People are eager to return to tradition in a big way—but at the same time, Covid-19 changed the way people discover, shop, and buy. Brands and retailers of all sizes will be challenged to capture pent-up demand and adapt to new ways of serving customers.   

To make the most of this critical time, here are three trends with growth potential to consider. <<<Read More>>> 

Holiday Retail Sales Expected to Increase 7-9% - Deloitte 

According to Deloitte's annual holiday retail forecast, holiday retail sales and E-commerce sales are likely to increase in 2021. Overall, Deloitte projects that holiday sales will total $1.28 to $1.3 trillion from November to January.  

Deloitte also forecasts that e-commerce sales will grow by 11-15%, year-over-year, during the 2021-2022 holiday season. This will likely result in e-commerce holiday sales reaching between $210 billion and $218 billion this season. <<<Read More>>> 

What is the Buyer's Journey, and How Should it Affect Your Marketing Strategy? - Bonneville Bay Area 

An understanding of the buyer's journey is critical to the way a business interacts with its audience. Without a clear understanding of the buyer's journey, a business can waste a great deal on ad spend without ever really connecting with their consumers. Having a clear understanding of the buyer's journey and its relation to the consumers you are trying to reach will help you tailor your marketing materials to activate your target consumer. <<<Read More>>> 

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We cover the latest marketing tips, best practices, and insights that you can apply to your Bay Area business. Check out some of our recent posts: 

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