Black Friday Marketing Strategy: 5-Step Pinterest Success Plan

If you’re looking to make the most out of this year’s holiday season, having a solid Black Friday marketing strategy is essential, especially on Pinterest, where shoppers actively search for gift ideas and deals. With millions of users planning their purchases ahead of time, now is the perfect moment to get your brand in front of them. But where do you start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this post, we’ll share a simple 5-step plan to help you make your Black Friday campaign a success. Let’s dive in and turn those pins into profits!

Black Friday 2024: Shoppers are getting ready!

Last year, Black Friday saw a year over year (YoY) increase of 6% in online shopping, with global digital sales hitting a whopping $298 billion, according to Salesforce. What’s more, shoppers weren’t waiting for the big day, they started their searches well in advance, with mobile purchases driving the majority of sales. That’s why it’s crucial to get your Black Friday marketing strategy in place early on Pinterest, where users actively search for deals and gift ideas weeks ahead of time. Many people use Pinterest as the central hub for their holiday ideas and plans. If you can reach them early with eye-catching, searchable content, you’ll be in a great position to capitalise on 2024’s holiday spending spree!

These tips are geared toward online brands that already have a Pinterest business account and regularly post organic content or run paid ads. If you’re just starting out, I recommend checking out How to Build a Winning Pinterest Marketing Strategy for Your Business first. Keep in mind, there are many ways to approach Pinterest marketing depending on your specific goals. The strategy outlined in this post focuses on one possible approach for e-commerce stores looking to run paid ad campaigns effectively during the holiday season. It’s all about reaching those eager Black Friday shoppers on Pinterest with the right content at the right time!

1. Start with a traffic campaign

Timing is everything on Pinterest, especially when it comes to Black Friday. Ideally, you want to begin planning and creating your campaign 2-3 months ahead of time. As mentioned, Pinterest users start searching for holiday and gift ideas early, so getting in front of them now is key. By running your first campaigns early, you can start showing up in their feeds, sparking interest, and gathering valuable data. This data will help you retarget those engaged users when the big day arrives. Whether you’re launching a new product, boosting holiday sales, or clearing out old inventory, starting with a traffic campaign is a smart move to build momentum and build up audiences that you can retarget later when they’re ready to buy.

The types of ads you create will depend on your time of launch. If you’re launching in August or September, it’s a bit early to start talking about Black Friday offers. So, start off by warming up your audience with eye-catching ads for the product(s) you plan to promote for Black Friday. The idea is that it brings your product to people’s attention, so that they click through to your website and get added to your audience list (see step 2 below). For ad inspiration see our Complete Guide to Pinterest Ad Specs.

2. Build audiences to retarget

Audience retargeting is your secret weapon for your Black Friday marketing strategy on Pinterest. It lets you combine insights about your customers with data on how users interact with the platform. You can target specific groups based on your site visitors, upload a customer list (emails or mobile ad IDs), or create engagement audiences of users who’ve interacted with Pins that lead back to your website. Actalike audiences mirror the behaviour of your customer list and/or web visitors to help you reach fresh potential buyers.

You can build a wide variety of audiences based on people’s interactions with your ads or based on your customer list. So, how do you do that? From the top left button (desktop only), select “Audiences” from the dropdown menu.

From here, you’ve got plenty of targeting options to choose from, so pick the ones that align best with your campaign goals. And don’t worry, you’re not limited to just one audience; you can create multiple audiences to fit your needs. Some great options include targeting people who saved or clicked on a specific ad (or any ad within your campaign), those who visited a particular page on your website in the last 30 days (or a timeframe you choose), or even reaching people who behave similarly to your existing customer list or any audience you’ve already built. The possibilities are endless!

3. Monitor results and adjust

Starting your Black Friday campaigns 2-3 months in advance not only allows you to plan, but also gives you ample time to experiment with different visuals and see what resonates best with your audience. This early start is essential for fine-tuning your creative approach and ensuring your content stands out during the busiest shopping season of the year. During this audience-building phase, it’s smart to check your results every 7-10 days. However, resist the temptation to make quick changes!

Let the campaign run for at least a week before adjusting anything, this allows Pinterest’s algorithm time to optimise and find the most relevant audience. If you make tweaks too soon, you risk interrupting the algorithm’s learning process, which could reset your campaign’s progress. Once the campaign stabilises, you can start reviewing performance weekly to identify any underperforming audience segments or ad designs that may need attention. Consistently monitoring your data ensures you can make informed adjustments, optimising your efforts to build strong, engaged audiences ready to retarget when they’re ready to buy.

4. Prepare a retargeting campaign

Many shoppers begin planning their holiday purchases early, around the end of October, so it’s the perfect time to launch your retargeting campaign to promote your Black Friday deals. By this point, the audiences you created in step 2 should be full of Pinners who have already engaged with your ads, giving you a solid group to target. These are users who have shown interest in your brand and products, making them more likely to convert when they see your retargeted offers. Focusing on this engaged audience boosts your chances of driving sales as the Black Friday excitement builds.

For your retargeting ads, start by building excitement. Use teasers or countdowns to spark interest, and then gradually shift to ads that clearly highlight your special Black Friday offers with a strong call to action. This creates a natural flow from anticipation to action. Keep in mind that Pinterest ads have a 7-day ramp-up period, so make sure to kick off your retargeting campaign at least 2 weeks before Black Friday. Here are a few ad examples from past campaigns to inspire you:

5. Boost engagement with Holiday-themed content

As Black Friday approaches, now’s the time to maximise engagement by incorporating festive, holiday-themed content into your Pinterest strategy. People are actively searching for holiday inspiration and deals, so tailor your pins to reflect the excitement of the season. Create visually appealing boards that showcase your Black Friday deals, holiday gift guides, and product collections with a seasonal twist. Use holiday colours, fonts, and text overlays that grab attention and stand out in users’ feeds.

Don’t forget to use clear, action-driven language like “Shop Now,” “Limited Time,” or “Exclusive Black Friday Offers” to encourage clicks. Mixing organic and promoted holiday-themed content keeps your brand top-of-mind and helps you maintain a consistent presence during the busiest shopping season of the year.

Black Friday Marketing Strategy – Summary

In summary, a successful Black Friday marketing strategy on Pinterest requires early planning, targeted audience building, and consistent optimisation. Start by launching traffic campaigns to gather data, build your audiences, and retarget engaged users with tailored ads as the big day approaches. Monitor your results closely and adjust your tactics based on performance. Finally, don’t forget to incorporate festive, holiday-themed content to keep your audience engaged and excited about your offers. By following this 5-step plan, you’ll be well-positioned to turn Pinterest into a powerful tool for driving traffic and boosting sales this Black Friday. Ready to pin your way to profits?

Contact me

I’m always excited to connect and help you navigate Pinterest! Let’s start a conversation—reach out to me on LinkedIn!

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Mary Lumley – Pinterest Marketing for eCommerce & Travel / Black Friday Marketing Strategy: 5-Step Pinterest Success Plan