Really?
Yep.
Mid-November is not just ‘another’ month in the eComm calendar, it’s crunch time for you and every other brand. Peak season is here and every ad, email and click is under pressure to deliver. This is THE time to maximise revenue and meet those ambitious sales targets you laid down last quarter.
But what happens if things aren’t going to plan? (Spoiler: things aren’t going to plan. Who knew?)
Well, maybe your paid campaigns are limping along - signs of promise but ultimately unflattering, your SEO is consistently underwhelming (and just too painful to think about) and sales aren’t keeping pace with site traffic. To compound matters, your basket abandons are becoming the ‘norm’ with eager-to-buy customers ghosting you at checkout the moment they clock the shipping cost.
If all of this sounds familiar, the instinct might be to push through until January and revisit your strategy then, but that would mean leaving money and momentum on the table during the most crucial trading weeks of the year.
Your best move? Bring in extra support or rework your approach to squeeze every drop out of what's left of the season and set yourself up for next year. Now is the perfect time to act. No, really (see title)
There are 7 things to think about. Buckle up.
1/ Indulge in the luxury of fresh perspectives (and fast action)
Wake up and smell the opportunity.
Peak season is all-consuming. You’re too close to your own day-to-day mess. As such, it’s easy to overlook or dismiss opportunities and stick with strategies that aren’t delivering (even though they worked last year - funny, that).
A fresh perspective will uncover hidden opportunities and offer actionable solutions. And quickly.
Reallocating PPC budgets to higher-performing campaigns, improving landing pages to better convert traffic, or addressing overlooked conversion barriers will make all the difference in peak performance.
TL:DR you don’t need to rip things up and set fire to it. Even small changes during this critical time will deliver great results.
2/ Don’t leave money on the table. Sell the table
Digital ad costs are rising daily (faster than your blood pressure whilst reading this). Reality-check: Digital ad costs spike during peak season as competition intensifies. Every click becomes more expensive which increases the pressure on every one to make a difference. Poor click, but it’s what it is.
If your campaigns aren’t converting, you’re wasting budget and missing out on sales.
Even very small improvements to your conversion rate will have an impact. Here are three for starters (spoiler: there are 97 more of these):
- Reducing friction in the checkout process
- Simplifying the path to purchase on mobile devices
- Re-engaging customers who abandon their basket
Even a tiny uplift in your conversion rate could deliver thousands more in revenue. And with no increase in ad spend.
3/ Don’t be shy to bring in reinforcements, when it matters most
Peak season is not the time for heroics. Even the best teams can feel the strain, and high-street retailers figured this out long ago—hiring extra staff during Christmas to handle the rush.
eCommerce brands should do the same. Bringing in extra support doesn’t mean overhauling everything; it’s about relieving pressure on your team and tackling key improvements with a fresh pair of eyes.
With Black Friday and Christmas plans already locked in, now is the time to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to make meaningful tweaks during peak season and set the stage for stronger performance next year. Reinforcements can provide the extra perspective and expertise needed to refine your approach without adding more strain to your internal teams.”
Fine-tuning PPC campaigns, uncovering SEO opportunities, or implementing quick CRO fixes will make all the difference.
The smartest move is knowing when to ask for help.
4/ Resist the temptation of short term thinking
Short term thinking is for amateurs.
Peak season often drives brands to panic and double down on bottom-of-the-funnel activity, like PPC, to chase immediate returns.
While this can absolutely deliver short-term wins, an over-reliance on paid channels can really hurt long-term visibility and growth. Worst case, it could destroy your brand.
Neglecting SEO, CRO, or broader brand-building efforts in favour of short-term gains risks depleting organic traffic and customer loyalty.
Similarly, frequent discounting to drive sales effectively “trains” customers to expect promotions. Over time, this behaviour erodes your brand value and eats into your profit margins, leaving you stuck in a cycle of diminishing returns.
The winning strategies are the ones that balance immediate results with long-term growth. And yours should, too.
5/ Think beyond the holidays
Peak season isn’t just about hitting sales targets; it’s a prime opportunity to refine your approach and prepare for what’s next
- SEO: Use ‘live’ data from peak season traffic to identify new keywords, improve existing content, and lay the groundwork for stronger organic performance in 2025
- CRO: Test small but impactful changes—like mobile layout improvements or streamlined checkout processes—to enhance both immediate and future performance
Approaching peak season as a learning opportunity is a smart move. It sets the stage for success long after the holiday rush is over.
6/ It’s never too late (or the wrong time) to make a change
The idea that it’s “too late” to make meaningful changes during peak season is one of the biggest myths in eCommerce. Cat Stevens wrote a song about it. He was an eCommerce visionary.
Often, the greater risk is staying the course with a strategy that’s underperforming whilst you watch your competitors race on by.
Addressing key pain points now, whether reallocating PPC budgets, fixing basket abandonment, or reviewing no-brainer SEO opportunities - will make a meaningful impact before the season ends.
Unless you choose to do nothing. In which case, please re-read all of the above before moving on to point 7.
7/ End the season strong, start the new year stronger
This isn't just about surviving peak season. This is about building a performance machine that'll make your competitors weep in 2025.
Peak season is demanding, but it also presents the biggest opportunity of the year. By addressing gaps in your performance now, you’re not just maximising revenue, you’re building a stronger foundation for the months ahead.
Take the time to step back, assess what’s working, and act where it matters most. Even a small change will have a big impact.
And when peak season ends, you’ll be ready to carry that momentum forward into 2025 and beyond.
TL;DR
Peak season is your biggest opportunity, but also your biggest challenge. Even small changes to your PPC, SEO, or conversion strategy can make a huge difference now and set you up for success in 2025. Don’t wait. Reflect, act, and finish strong.. Before it's too late. I'm here - simon@curated-digital.com
