Black Friday marketing ideas to fuel growth in 2025 and beyond

Black Friday is a high-stakes shopping event for e-commerce businesses. Whether you're leading marketing for a fast-growing online brand or managing performance for a multi-category retailer, this guide brings together proven tactics and new ideas to help you win across the entire Cyber Week, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

Why Black Friday 2025 is more competitive than ever

This year, shopper expectations are higher while attention spans are shorter. Black Friday 2025, on Friday 28 November, is projected to generate $10.8 to $11.9 billion in online sales in the U.S. alone. Mobile commerce is also expected to reach 73% of sales, up from 69% in 2024.

At the same time, 36% of consumers say they’re less interested in Black Friday compared to previous years. That makes personalisation and value-led messaging more important than ever. Instead of competing solely on price, brands that stand out will combine data-driven storytelling, frictionless UX, and meaningful reasons to buy.

Black Friday marketing strategy 

Key steps to consider:

• Finalise product selection and inventory
• Build and segment your email lists
• Prepare ad creative and copy variations
• Stress-test your checkout and hosting setup
  
  

Rather than treating Black Friday and Cyber Monday as separate pushes, consider a week-long narrative arc. Early access Black Friday deals, extended promotions, and mid-week surprises can stretch engagement.

Creative Black Friday promotion ideas that drive conversions

Not every promotion needs to involve deep discounting. In 2025, shoppers are responding to creativity and relevance as much as price cuts. What can move the needle is how well the promotion is timed, packaged, and positioned. Here’s a breakdown of ideas that can drive meaningful conversions by creating urgency, rewarding loyalty, or boosting perceived value…

Mix and match these based on your product type, fulfilment capacity, and target segment. The goal is not just to push volume, but to create moments that feel valuable and intentional.

Black Friday preparation for e-commerce brands

Your website doesn’t just support your campaign. It is your campaign. When deals go live, every second of page load and every click matters. Holiday shopping is a sport and consumers don’t wait for slow pages or unclear offers. That means now is the time to refine every interaction across your site, from landing page to checkout.

Focus on:

• Mobile-first design and fast load speeds
  Mobile will likely account for the majority of sales again this year. A frictionless mobile experience with tap-to-expand images, easy scrolling, and thumb-friendly CTAs keeps shoppers engaged. Optimise loading speed across key landing pages, especially those featured in ads or email links.
  
  
• Reducing steps in checkout and enabling express options
  The more clicks it takes to buy, the more customers you lose. Eliminate unnecessary fields, offer guest checkout, and support accelerated payment methods such as wallet payments or saved card options. Make it easy to convert while trust is high.
  
  
• Highlighting calls-to-action on every key landing page
  Guide visitors to their next step with standout CTAs. Whether it’s "Claim This Deal," "Check Stock Now," or "Reserve Early Access," the language should match the urgency of the promotion. Test variations ahead of launch.
  
  
• Using smart recommendations and bundles to increase cart size
  Show shoppers relevant add-ons or create limited-time bundles that reflect your best-selling combinations. These increase average order value and can also help move surplus stock. Dynamic recommendations based on browsing history can also support conversion.
  
  
• Enabling live support or quick FAQ access
  Questions arise fast when urgency is high. Embed chat support or surface key FAQs on product and checkout pages. This reduces hesitation and improves the likelihood of purchase completion.

Add subtle social proof like "X people bought this today" or "Only 5 left" to build confidence and reinforce popularity without overselling. We’ve written more about improving ecommerce conversion rates.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday social media strategies

Black Friday may start with product offers, but it builds momentum through conversations. Social media is where that conversation happens in real time. It’s where anticipation turns into action and where customers go to confirm value, authenticity, and relevance.

Done well, social media drives reach and builds intent. That means your content needs to be more than announcements. It needs to be useful, exciting, and recognisable, especially in high-traffic moments when consumers are scrolling and you need to cut through the noise.

Ideas to test:

• Reels or shorts previewing deals or bundles
  Short-form video is the go-to format for discovery. Use it to tease top deals, show bundles in action, or highlight items that are likely to sell out. Keep the tone fast-paced and visually clear.
  
  
• Influencer-led countdowns or limited drops
  Partner with influencers to create buzz, showcase exclusive deals or walk-throughs of product picks. Focus on relatability and timing, ideally aligning with platform-specific trends.
  
  
• Spin-to-win contests or daily reveal challenges
  Build routine engagement by running interactive formats such as digital scratch cards, reveal-a-deal puzzles, or reward wheels. Tie the game mechanics to actual cart activity or referral actions.
  
  
• Encouraging tagged user-generated content in exchange for rewards
  Ask customers to share how they’re preparing for Black Friday, what they plan to buy, or what arrived early. Offer small incentives like store credit, loyalty points, or giveaways for those who tag or use a campaign hashtag.
  
  
• Live streams with product demos, exclusive codes, or Q&A
  Use live formats for behind-the-scenes, unboxings, or expert Q&A. Drop exclusive promo codes during the stream and replay highlights in Stories or pinned posts.

Use pinned posts and Stories to anchor your campaign narrative. Make sure every format has a purpose: to inform, to prompt, or to reinforce.

Email & SMS marketing ideas to boost Black Friday sales

With so many promotional messages competing for attention, your email and SMS strategy needs to be clear, timely, and personalised. Black Friday inboxes are crowded, but targeted, well-sequenced communication can break through. Done right, these channels drive high intent traffic and recover potentially lost sales.

Approaches to consider:

• "Sneak peek" emails for loyalty segments
  Offer early access to deals or previews of what’s coming. This builds exclusivity and encourages early conversion from your most valuable customers.
  
  
• SMS flash deals for fast-moving inventory
  Use SMS to trigger urgency with time-sensitive offers. It’s ideal for communicating when stock is running low or when certain bundles are unlocked.
  
  
• Last-chance reminders with simple, scannable CTAs
  In the final hours of your promotion, send concise reminders with a direct action button. For example: “Final hours – get 20% off sitewide. Tap to shop.”
  
  
• Behavioural segments (e.g. past purchasers vs. new subscribers)
  Tailor your messages based on shopping behaviour. Past purchasers might prefer bundle upsells, while new signups respond well to first-order incentives.
  
  
• Cart abandonment flows that match the campaign tone
  Re-engage users who dropped off during checkout with reminder emails or SMS nudges styled around the Black Friday theme. Keep the tone aligned with the campaign—urgent but helpful.
  
  

Match the look, feel, and structure of your messages across email and SMS. Visual consistency improves recall, while a unified call to action supports smoother decision-making.

Advanced tactics to stand out in 2025

This year, AI-powered and immersive experiences will separate leaders from the rest. These approaches aren’t experimental anymore—they’re part of how top e-commerce players convert attention into action.

Behaviour-triggered dynamic offers

Use real-time browsing data to automatically present custom offers based on what the shopper is viewing or has viewed recently. For example, show a limited-time discount on an item a user has looked at twice, or suggest a bundle featuring their most browsed product category. Timing and relevance increase the likelihood of conversion.

AI-generated product suggestions

Move beyond basic recommendations by using AI to predict what a customer is likely to buy next based on order history, cart behaviour, or even search trends. This improves upsell accuracy and can reduce decision fatigue for high-intent shoppers.

AR product previews or virtual try-ons

Let customers explore how products will look or fit before they commit. This is especially effective for fashion, beauty, or homeware categories. Virtual try-on tools or augmented previews reduce return rates and help users feel more confident in their purchase.

Real-time analytics dashboards

Monitor what’s working and adjust quickly. Use live data to track performance by device, region, channel, or segment. When a product is overperforming or an offer is stalling, act immediately swap in new creatives or adjust placement without waiting for end-of-day reports.

Cause marketing & ethical promotions

Shoppers are increasingly selective about where they spend, especially during high-volume sales periods. For many, price is only part of the decision. Values matter too. That’s why cause-based campaigns are becoming a factor in conversion.

But it’s not about virtue signalling. It's about offering customers a chance to take part in something that feels aligned with their priorities. During Black Friday, when marketing tends to focus on urgency and scarcity, ethical promotions offer a refreshing counterbalance. They connect purchase decisions to broader impact.

Approaches that resonate:

• Carbon-neutral shipping opt-ins
  Allow customers to contribute a small fee at checkout to offset delivery emissions. This small gesture builds goodwill without affecting your margins.
  
  
• Limited-time charity bundles (e.g. "Buy One, Give One")
  Tie a product offer to a charitable action. For instance, for every product sold, you contribute one to a community organisation or cause.
  
  
• Matching donations per order
  Commit to donating a set amount for every purchase. Highlight how these donations are tracked and where the funds go to build credibility.
  
  
• Spotlighting local creators or producers
  Use your campaign to elevate smaller suppliers, artisans, or community partners. Share their stories in your product pages or promotional content to add emotional context to each sale.

These campaigns not only help differentiate your brand but also deepen long-term loyalty. When a purchase feels meaningful, it doesn’t just convert, it sticks. And that’s something worth building into your Black Friday plan.

Key metrics to track for Black Friday success

It’s tempting to focus only on revenue during big campaigns, but understanding why a campaign did or didn't succeed starts with tracking the right signals. Metrics give you a window into behaviour, channel performance, and operational execution. They’re also essential for post-campaign learnings and planning for Q1.

After Black Friday, block off time for structured post-sale analysis. The best insights often come once the rush is over, and understanding these will help shape a stronger campaign for next time.

Post-Black Friday. Retain and re-engage

The most successful brands treat Black Friday not as the end of a campaign, but as the start of a longer relationship. After the final order is placed, the next goal is retention. That means building touchpoints that turn one-time shoppers into regulars, and deal-seekers into loyal customers.

Start with gratitude. A well-timed thank-you email that includes a product recommendation or reorder option feels thoughtful and proactive. It shows you value their purchase and encourages continued engagement.

Next, use the post-Black Friday window to introduce follow-up offers. Think "holiday encore" promotions that feel like a natural extension of the shopping experience. These don’t have to be as aggressive as Black Friday pricing, but they should reward quick return visits.

This is also the ideal time to gather feedback. Ask for reviews and ratings on recent purchases. Frame it around helping others find the right fit, not just helping you. And when possible, offer a small incentive for participating.

If you run a loyalty programme, now is the moment to activate it. Remind new customers of what they’ve earned or what they’re close to unlocking. Double points campaigns or tier-based benefits can give them a reason to shop again before the end of the year.

Black Friday buyers are often first-time customers. The way you follow up can turn a seasonal shopper into a long-term one.