Small businesses that don’t strategize for the shift in new shopping behaviors risk becoming invisible when the holiday rush starts. This year, we’re seeing a significant change across industries, in which the window for small businesses to be found online is quickly shrinking. So, if you think you can wait until Black Friday to reach out to an e-commerce website builder to start a holiday marketing campaign, you are already behind.
Now is the time to get your business ready to be found. Customers (like me) are researching gifts earlier and earlier every year, relying more on traditional online search and AI to guide them. According to Shopify, over 40% of holiday shoppers online begin browsing before Halloween, and terms like “gift ideas for…” start trending in early October. By November, customers are already deep into holiday planning, so ad costs are higher, and organic visibility takes time, which means you’re on uneven footing competing with businesses that started their holiday planning weeks or even months earlier.
The Consequences of Being Invisible to Online Holiday Shoppers
If you’re not online during the one time of the year when people are actively looking to buy, you’re invisible to customers and will lose revenue. That’s why it’s crucial to partner with a website builder for e-commerce to begin planning your campaign and building your online presence.
Additionally, this year, AI chatbots are making gift discovery more personalized and the search more intent-based than ever. Customers are asking them questions like, “What’s a good gift for new dads?” or “Where can I buy custom ornaments near me?” to get a limited number of websites in their results, meaning that the first few businesses that show up are the ones getting seen.
As people search more specifically and expect fast answers, small businesses should focus on niche keywords, local visibility, and packaging their offers around real-life needs. If you’re a pottery artist who does a holiday drop later in the year and is not visible when someone is searching for “handmade mugs for gifts” since early fall, you are missing that wave of early buyers.
The Risk of Depending Solely On Social Media
Besides waiting too long, businesses are also relying solely on—and only updating—one channel of their online presence, such as their Instagram. This approach isn’t necessarily wrong, but you don’t own your followers and can’t always control your reach, as is often the case when you personalize and build a website.
Visibility is about offering consistency across all the places people search: your website, blog, Google listing, and social media platforms. Take a massage therapist offering holiday gift cards. If their site doesn’t mention holiday promos or teasers, there is no option to buy seasonal products online, and their Google profile still shows summer hours, people will assume they’re not offering anything this holiday season and move on to the next business.
Additionally, it’s crucial to create landing pages or a dedicated space on your site that search engines and customers can find. AI search models, such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, source their responses from website content, and most customers still Google before they buy. That’s why, when you own a site, you have more control over showing up in those search results with credibility and provide a reliable way to purchase.
Small Business Website Tips
AI-powered tools make launching or updating websites faster and easier, especially for small business owners who do not work with a marketing team. Instead of starting from a blank screen, use an AI website builder that suggests your layout, headlines, and content based on your industry and goals. This tool is invaluable during crunch time when juggling inventory, holiday promos, and customer questions.
To complement the AI advantage, choose a website builder that provides templates designed for your type of business, especially if you sell products, book appointments, or offer gift cards. These templates should include built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools and a simple way to update content. They should also be tested for mobile appearance and responsiveness.
Most holiday browsing happens on phones, especially when people multitask or shop during a lunch break; in fact, according to Statista, mobile devices accounted for 53.2% of holiday e-commerce revenue in 2024. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly and lacks relevant content that’s easy to scan and understand on mobile, it could hurt your visibility and sales.
Additionally, with AI advancements, it’s not just about SEO keyword phrases anymore, but having the best structured answer to what someone is asking about. Google your own business or look it up on ChatGPT. See what shows up, and if the content, hours, and offers don’t tell the story you want them to, you can use an AI-website generator to update your content, Google Business Profile, and social media to better control your business’s online presence.
A fitness coach, for example, can use AI website creation tools to make a page for their “Healthy Holiday Package” in one day, with polished copy and a search-friendly layout, even if they’ve never built a page before. They can also add their unique touch to the copy, make sure it answers questions that their audience is asking online, and start marketing that page before the holiday rush.
Holiday Preparation Timeline
According to Capital One, 57% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase online. That’s why businesses must now prepare their online presence for peak holiday shopping, breaking it down into a countdown with targeted marketing strategies and the help of a reliable e-commerce site builder.
For example:
- 90 Days (Mid- to Late September): Focus on selecting the products you’ll market during the holidays, creating your holiday offer and promo calendar, and taking any themed product photos and marketing materials. Enhance your website copy with phrases your customers use when searching for those products, and update your blog to improve its ranking in both traditional and AI search results.
- 60 Days (Mid-October): Build your holiday landing pages, update your Google Ads campaigns to advertise your promos, and market your business listings and social pages. Advertise early discounts to attract shoppers before the November/December rush.
- 30 Days (Mid-November): Actively promote via social media, Google Ads, email, and SMS text messaging, balancing self-promotion with authenticity and a brand voice that resonates with your audience.
- 7 Days: Advertise “Last shopping day to arrive before Christmas” countdowns, promoting pickup at your location, digital downloads, and gift cards for those last-minute buyers.
Strategies by Business Type
It’s also important to strategize and prepare your website based on your business type, if you are:
- Product-Based: Focus on categories, gift guides, and shipping cutoffs. Think like a shopper and focus on niche keywords, such as “Eco-friendly gifts under $50,” “gifts for dog moms,” and “local stocking stuffers.”
- Service-Based: Bundle your services as a gift—whether as an offers page, a printable option, or a limited-time holiday package—and feature them front and center. For example, a life coach could offer a one-time “Goalsetting Session” gift card.
- Brick & Mortar: Invest in an online store builder that helps you lower the barrier to buy with a clear, welcoming website that mirrors your in-person experience. You can also advertise on social media, ads, and billboards. For example, a boutique known for handmade holiday cards could highlight its “local favorites,” offer “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store” options, and update its Google Business Profile and social media with photos of its holiday displays.
Taking the First Step Toward Success This Holiday Season
Most holiday shopping discoveries start online, so being visible in search results now is crucial. A few focused marketing moves implemented from September to a week before the holidays can make a huge difference. Instead of investing thousands of dollars in a massive campaign, prioritize having a solid foundation: a website that reflects what you’re offering this season, a Google Business Profile that’s accurate and up to date, relevant social media posts that reflect your brand’s personality, and content that shows up in search when people start looking.
Your website is your storefront, so make it mobile-friendly, optimized, and easy to navigate and buy. If you’re short on time, focus on:
- Creating a business website and updating your homepage with holiday offers or products.
- Refreshing your major social media profiles and Google Business Profile with holiday promo photos or designs, plus any updates on your hours.
- Adding a seasonal landing page to your site that’s easy to share in email or social.
Keep it simple but intentional, whether you run a personal coaching business, a car repair shop, or an online flower store. The businesses that succeed during the holiday rush are prepared, clear, and present across multiple channels. Don’t post once and hope it reaches your audience immediately. Instead, create a simple but connected experience from discovery to purchase months in advance.
Alicia Pringle, Senior Director of Online Marketing at Network Solutions, brings over 19 years of experience in SEO, content marketing, and social media. She is dedicated to helping small businesses grow through thoughtful, effective digital strategies. Her work focuses on improving team operations and leading the development of marketing products that deliver real results.
Photo courtesy Getty Images for Unsplash+
