With omni-channel behaviour becoming the new norm, and online and offline channels truly converging, we are seeing shopping queries for the back-to-school season cover a middle ground between in-person and remote learning. Brands are given a rare opportunity to help parents navigate this in-between by helping them keep their children safe while continuing to stay connected.
Not only are consumers getting ready for the school year with the right stationery and school bags, they are also taking advantage of the end of summer to make a fresh start. From monumental decisions like buying a house, to last-minute escapes to the beach, or a staycation in the city, search trends over the past year have revealed that back-to-school season has become a bigger retail moment with many opportunities beyond its namesake to grab.
Key takeaways
Understand your existing customers and find new ones
It’s important that customers know you are there for them, even in difficult circumstances. Make sure to stay updated on local market conditions and tune in to the challenges your customers face. Solutions for the messy middle of the purchase journey during back-to-school season can help you guide consumers towards their decision. Expand your customer base by reaching undecided shoppers who are searching for products like yours.
Tell your brand story and plan accordingly
Whether you’re a small local business or a multi-channel retailer, it’s important to create real value to stand out during key seasonal moments like the back-to-school season. As consumers are turning to YouTube to do their research on popular searches like food for school lunchbox ideas, video is becoming more important to drive brand awareness. Connect and inspire through excellent creative, combined with affinity audience strategies. You can capture demand in the weeks and months leading up to the moment by identifying rising searches on Google Trends. And be ready to adjust your plans on a weekly basis as you assess the shifts in consumer behaviour patterns.
Listen intently and be flexible
As the current situation evolves and the race to the online retail space continues, it‘s vital to monitor your e-commerce site performance and continually reassess the context and tone of your marketing messages. You can evaluate your e-commerce site and receive actionable advice on how to strengthen it through Grow My Store, helping you connect with the right customers through the most optimised approach for your site. Be prepared to reinvent your offering for certain moments and adapt to the times to keep customers on your website. Remaining flexible is key in these changing times, to stay connected with customers and support their specific needs during each of these important seasonal moments for retail.
Learn more about how you can prepare for the every-evolving back-to-school season, and other key retail moments from Black Friday to Mothers’ Day, with our helpful infographics in the drop-down below. Utilise this calendar to guide your approach, prioritise your next steps, and create a marketing strategy that meets your evolving business needs for 2021 and beyond.
