Holiday shopping and travel planning are starting earlier than ever, with people turning to Meta for inspiration, from gifts to getaways. With 87% of shoppers discovering products on social media and AI influencing 1 in 5 purchases, now’s the time for hotels, restaurants, and e-commerce brands to stand out with creative, scroll-stopping content.
Use this to refine your paid social strategy and maximize results this season.
Timeline for Holiday Success
| Phase | Focus | Activations |
| Sept | Prep & Test | Test creative concepts & build audience lists |
| October-Nov | Launch & inspire | Push storytelling content, early offers & teasers |
| Nov-Dec | Convert & retarget | Feature time-sensitive deals, Booking reminders, last-minute gift/travel/dining ideas |
| Jan | Regain & Re-engage | Post holiday sales, loyalty offers & return visits |
Plan Early & Build Momentum
Start building awareness before peak season to stay top of mind when shoppers are most inspired. Early launches help test creative, grow audiences, and refine targeting so your brand is ready when purchase intent rises.
- Launch early, holiday inspiration starts in October, and 45% of shoppers begin in November.
- Warm up audiences with travel, dining, and gifting content before key sales.
- Reach shoppers across online and in-store touchpoints using varied targeting.
- Match objectives to the funnel: awareness now, LP views for intent, conversions closer to holidays.
- Lean into Instagram; test Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit to diversify mix. Think about regional markets ie: Snapchat is successful in EMEA, Pinterest has seen mainly US etc.
- Prioritize video, especially short-form, for seasonal engagement.
- Use AI tools like dynamic ads, catalogs, and persona copy; 37% use AI for gift ideas.
- Take advantage of Meta tools like Advantage+ shopping, value optimization, and persona testing.
- Retarget with Advantage+ Audiences and apply cross-channel learnings.
Diversify Your Creative
A varied creative mix keeps your audience engaged and expands reach across platforms. Use multiple formats, festive visuals, and personalized CTAs to connect with shoppers at every stage.
- Include at least three ad formats: image (1:1 or 4:5), video (1:1 or 4:5), and vertical video (9:16).
- 71% prefer product carousels in ads – use this format, as we have seen success.
- Add multiple creatives per ad set to avoid fatigue and expand reach.
- Use Advantage+ placements or six or manual placements for maximum delivery and efficiency.
- Feature holiday visuals across categories, cozy stays, festive tables, and curated gift ideas, segment gift giving by individual. 30% Higher CTR if ads are personalized, so make sure these ads feel bespoke and relevant (special offers/action plan for Cyber Week vs. Festive vs. Travel Tuesday etc.)
- Test split tests now and use strong CTAs with limited offers and countdown creative.
- Review competitor creative in the media library to ensure you are resonating effectively.
- Use social listening to see if any themes/syntax need to be adjusted.
Transform Existing Assets for the Season
Refresh what you already have to align with the holiday mindset. Add subtle seasonal cues, urgency overlays, or AI enhancements to capture attention quickly and drive action.
- Add subtle holiday background motion or product demos.
- Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds with your offer or brand moment.
- End with a strong CTA, “Book Now,” “Reserve a Table,” or “Shop the Collection.”
- Update overlays with urgency (“Limited-Time Offer,” “Holiday Special”).
- Feature holiday visuals across categories, cozy stays, festive tables, and curated gift ideas, segment gift giving by individual. 30% Higher CTR if ads are personalized, so make sure these ads feel bespoke and relevant (special offers/action plan for Cyber Week vs. Festive vs. Travel Tuesday etc.)
- Use AI tools in Ads Manager for image expansion, text generation, backgrounds, and music.
Go Holiday-First on Reels
Short-form video turns inspiration into conversion. Use immersive, sound-on storytelling and trending audio to highlight real moments and inspire engagement.
- Optimize for 9:16 mobile video, immersive, sound-on storytelling. Specifically ensure you are creative for stories/reels, as this placement is getting more traction in market.
- Design for safe zones so text and CTAs remain visible.
- Add trending holiday audio from Meta’s Sound Collection or Reels Library.
- Showcase people-first stories: guests arriving for a winter escape, chefs plating festive dishes, shoppers finding the perfect gift. People want to build memories, and your ads are designed to help them do just that.
- Ensure creative is focused on the lower funnel; our goal is to drive conversions, so create ads designed for success.
Ready to bring your holiday campaigns to life? Veridian can help you plan, create, and optimize every step of your paid social strategy to drive more bookings, sales, and engagement this season.
