Optimised content campaigns crucial for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is now just a week away, and a guide released by Bing has urged content marketers to create content optimised for mobile search and focus on last-minute timing in order to reach and engage with couples during the next seven days. Data shows that there was a staggering $19.7 billion (£15.9 billion) spent last year on the big day.

More than half of adults celebrate Valentine’s Day, which falls on 14^th February every year, so it makes sense for brands and publishers to optimise their content campaigns for the occasion. There was also a four per cent increase in the amount of spending year-on-year in 2016, so this year could be even bigger.

Bing starts off by recommending a campaign that reaches a wide audience. While “significant others” are the biggest spenders on Valentine’s Day, the occasion is also celebrated by co-workers, family, friends and even pets, so brands can get a competitive advantage by promoting a larger selection of products or services.

It is also important to select the right keywords, but this is not as simple as it appears, as marketers need to understand how these terms can engage target users. When “Valentine’s Day gifts for” is entered into Bing, “husband” is the top keyword, but “friend” is the second-most popular, even ahead of “wife.” “Children” and “teachers” also feature prominently.

Bing also notes that timing is critical, as 46 per cent of searches and shopping for Valentine’s Day-related products are made during early February, compared to ten per cent on the day before the actual day. The number of clicks reaches its peak two days before the big day, so marketers should plan their content campaigns carefully so that they can be present at just the right time.

When optimising for search, mobile should be a key consideration, as search on smartphones and tablets for Valentine’s Day soared from 40 per cent in 2015 to 48 per cent in 2016. Almost a third of users also research and compare prices on mobile. Finally, in order to drive engagement effectively on these devices, marketers also need to improve their ads, as call and location extensions are shown to increase click-through rates significantly.