With the holidays approaching fast, how are you preparing? Are you the kind to put your Christmas tree up the moment Halloween is over, or are you decorating and doing all your shopping the week before Christmas?

However you swing it, between decorating and shopping and coordinating family get-togethers, it's easy to become completely swept up by everything you need to do OOO between November and the end of the year.

But don't forget, the second half of Q4 is your final stretch to meet your goals for 2022. Before you break for the holidays, you need wrap up a few things on your website this time of year.

Don’t let the holidays leave your audience out in the cold! Here are seven tips for a great Christmas and New Year:

1. Edit your Hours

If your hours are listed on your website, update the hours to specify any holiday closings or special hours. This will keep your customers in the know and will help maintain good relationships with them. After the holidays, update the hours to your standard times.

2. Review your Contact Information and Email Routing

Do your customers need to get in touch with you during non-business hours? If so, how do they do that? Make sure your website has all the information people need to get help, if needed. Add autoresponders to your email letting your contacts know the days you will be away.

3. Check your Email Forms

Make sure you have notifications properly set for any forms you have on the website. If responses will be slower than usual, add a note to the form notification.

4. Write a Blog

A great way to share holiday cheer with your audience is to write a holiday blog sharing tips and helpful ideas within your industry for the new year. Are you planning to rebrand, launch a new website or promote an app or new product in the new year? Use the blog as a way to peak interest for what is to come in 2023.

5. Promote Events

Are you having a holiday or New Year’s Eve event? If so, expand your reach with social ads and Google ads. Consider your audience and target those most likely to attend. A little planning goes a long way with a campaign like this.

6. Consider Shoppers

Whether you sell merchandise or not, most people have a shopper’s mentality this time of year. Many are rushed and doing a good bit of last minute shopping.

If you are a retail store, cater to this audience by offering last minute deals and promo codes. If you are a non-profit or B2B business, use social media to relate to your audience by sharing encouragement and experiences.

7. Make it Personal

Send a heartfelt end-of-year greeting to your customers, clients, members and followers. Share how you value them and wish them a very Happy New Year.

If you have not started planning for 2023, now is a great time to do that, too. Plan some meetings, review analytics, test mobile accessibility and determine what your audience needs most from you and how you can meet their needs.

Need help planning for the holiday season and into 2023? Schedule a call with one of our Business Development Specialists today. We'd love to get you set for success this year.