2024 Cyber Weekend: Maximising Affiliate Marketing Potential

2024's Cyber Weekend is on track for impressive growth and retailers can expect a $69.7 billion sales boost this holiday sales season, 2.7% percent more than the 2023 period. However, with the cost of living crisis reaching a new peak this year, consumers are doing extensive online research for this year’s biggest sales period. As Australia Post in the recent 2024 shopping trends report advises: 

 “They spend weeks building their lists and finding which online shops they’d like to buy from. Their plans extend to budgeting, too: 74% of people who shopped last year’s sale said they saved up ahead of time to secure the deals they wanted. This saving starts in September for almost half of sale shoppers.” 

For affiliate marketers, Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer immense potential to drive revenue and brand awareness. As the lines between these two shopping events blur, a comprehensive affiliate marketing strategy will be key to achieving maximum returns. 

Black Friday in Australia: Trends to Watch in 2024 

• Cost-Conscious Consumers: Economic factors, including inflation and the rising cost of living, are leading consumers to seek the best deals and increase research and consideration prior to purchase. Customers are shopping online more often. However, they are making more frequent but smaller purchases, and for the first time in five years, 2024 has seen non-discretionary spending growth outperforming discretionary spending.
  
• The power of AI and Personalisation: With the right technology and partnerships, brands can deliver personalised offers to the right audience at the right time. Rather than relying on blanket discounts, brands can now provide tailored offers to individual consumers based on their specific preferences, creating a significant competitive advantage. 
• Gen Z and Millennial Shoppers: As digital natives, these generations prioritise convenience and personalisation. They are the driving force behind increased spending in categories such as tech, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products. 

Key Dates for Q4 Success 

With key promotional dates like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the lead-up to Christmas, it's essential to map out a Q4 promotional calendar. Successful brands will capture early holiday shoppers and maintain momentum through to December. Aligning campaigns with key dates such as Singles’ Day (November 11) and Green Monday (December 9) can create additional sales spikes and engagement. Key dates for 2024 are highlighted below:

• Halloween: 31st October
• Singles Day: 11th November
• Click Frenzy: Tuesday, 12th November - 15th November 
• Black Friday: Friday, 29th November
• Cyber Monday: Monday, 2nd December
• Christmas Eve: Tuesday, 24th December
• Christmas Day: Wednesday, 25th December
• Boxing Day: Thursday, 26th December
• New Year’s Eve: Tuesday, 31st December

Strategies for Success in 2024 

• Plan Early and Secure Premium Placements: Preparation is crucial. Advertisers should start securing key publisher placements as early as possible to maximise exposure. Tools like Commission Factory’s Placement Marketplace enable advertisers to discover high-performing publishers and lock in premium placements well before the holiday rush. 
• Enhance Mobile and Website Experience: With mobile sales continuing to rise, optimising websites for mobile users is essential. Shoppers will abandon carts if pages load slowly or if navigating through checkout is cumbersome. Make sure that product pages are clear, highlight discount codes prominently, and offer multiple payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL).  
• Highlight Free and Fast Shipping: With 65% of online orders including free shipping, it remains a key decision-making factor for online shoppers. Offering competitive shipping options like Click & Collect or same-day delivery will set brands apart from the competition and encourage last-minute holiday purchases. 
• Leverage Personalised Offers and Re-Marketing: Consumers respond well to personalised recommendations, especially during busy shopping periods. Affiliates and advertisers are able to utilise Commission Factory’s Custom Reporting Tools and partner with specialised tech affiliate partners to identify customer behavior trends and target specific segments with personalised offers and remarketing efforts, ensuring no potential sales are left behind.
• Partner with Content Creators and Influencers: Affiliate marketing thrives on strong partnerships. In 2024, influencer marketing remains a powerful tool, especially in fashion, beauty, and tech. By working with trusted voices in these spaces, brands can expand their reach to engaged audiences looking for Black Friday deals. Consider partnering with influencers who can create authentic product reviews, holiday gift guides, or unboxing videos.
•  Boost Retention with Loyalty Programs: While attracting new customers during Black Friday is important, retaining them is even more critical for long-term growth. Offering exclusive loyalty program deals or early access to Black Friday sales can turn one-time shoppers into repeat customers. Affiliates can help amplify these programs by directing high-quality traffic to relevant offers. 
• Maximise Social Proof and User-Generated Content: Shoppers rely on reviews and social proof to validate their purchases, especially during high-volume sales events. Brands should showcase user-generated content (UGC) and feature customer testimonials on product pages. Affiliates can be instrumental in curating and promoting these assets through their content platforms, driving conversions with authenticity. 
• Utilise Data to Optimise Post-Event Campaigns: Once the Cyber period ends, the data collected is invaluable for optimising future campaigns. Affiliates can help brands analyse which deals and placements performed best and fine-tune strategies for future shopping events such as Boxing Day.
•    Green Shopping Trends: Sustainability-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking eco-friendly products and brands that champion sustainability. Highlighting green initiatives, such as eco-friendly packaging or carbon-neutral shipping, will resonate with this audience and set brands apart from competitors during Black Friday. 
  
  
  

Key Takeaways 

Black Friday 2024 presents an unprecedented opportunity for brands and affiliates to drive significant sales growth. With an increasingly savvy and value-driven consumer base, a well-executed affiliate strategy that leverages deep discounts, early planning, and strong partnerships will be key to success. 

As you prepare for the biggest shopping event of the year, connect with Commission Factory to explore partnership opportunities or sign up as an affiliate or advertiser to access our premium tools and publisher networks. Together, we’ll help you take your Black Friday campaigns to the next level. 

References

https://powerretail.com.au/69-7-billion-holiday-spend-forecasted/?utm_source=linkedin+organic&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=%2469.7+Billion+Holiday+Spend+Forecasted&utm_content=article

https://auspost.com.au/business/business-ideas/selling-online/business-strategies-online-sale-events 

https://ecommerce-report.auspost.com.au/

 Commission Factory is not only the Asia-Pacific region's largest affiliate platform, working with more than 900 of the world's biggest brands, it is also a performance marketing platform that allows affiliates, partners and content creators to earn money and online businesses to increase sales.

Connect with the Commission Factory team to learn more about how we help brands and partners build and grow their affiliate marketing strategies.