How to Get the Most Out of Black Friday

Every year the battle begins: brands fighting for attention, deals popping up everywhere, and ad costs skyrocketing. Black Friday isn’t just another campaign period — it’s the marketing peak of the year.

But the winners aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the brands that start early, plan smart, and act strategically.
Those who combine solid preparation with smart automation and clear segmentation achieve higher returns, more conversions, and more peace of mind during the busiest marketing week of the year.

Below you’ll find six practical strategies to make Black Friday run smoothly and profitably this year.

1. Allocate budget for rising CPMs

During Black Friday, competition increases across all advertising platforms. CPMs go up — not surprising, but a chance to plan ahead.

Tip: Compare CPMs based on last year. If you don’t have Black Friday data, compare with numbers from a sales period. From experience, a 100% increase in CPM is no exception. Consider yourself warned.

2. Start lead generation early

Your best Black Friday campaign starts before the actual event. In the weeks leading up to it, build a list of interested customers with a simple teaser campaign: “Sign up to be the first to receive our exclusive Black Friday deals.”

This gives you a warm audience to activate at the right moment — without high advertising costs. Bonus: you also build a valuable list for the rest of the year and for the next year.

In our own accounts, we’ve seen that 80% of search volume is already present on the Friday before Black Friday, meaning most of your audience is already looking for discounts.

3. Set up a smart email flow

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools during Black Friday — but only if you build the right rhythm.

An ideal flow includes:

Pre-tease: Announce that something big is coming.
Launch on the day itself: With a clear call-to-action, emphasize urgency, and make it clear that the offer is truly unique.
Last-day reminder: Let customers know the offer expires within 24 hours.

Extra tip: Reward your most engaged customers with early access or an exclusive VIP deal. This boosts conversions and increases brand loyalty.

4. Use a dedicated Black Friday landing page

Save yourself double work each year by keeping a single permanent Black Friday landing page. Over the years, this builds valuable SEO data and maintains your authority.

Check whether certain product categories are frequently searched in combination with “Black Friday” — such as “Black Friday laptops” or “Black Friday paint supplies.” These often deserve their own pages with targeted offers.

This keeps you visible not only during the event, but for months afterward.

Don’t take these pages offline — simply reuse them the next year. Throughout the year, you can add a standard lead form stating that the promotion has ended but users can sign up for future deals.

5. Optimize your Google Search campaigns

Black Friday is all about timing and momentum. Use countdown extensions in Google Ads (“Valid for 2 more days”) or adjust your ad copy based on the phase of your promotion.

Urgency motivates — especially when combined with real transparency. Let customers know when deals start and end. Clarity builds trust.

Make sure promo and sitelink extensions are added, and consider pinning a headline or description during this period.

Tip: Set an end date so they automatically disappear after Black Friday.

6. Use seasonal bid adjustments

A seasonal bid adjustment in Google Ads allows you to temporarily modify your bids during specific periods — like holidays or sales — to take advantage of expected peaks in conversion rates.

7. Check your shopping feed

Does your shopping feed include a sale_price? Great — it highlights your promotion. Also ensure that your field mapping is correct so the discounted price is clearly displayed.

Conclusion: Strategy Beats Panic

Black Friday isn’t a fight for volume. It’s an exercise in preparation, rhythm, and focus.

Brands that start early, set up smart lead flows, and closely monitor their campaigns gain efficiency year after year — without the pressure, chaos, or panic of last-minute actions.