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Last year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday period saw online sales surge by 220% – a massive traffic opportunity for every e-commerce business. What separates successful brands from the rest is their ability to convert this seasonal traffic into long-term subscribers, creating value that extends far beyond a single purchase.
With Black Friday 2025 approaching (November 28), brands are already preparing for their most important marketing campaign. Data shows that US Black Friday online sales have grown from $222.8 billion in 2018 to $392.5 billion in 2024 – an increase of over 76%.
However, increased traffic means increased competition. Last Black Friday, Meta ad CPMs rose by over 120% compared to early November. In this competitive landscape, effectively converting holiday traffic into loyal subscribers has become crucial for marketing ROI.
During Black Friday, e-commerce websites typically experience a 220% increase in traffic compared to ordinary days. This means even websites that typically struggle to attract visitors can easily gain substantial traffic. If your site normally receives 1,000 daily visitors, you could gain an additional 2,000 potential customers during Black Friday – without spending extra on advertising.
More importantly, consumers are actively seeking deals with clear purchase intent. Research shows that 81% of consumers research and compare prices online before making a purchase, while 93% read online reviews. Even if the final transaction happens in-store, the purchase decision is often triggered online.
According to Business-money reports, if a landing page loads within one to three seconds, the average bounce rate is around 32%. However, if loading time extends to five seconds, the abandonment rate can skyrocket to 90%. That's why it's crucial to test your server capacity before the traffic surge hits and ensure your landing pages remain clean and intuitive.
Optimize for Mobile Conversion
While mobile conversion rates typically sit around 1.4% – lower than tablets and desktops (4%+) – mobile shoppers represent approximately 63% of your Black Friday orders according to NRF data. Don't neglect your mobile experience. By optimizing your website for mobile devices, you could potentially increase your mobile conversion rate from 1.4% to over 2%, significantly boosting your overall sales.
Industry research shows that well-designed pop-ups can increase subscription rates by 12% or more, with some cases seeing improvements up to 40%. Here are two proven formats that deliver results:
This interactive format generates high user engagement. Through a simple wheel game, users receive incentives while subscribing to your list. Businesses using this format typically achieve over 10% subscription rates.
FunnyFuzzy has already implemented Black Friday-themed spin-to-win pop-ups, achieving over 12% subscription rates – a benchmark worth challenging.
Sometimes, the chance to win a physical product generates more excitement than straightforward discounts. This approach not only drives subscriptions but also introduces users to your brand, laying the foundation for long-term relationships.
When users subscribe through your pop-ups, you've only completed the first step. Next, you need to guide them toward making their first purchase through a well-designed welcome flow.
According to industry benchmarks, welcome emails typically achieve higher conversion rates than other automated scenarios. We recommend sending welcome emails immediately after subscription, including your brand story and recommending products they've viewed or your best-selling items.
When offering a first-purchase discount in your welcome email, we suggest avoiding excessive discounts (such as over 50% off). While deep discounts might drive that initial purchase, they often attract one-time buyers rather than long-term customers. A moderate discount encourages conversion while maintaining healthy customer lifetime value.
To help you prepare for Black Friday, SmartPush has launched a collection of Black Friday-themed pop-up and email templates ready for immediate use.
This holiday season presents both an opportunity to grow your subscriber list and strengthen relationships with existing customers. Black Friday isn't just about acquiring new subscribers – it's also about increasing average order value and deepening brand loyalty through strategic communication.
This article is just the beginning. We'll continue to publish deeper insights on maximizing customer lifetime value and retaining the subscribers you gain during this critical period.
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Ready to transform your Black Friday traffic into lasting subscriber relationships? Explore SmartPush templates today and implement these strategies before the holiday rush begins.
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