Meta has published a new Holiday Planning Guide to assist with your seasonal promotions – which you should be looking to map out now, in order to maximize the opportunities of the season.

Meta’s publishing regional versions of its holiday planner, with the ANZ version out now, though localized versions will also be available soon. But most of the tips are universal either way, in terms of practical planning and implementation, and as such, the regional variances don’t change the fundamentals of the guidance.

You can download the full guide here, but in this post, we’ll take a look at some of the highlights.

First off, the guide notes that people are beginning their Christmas shopping earlier, and are looking for bargains amid tougher economic conditions.

As you can see in this calendar overview, more and more consumers are beginning their Christmas shopping journey as early as October, in order to capitalize on sales opportunities, and make smarter buying decisions.

That could be a key consideration in your planning, and connecting with shoppers ahead of time. Which could be as simple as planting early seeds, or maybe offering interest-free repayments, or even early sales to maximize response.

The guide also notes that Meta – which presumably incorporates Facebook and Instagram – is a key platform for product discovery.

Based on this, Meta advises that brands should be considering a ‘three month runway’ into Christmas.

“Instead of just selling, let’s actively reach out to customers and invite them into the Christmas spirit early. Create an always-on connection to delight customers with unexpected discoveries and alleviate their frugal concerns.”

Meta also touts the performance of its improving AI ad tools, including Meta Advantage, which can improve targeting to active shoppers.

While Reels is also a key focus:

There are also more in-depth notes on how to make best use of Meta’s various ad tools, including tips on how to optimize audience reach.

There are also case study examples, basic ad tips, and audience segmentation notes to boost personalized resonance.

Meta’s also provided planners for major shopping campaigns, including when exactly you need to get things moving, along with examples of effective creative and influencer marketing initiatives.

It’s a handy guide, with a range of notes to assist in your holiday planning.

You can download Meta’s holiday planning guide here.