Beyond the Holiday Sale: Turn Seasonal Shoppers into Year-Round Revenue
With holiday shopping in full swing and 43% of consumers spreading their purchases across November and December, this isn't just about capturing immediate sales——it's about acquiring customers who continue buying long after the decorations come down.
Caught in the Holiday Trade-off
Some approach Q4 with a conversion-at-all-costs mentality—maximizing immediate sales through aggressive promotions and bottom-funnel tactics. But if all you're competing on is price and promotion, you’ll gain strong holiday revenue, but it'll likely be followed by a January cliff as promotional shoppers disappear.
This short-term focus creates a vicious cycle. Pour budget into tactics that only attract one-time bargain hunters rather than building a base of year-round customers, and you'll feel the weight of rising acquisition costs without any long-term revenue benefit. When Q1 arrives, you might land back at zero—scrambling to re-engage an audience you never properly acquired in the first place.
At the same time, other brands relying too heavily on repeat customers face a hidden vulnerability. Strong loyalty metrics can mask an underlying dependence on a finite customer base—one that naturally contracts through attrition. Without systematic new customer acquisition during Q4's peak traffic periods, even successful brands face inevitable revenue decline.
The brands that win don't just acquire customers during Q4, they build systems that transform holiday shoppers into year-round revenue drivers.
CASE STUDY: From Seasonal Spike to Sustained Growth
A supplement brand came to GO with strong fundamentals but limited growth trajectory. 80% of their transactions came from repeat purchases—impressive loyalty, but a strategic constraint. Their sales grew steadily during peak periods, but they recognized that transforming seasonal shoppers into year-round customers required a systematic approach to acquisition.
The challenge was clear: expand beyond their loyal base and capture Q4 shoppers who would continue purchasing throughout the year, all without sacrificing the profitability that made their business sustainable.
The Systematic Approach
GO implemented a phased full-funnel strategy that matched advertising tactics to customer journey stages:
Phase 1: Foundation Building
Before partnership, the brand focused primarily on brand coverage campaigns to maintain their loyal customer base. GO expanded their Sponsored Ads approach to actively acquire new shoppers—launching category and competitor campaigns alongside 20+ Sponsored Brand Video campaigns. This shift positioned the brand in front of shoppers actively researching their category rather than only capturing existing demand.
Phase 2: Mid-Funnel Expansion
With Sponsored Ads performing consistently, GO layered in DSP prospecting to drive clicks, increase detail page views, and acquire even more new shoppers. DSP's sophisticated targeting proved critical for reaching shopper segments they hadn't converted yet—expanding beyond search behavior to target customers based on browsing patterns and category interest.
The impact was immediate: new customer acquisition increased 224% after just one month of DSP integration.
Phase 3: Upper-Funnel Acceleration
The final layer added Streaming TV to the mix, creating true full-funnel coverage. STV reached high-intent shoppers earlier in their decision process, building awareness that made subsequent advertising formats more efficient.
The Results
The phased approach transformed the brand's customer composition and business trajectory—turning a seasonal sales pattern into consistent year-round revenue:
85% of transactions now come from new customers—a complete reversal from their initial 80% repeat-heavy model
11x increase in branded search, demonstrating sustained awareness beyond seasonal peaks
45% of new-to-brand customers became repeat purchasers, proving that holiday-acquired customers continued buying throughout the year
2.07x increase in customer lifetime value from campaign start
The Full-Funnel Framework for Year-Round Revenue
This case demonstrates principles any brand can apply:
Layered Investment, Not All-at-Once
We didn't launch every format simultaneously. Our GO team built foundation performance with Sponsored Ads, validated results, then systematically added DSP and STV. This phased approach allows each format to prove its value while building the data needed to optimize the next layer.
Format-Specific Objectives
Sponsored Ads captured existing demand and drove immediate conversions. DSP expanded reach to new customer segments through targeted display. STV built awareness at scale. Success came from recognizing these complementary—not competing—roles.
Measuring What Matters
While traditional metrics like ROAS remain important, we tracked new-to-brand percentage, branded search lift, and customer lifetime value. These metrics revealed the compounding value of full-funnel investment that short-term conversion metrics miss.
Timing Alignment
The brand's Q4 acceleration wasn't accidental. By having full-funnel systems operational before peak season, we were able to capture maximum value during the period when consumer purchase intent reaches annual highs—then maintained that momentum into slower periods. Brands that wait to build these systems until peak season lose the ability to transform seasonal shoppers into year-round customers.
The Holiday Spike is a Foundation for 2026
December represents more than a holiday sales opportunity—it's the bridge between Q4 execution and sustained year-round growth. The customers you acquire now, through sophisticated full-funnel approaches, become the foundation for consistent revenue throughout 2026.
Ready to scale customer acquisition heading into 2026? Contact GO today.