It almost feels too early to write about Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), but then again, we are only 57 days from Black Friday when I send this newsletter out.

57 days seems long, but when we go through everything you need to do to get ready, you realize you need to start now.

But no worries - I will give you everything you need to prep your content for this big weekend.

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1. Pick an Offer

What are you actually going to offer during this weekend?

Some brands do discounts, others do gifts, and some people don't do anything.

You need to figure out your plan and how long that offer will last because this sets the foundation of what the content will be about.

You can't start making the content when you haven't established the offer.

Since you need time to create the content (more on that later), you need to finalize your offer very soon!

2. Build Your Content Plan

You have your offer, now you need to figure out what platforms you will be pushing your offers to.

Wherever your team takes notes, create two columns.

One for organic and one for paid media.

For organic:Think about your top 3 organic channels. You want to focus your energy there.Let's assume that your top three channels are TikTok, IG, and Facebook.

For each channel, you want some content to be posted before the offer period starts to tease your audience that BFCM is coming.

During your offer period, you need to post at least one piece of content per channel.

You can do more, but I know you have a lot of things going on during this time that I want you to be focused and execute versus stressed and running around.

For paid:

Same as for organic, focus on your top three or four channels.

Now is not the time to run Youtube ads for the first time ever, work with the channels you know you have proven to perform for you.

Your paid media buyer should outline how much time they need before the offer period to start testing assets and getting signals for what is working and what isn't.

Your media buyer should also outline exactly how many assets they need for the offer period.

Each media buying strategy and budget is different, so I can't put numbers in this section, but I can tell you that you need to have some graphics, UGC/native videos, polished videos, and regular ads that aren't about the offer.I will talk about those specific ad types later, but you need to see that there is a lot of content that needs to be prepared.

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3. Build a Content Engine

People always ask me for the latest hacks for ads or even for BFCM, but to be honest, just focus on building consistent content.

If you don't have a good consistent content engine going now, no hack will save you.

This time of year shows off which brands really have a good content engine or not.

Luckily for you, it is not too late to establish everything because I am writing to you early.

Content Input

Who is your creative partner?

Who is in charge of making your content?

If you can't answer that question within one sentence, stop what you are doing and figure out who will be creating content for you.

You need to have photography, videography, and UGC content creation production ready to go.

My team at Goodo Studios can do all photos, videos, and UGC, but not everyone can so ensure you get the right creative partners to set you up for BFCM.

Go back to the content plan for how many of each asset you need, and then go to creative partners who will help start to create the content.

Creative Strategy

Which team member is in charge of looking at the data from the ad creative and able to come up with ad variations or test based on the data?

If there is not a clear person in charge, this needs to change.

You don't want to be fumbling around during BFCM trying to make some adjustments to ads but not have a person in charge.

BFCM is not the time to work on your org chart!

Editing

When you make variations or adjustments, who is in charge of editing?

You must focus on getting an editor if you can't answer this question confidently in a sentence.

You have the creative strategist who needs to pass off the variations and new ad creative tests to the editor to make.

You can adjust quickly during your offer period if you establish this role now.

Last week I wrote a newsletter about this feedback loop that I think is worth reading if you are establishing this new team.

4. Things to Test and Content Ideas

Before you get excited about content creation, knowing the content plan and roles for this content is more important the actual content.

Start those conversations today if you don't have providers for this content, creative strategy, or editing.

Luckily you are reading a newsletter from Goodo Studios who does all three, content, creative strategy, and editing.

OKAY - NOW LET'S CHAT ABOUT CONTENT IDEAS!

Try normal creative

Before you get too crazy with a Santa photoshoot, make sure to have some ads that are just regular and on-brand, not themed.

If these evergreen ads have worked in the past, they will work now when people are more inclined to shop.

You want to have a few of these in your back pocket, especially if you don't have a big content budget.

Graphics with the offer

People are looking for that offer. Don't wait until the end of a video to let them know.

Cut to the chase.

Have some graphics with your offer nice and clear.

The offer should be the hook to get people to learn more and shop.

Even if a person doesn't shop, you want them to clearly know YOUR offer.

Photography and videography with your bundle or offer

Some brands might have a special gift or a limited product.

Others might have a bundle of products.

Heck - some brands collab with OTHER brands.

You will need some fresh photos and videos if you are making any offer from above.

They don't have to be holiday themed, but it would be great to have these photos and videos created because then you can easily make graphics and ad variations off of this content.

UGC Gift Giving

People are looking to buy gifts for people or buy themselves gifts.

Opening a gift or package is an exciting experience.

I think having people recreate gift giving for UGC would work well, or maybe even customers have videos from last summer of giving gifts to their friends and family.

I think you should play into ideas like gift giving to see if there is a boost during BFCM.

That being said, don't drop a whole campaign just of content around gift giving, you need to have some ad concepts that you know work!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, except the offer

Look at the content that has worked in the past.

You should create content exactly like the ads that have worked this year, but then add the new offer to the end.I would also test out the new offer as the video's hook and bring in proven ad concepts.You don't need to reinvent the wheel for BFCM; just integrate the offer with winning ads.