40% of Holiday Shoppers Already Know What They're Buying.

Do They Know About You?

I'm watching something interesting happen right now across our client base. The businesses that are already running optimized campaigns are seeing strong conversion rates. The ones that are still "planning" or waiting for Black Friday to flip the switch? They're already losing ground.

Here's the reality: North American consumers are entering this holiday season with their wallets open and their research complete. We're seeing data that shows 40% of shoppers already know exactly what they're buying - up from 32% last year. Average spending is projected at $1,007 USD, with similar patterns in Canada.

But here's the part that should concern you: these aren't browsers anymore. They're researchers. And if your business isn't showing up during their decision-making process, you've already lost the sale.

The Research Problem Most Businesses Don't Understand

Let me tell you what we're seeing in our client accounts right now. Shoppers are researching 83% of their purchases before buying - up from 77% last year. That might not sound dramatic, but think about what it means: the impulse buy is effectively dead.

Your customers are comparing. They're reading reviews. They're watching YouTube videos. They're checking three different sites before they pull the trigger. And most critically - they're doing all of this on Google and YouTube, not on the platforms where you're probably spending most of your budget.

This is exactly why we've restructured how we approach Q4 campaigns for our clients. The old playbook of ramping up for Black Friday and calling it done? That doesn't work anymore. The buying window now runs from October through mid-January, and your visibility needs to match that timeline.

Where WSI's Approach Differs: Performance Max + Strategic Presence

Here's where our expertise with Performance Max campaigns becomes critical. Most agencies run Performance Max like a set-it-and-forget-it solution. We don't. Our team has spent the last 18 months refining how we structure these campaigns to align with actual buyer behavior during high-intent periods.

What does that actually mean for your business?

We bend the auction to your advantage. 

Performance Max uses AI, but AI needs direction. We leverage your first-party data to bid aggressively for high-value prospects while protecting your margins when targeting loyal or lapsed customers. This isn't about spending more - it's about spending smarter so you're visible when it actually matters.

We generate demand where it converts. 

Through Performance Max, we deliver your message across YouTube, YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail - the places where shoppers are actually spending time during their research phase. But we're not just buying impressions. We're targeting the specific moments when people are moving from "maybe" to "yes."

We own the final decision moment. 

This is where most campaigns fall apart. You've invested in getting someone's attention, but when they're doing that final comparison search or watching that last review video, your competitor shows up instead of you. We structure campaigns specifically to capture these high-intent moments with the right offer at the right time.

For our clients in professional services - interior design firms, contractors, B2B services - this approach is even more critical. Your buyers aren't making impulse decisions. They're doing weeks of research. Our job is to make sure your brand stays visible and builds authority throughout that entire journey.

The Omnichannel Reality (And Why Your Channels Probably Don't Connect)

Here's a question I ask every new client: "If someone sees your ad online, how easy is it for them to figure out if you have what they want in stock locally?"

Usually, there's a long pause.

71% of North American holiday shoppers jump between online and offline channels. For Gen Z, it's 79%. But most mid-market businesses have digital marketing that's completely disconnected from their actual operations.

This is where WSI's full-service approach makes a real difference. We don't just run your Google Ads and walk away. We optimize your Google Business Profile, ensure your local inventory is accurate, audit your mobile checkout experience, and make sure someone searching on their phone can seamlessly transition to your store or complete a purchase online.

It sounds basic, but you'd be shocked how many businesses lose sales simply because the path from ad to purchase has too much friction.

The Post-Holiday Opportunity Everyone Ignores

Most businesses wind down after Christmas. We tell our clients to do the exact opposite.

December 26 through January 8 is one of the highest-converting windows of the year. Shoppers during this period aren't browsing - 87% of shopping occasions result in an actual purchase. Whether they're spending Boxing Day gift cards in Canada or post-Christmas cash in the US, they're ready to buy.

And here's the beautiful part: 61% of gift card redeemers spend more than the card value - an average of $31.75 more per transaction. That's pure incremental revenue happening while your competitors have gone dark.

Our recommendation? Plan now to maintain 60-70% of your holiday budget through January 8. We restructure Performance Max campaigns during this window to focus on high-AOV opportunities and gift card redemption behavior. The cost per acquisition often drops because competition disappears, but conversion rates stay elevated.

What Working With WSI Actually Looks Like

We're not an agency that sends you a monthly report and hopes for the best. Our approach is consultative because your business needs strategic thinking, not just campaign execution.

When you work with us, here's what happens:

We audit your current performance. 

Before we touch anything, we want to understand where you're actually losing opportunities. Is it your search visibility? Your conversion path? Your competitive positioning? We use our proprietary AI-driven audit framework to identify exactly where the gaps are.

We build campaigns that match your business model. 

A restaurant equipment supplier needs a completely different approach than an interior design firm. We structure Performance Max campaigns based on your actual sales cycle, customer lifetime value, and conversion patterns - not generic best practices.

We optimize across your entire digital presence. 

Your Google Ads performance is limited by your website experience, your local SEO, and your content. We address all of it because that's what actually drives results. Our 5-pillar SEO approach ensures you're not just paying for traffic - you're building long-term organic visibility.

We give you transparent reporting tied to revenue. 

You'll know exactly what's working, what's not, and why. No marketing jargon. No vanity metrics. Just clear data on what's driving actual business results.

The Real Question

The demand is there. The buyers are ready. The platforms are proven - 4 out of 5 holiday shoppers use Google or YouTube during their journey, and they're 1.6 times more likely to purchase.

The question is whether you have the right strategy and execution to capture it.

If you're a mid-market business doing $5-10M in revenue and you're serious about making this holiday season count, let's have a conversation. We work with businesses across North America who want a strategic partner, not just a vendor running ads.

We've been doing this for 30 years across the WSI network - managing over $150M in ad spend and 200,000+ SEO campaigns. We know what works because we've tested it at scale.

Ready to make this your most profitable Q4? 

Let's talk about your specific situation and build a plan that actually drives revenue.