5 insight gifts to unwrap for your 2020 Christmas marketing

This Christmas shopping season is a time when new shopping behaviours will emerge.

Given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year will inevitably look a little different compared to years gone by.

With changes to many aspects of life, new habits formed at this time are likely to shape trends for 2020 seasons and beyond.

It's going to be more important than ever for people to come together and share gifts with their loved ones.

Learn how people expect to celebrate and shop this holiday season and read our recommended solutions to help you adapt and plan for the season ahead.

1. Gen X and boomers dominate global mobile and ecommerce growth

COVID-19 has changed how we live, shop and communicate, leading more people to rely on technology than ever before. This is especially true of Gen X and Boomers, whether it’s mobile, ecommerce or messaging.

2. Self-gifting and seasonal shopping can be positive outlets in difficult times

Even in challenging times, people find ways to stay positive and reward themselves. In past recessions, affordable luxuries such as lipstick, nail polish and ice cream have proven popular. This offers great opportunities for business and, with the sales season offers, it’s an ideal opportunity for self-gifting.

3. Imposed disruption fuels receptiveness to new products and services

While COVID-19 has disrupted lives, people are becoming more open to trying new products and services like grocery delivery. This holiday season, people will likely be even more receptive as they look for ways to adapt to the new normal and seek better products, services, and activities that are more convenient to them.

4. The economic downturn will expedite the rise of Mega-Sales

With COVID-19 affecting families and their finances, people will be more sensitive to price and turn to ecommerce to avoid crowds—meaning that mega sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday will be top of mind.

5. The new value equation: Affordability, authenticity and action

People care as much about the actions businesses take as they do about price. They seek authentic, informative content from businesses. Beyond price and quality, global shoppers are increasingly drawn to brands that support causes they care about. Social responsibility and brand authenticity are more influential than ever. People want to understand your business, what you stand for, and be proud to support you.

While COVID-19 has disrupted lives, people are becoming more open to trying new products and services like grocery delivery. This Christmas, people will likely be even more receptive. 64% of global Christmas shoppers say they explore new products more during the shopping season than the rest of the year. While price is a key factor, quality and safety also rank highly.

What you can do?

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What’s Working on Instagram in 2025: 7 Smart Content Shifts Every Small Business Should Make

by Alexandra Stanley • 9 June 2025

Instagram is no longer just a place to share pretty pictures—it’s now a full-blown marketing machine for small businesses. But what worked even 12 months ago may already be out of date. If you're a business owner in property, trades, interiors—or any hands-on industry—this blog will walk you through what’s actually working on Instagram in 2025, and how you can update your strategy to grow with confidence. Let’s dive into the 7 biggest shifts you need to know about. 1. 🎥 Raw & Real Reels Are Outperforming Polished Content The days of over-edited, overly curated videos are behind us. Audiences want to see real people doing real things. For interior designers and trades, this is your time to shine. Think: ✔️ A quick "before & after" video ✔️ A timelapse of a space being transformed ✔️ You talking directly to the camera about your process Keep it simple, vertical, and under 30 seconds. Done is better than perfect. 2. 📅 Consistency > Perfection Forget agonising over the perfect grid. In 2025, showing up consistently (even if it’s 3 times a week) wins over perfect visuals. Tip: Use scheduling tools like Metricool to plan ahead and batch your content to stay consistent without the stress. 3. 🔍 SEO-Optimised Captions Are a Must Instagram is now a search engine—yes, really! Your ideal customer might be searching “kitchen fitter in Suffolk” or “luxury butler services London.” Use keywords naturally in your: - Bio - Captions - Alt text (added during post creation) This helps you get discovered by people actively looking for your service. 4. 🧠 Engagement-First Format Choices The algorithm now prioritises posts that get people to pause, click, or comment. What works best? - Carousel posts with tips or transformations - Reels that open with a hook - Questions and polls in Stories - Comment prompts like “Would you choose this colour scheme?” Engagement tells Instagram your content is valuable—and it will show it to more people. 5. 📱 Instagram as Your ‘Mini Website’ Your profile is often the first impression before someone even lands on your site. Make sure yours has: - Clear bio with keywords and location - Professional profile image - Highlights (services, testimonials, FAQs) - Pinned posts showcasing what you do Think of it as a mini landing page that sells you. 6. 🙌 UGC & Testimonials = Trust Builders People trust people. Sharing real reviews, videos from clients, or even screenshots of great feedback builds instant credibility. Ask your clients for short testimonial clips—or turn their WhatsApp praise into an aesthetic quote graphic. 7. 🔁 Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose Work smarter, not harder. 📌 Post your Reels to TikTok 📌 Turn blog tips into carousels 📌 Clip training content into educational Reels 📌 Turn FAQs into Stories This saves time and grows your presence on multiple platforms with minimal extra effort. Ready to Refresh Your Strategy? If you’re feeling a bit stuck or unsure what to post next, you're not alone. 👉 Book a 1:1 strategy call 👉 Join my next Social Media Mastery course 👉 Or DM me for a quick grid audit (it’s free!) Let’s make Instagram work for your business in 2025—without the overwhelm. Written by Alexandra Stanley, Social Media Expert for property, trades & interiors. Follow @alexandrastanleysocialmedia for more real talk on content that converts.

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