Quick ways to optimise your website for last-minute Christmas shoppers

The holiday season is in full swing, and if you feel like time is running out to attract last-minute Christmas shoppers, you're not alone! With the holiday rush comes a surge of frantic buyers looking for last-minute gifts and services, many of whom will be searching online for quick, convenient options. According to a study by the National Retail Federation, more than 50% of holiday shoppers complete their purchases in the last two weeks before Christmas , making this crunch time a golden opportunity for businesses to capture those final sales.

But in order to make the most of this shopping frenzy, your website needs to be optimised to handle the influx of holiday traffic—and provide a smooth, seamless experience for rushed visitors. The good news? Even if you haven’t had time to roll out an elaborate holiday marketing plan, there are still some quick but effective ways to give your website a festive boost and convert those last-minute shoppers.

In this blog, I’m going to share five easy, actionable tips that service-based businesses can implement right now to optimise their websites for the holiday season. These strategies won’t take long to put into action, but they can have a big impact on your website’s ability to convert those holiday procrastinators into loyal customers.

5 quick website optimisations for last-minute Christmas shoppers

1. Add a festive banner with urgency-driven copy

The quickest way to let holiday shoppers know you’re ready for their business is by adding a festive banner or pop-up to your homepage. You don’t need to redesign your entire site—just add a holiday-themed message that highlights any last-minute offers, gift cards, or holiday services you’re promoting.

Be sure to include urgency-driven copy that emphasises the short time frame. Phrases like “Only a few days left!” or “Book your service before Christmas!” can encourage visitors to take immediate action. And if you have a Christmas delivery cut-off date then make sure you communicate that to your users!

In Wix, you can easily add and customise a holiday banner using the Wix Site Editor. Simply go to your "Add" menu, select "Strip," and create a festive message to display across the top of your site.

Squarespace users can create a pop-up announcement in the "Marketing" section of their dashboard, where you can schedule a banner to run during the final shopping days before Christmas.

2. Make your contact and booking details clear and visible

Last-minute shoppers don’t have time to hunt through your website for your contact details or booking information. Make it as easy as possible for them to reach you by ensuring your phone number, email address, or booking button is clearly visible on your homepage. If you’re offering holiday-specific services or promotions, be sure to link directly to those pages from your main navigation or homepage banner.

For service-based businesses, consider creating a holiday-specific booking page for any last-minute services or gift certificates. Not only does this make it easier for customers to book your services, but it also streamlines their user experience, which is crucial when they’re in a rush.

3. Optimise for mobile shopping

With mobile shopping accounting for 45% of online holiday sales (Statista, 2023), it’s essential that your website is fully optimised for mobile users. Last-minute shoppers often make purchasing decisions on their phones while they’re on the go, so a slow or clunky mobile experience can lead to lost sales.

Test your website’s mobile speed using Google’s mobile-friendly test tool. And make sure your key holiday offers, booking buttons, and service pages load quickly on mobile devices. If your mobile experience isn’t up to speed, you could be losing out on a significant portion of those last-minute buyers.

4. Highlight gift cards and last-minute services

Many last-minute holiday shoppers will be looking for easy, convenient gift options, so if you offer gift cards or quick holiday services, now is the time to highlight them. Create a dedicated page or section on your homepage that showcases digital gift cards, last-minute bookings, or holiday packages, and make sure this page is prominently displayed in your navigation menu.

Gift cards are a great option for service-based businesses, as they allow customers to purchase your services for someone else without needing to make an immediate booking. Promote the idea of giving the gift of your service—whether it’s a wellness session, home cleaning, or holiday catering.

Looking for inspo? If you offer massage services, you can set up a gift-card with the cost of a head and neck massage, with festive branding of 'give the gift of relaxation'.

5. Update your local SEO

If you serve a local audience, optimising your website for local holiday searches is crucial. People often search for “last-minute [service] near me” when they’re short on time, so make sure your Google My Business profile is up-to-date with your holiday hours, services, and contact details. Add festive photos to your profile to attract attention and emphasise any special holiday offers.

Ensure that your website content includes location-based holiday keywords to capture those local searches. For example, if you offer holiday home cleaning in Leicester, update your page titles and descriptions to reflect this: “Last-Minute Holiday Cleaning Service in Leicester.”

Don’t miss out on the last-minute Christmas shopper rush!

There’s still time to capitalise on the influx of last-minute Christmas shoppers, but the clock is ticking! By adding festive banners, making your contact details easy to find, optimising for mobile, and highlighting gift cards, you can ensure your website is fully prepared for the Christmas rush.

In a last-minute rush of your own? Contact us today and we can help to ensure your site is optimised and ready to capture those last-minute holiday sales.