December can feel like a strange month for trades and home improvement businesses. Some customers are rushing to get projects finished before Christmas… while others are saying, “We’ll sort it in the new year.”
So it’s easy to wonder — is it even worth running Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) over Christmas?
The answer is yes — but not in the same way as the rest of the year.
When you use this quieter period strategically, you can lower your ad costs, build awareness, and fill your pipeline ready for January. Here’s how to make your Meta Ads work smarter through the festive season 🎄👇
1. Focus on the right goal for the season
December isn’t always about hard selling. It’s about staying visible, warming up new audiences, and keeping your brand top of mind while big brands spend millions trying to own the feed.
For trades, this season is perfect for:
• Brand awareness and engagement ads
• Retargeting campaigns for people who’ve clicked before
• Lead generation with softer, lifestyle-led messaging
Think of it as “planting seeds now” so they sprout when homeowners are ready to buy in January.
2. Use emotional, festive ad copy
Your audience is in holiday mode — so your ads should feel like they belong in the feed.
Swap hard-sell lines for warm, relatable messaging. For example:
“Why should the kids have all the fun this Christmas? Treat yourself to a new driveway that’ll make coming home feel special every day.”
“Give your home a gift this year — a beautiful new garden room ready for 2026.”
You’re not just selling a service — you’re selling the feeling of pride, comfort, and joy that comes with improving your home.
3. Narrow your audience (don’t compete with big brands)
Big retail brands will be blasting ads to everyone — which drives up costs for broad audiences. But here’s the secret: you don’t need to compete.
Trades win when they get local and specific:
• Target only your service areas
• Layer interest targeting (homeowners, home improvement, garden design, luxury homes, etc.)
• Retarget anyone who engaged with your page, ads, or website this year
This smaller, warmer audience will deliver far better results at a lower cost.
4. Retarget — your December goldmine
If you’ve been running Meta Ads or had traffic to your website throughout the year, December is the perfect time to re-engage those warm leads.
Use simple retargeting ads with messages like:
“Still thinking about your garden room? Let’s design your perfect space ready for spring.”
“Book your 2026 installation now and get £250 OFF before the new year.”
Warm audiences convert faster — and retargeting costs are much cheaper than cold prospecting ads.
5. Show up with creative that stands out (and fits the season)
Meta feeds are flooded with holiday content, so your ads need to both blend in and stand out.
That means:
• Use bright, festive colours or subtle Christmas touches (snow overlay, fairy lights, wrapped gift boxes)
• Show real photos or short clips of your projects — before/after images still stop the scroll every time
• Test video, carousel, and reels — short clips perform brilliantly for trades
Add a quick festive message to your video or headline — even a simple “Our Christmas offer ends soon!” makes your ad feel relevant.
6. Test now, win later
December is the perfect time to test. Ad competition dips slightly between Christmas and New Year, which means cheaper cost per click — and a great opportunity to learn what works.
Experiment with:
• Different ad formats (video vs carousel)
• New headlines or lifestyle hooks
• Offers or CTAs for early 2026 bookings
Whatever performs best now will guide your January campaigns — saving you money when the market heats up again.
7. Keep your follow-up system sharp
Even if leads are “just browsing” in December, you still want to capture and nurture them.
• Set up instant lead replies (“Thanks for your enquiry! We’ll call you shortly.”)
• Schedule a call-back date in January for warmer leads
• Add every new contact into a remarketing audience for your next campaign
That way, you start the new year with a list of people already interested in your work.
8. Promote a limited-time festive offer
Everyone loves a Christmas deal — especially if it feels genuine.
For example:
• “Book your 2026 resin driveway before 31st December and save £250.”
• “Reserve your spring garden room slot now and receive a free upgrade.”
The key is to make the offer feel exclusive and time-sensitive — without being pushy.
9. Engage with your audience (and stay human)
December is a brilliant month to show your personality. Post behind-the-scenes videos of your team, share festive wishes, or showcase your best transformations of the year.
Even if you’re running paid ads, pair them with organic posts that build connection and trust. People buy from people — especially local ones.
10. Use this time to prepare for your January push
When everyone else slows down over Christmas, you’re warming up your audiences, gathering data, and setting up your best-performing ads.
So when January hits and everyone’s ready to “get things done,” your ads are already optimised, your leads are warm, and your brand is front of mind.
Final thought
You don’t need a huge budget to compete with the big brands this Christmas — just smart strategy, great creative, and consistent visibility.
Meta Ads can keep your trade business front of mind when homeowners are scrolling in their downtime, and position you perfectly for a strong start to 2026.
🎄 Stay visible. Stay relevant. And make your ads work smarter this festive season.
If you want to give your business a push in 2026, I am taking on monthly clients from January. You can apply to work with me here.