Q4 Campaign Planning: Setting Up Ads for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t just big sales days — they’re the biggest revenue drivers of the year. To succeed in Q4, advertisers must go beyond discounts and launch well-planned, well-targeted campaigns that are optimized for performance.

This guide outlines the most important steps to help you set up profitable ad campaigns that stand out in a crowded feed.

1. Start Planning Early to Avoid Missed Opportunities

Don’t wait until November to build your strategy. By that time, CPMs are already high, and testing becomes expensive.

By mid-October, make sure you’ve:

• Finalized your offers and promotional calendar;

• Designed your ad creatives, with multiple formats for testing;

• Defined your budget by campaign type and objective;

• Built audience segments for cold, warm, and returning users;

• Set up the Meta Pixel and added UTM tracking for key pages.

If you're unsure which campaign objective fits your goals, this guide on Meta Ad Campaign Objectives offers clear guidance for each funnel stage.

2. Build Offers That Are Simple — and Strong

Your offer is the core of your campaign. A strong offer not only grabs attention but gives people a reason to act fast.

Don’t just cut prices. Instead, consider:

• “Buy one, get one free” (BOGO) deals;

• Free shipping thresholds (e.g., orders over $50);

• Bundled products at a discounted rate;

• Limited-time bonuses for early shoppers;

• Early access for subscribers or loyalty members.

Tailor your promotions to the audience. For instance:

• New users: “20% off your first order”;

• Past buyers: “Get $10 off your next purchase”;

• Cart abandoners: “Free gift if you complete checkout today.”

3. Use Targeting That Reaches the Right People — Not Just Anyone

Effective targeting is more than picking interests. During Q4, precision matters.

Here are audience types worth using:

• Website visitors from the last 30 to 90 days;

• Customers who purchased within the last year;

• Engaged Instagram or Facebook users (video viewers, post engagers);

• Lookalike audiences built from your most valuable customers;

• Custom audiences created with tools like LeadEnforce, based on Facebook group and Instagram account followers.

Need help building layered targeting? Facebook Ad Targeting 101 explains how to combine exclusions, interests, and behavioral signals.

4. Optimize Creative for Attention, Clarity, and Clicks

During peak sale periods, people scroll quickly. Your ad must stop them instantly and make your value obvious.

Use creative tactics like:

• Short, benefit-driven headlines (e.g., “Get 30% Off Today Only”);

• Product images or video that show real usage;

• Social proof, such as testimonials or star ratings;

• Time-sensitive visuals, like countdown timers or “Only X Left” badges;

• Multiple creative formats — carousel, video, Reels, and Stories.

Want to go deeper? See this article on why your ads may not be converting and how to fix creative alignment issues.

5. Budget for Spikes — and Spend Smarter

Ad costs rise across the board during Q4. To maintain performance and profitability, you need to allocate budget thoughtfully.

Here’s one structure that works:

• Early November: Run video view or lead gen campaigns to warm up audiences;

• Black Friday–Cyber Monday: Shift spend to conversion campaigns, with heavy retargeting;

• Post-sale week: Extend sales slightly for late buyers or promote gift cards and shipping deadlines.

If you’re launching new campaigns in Q4, exiting the learning phase quickly is critical. Learn how to speed up optimization in this breakdown of the Facebook learning phase.

6. Extend Beyond Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday doesn’t have to be the end. Many shoppers wait for restocks or final sales before they commit.

You can:

• Re-engage ad viewers with new creative (highlighting urgency or “ending soon”);

• Launch a final promo push on Tuesday or Wednesday (e.g., “Extended Sale”);

• Retarget users who engaged but didn’t purchase, with refreshed messaging.

Use data from the weekend to segment your audience and launch follow-up ads that feel timely — not repetitive.

Final Tips for Stronger Performance

Q4 is competitive, but also full of opportunity. Focus your effort on what drives impact:

• Clear, compelling offers;

• Smart, data-driven audience targeting;

• Creative that communicates value fast;

• Testing early — not during the rush;

• Scalable budget planning with daily performance reviews.

When you prepare in advance and launch with purpose, your campaigns won’t just run — they’ll deliver.