Three ways to inspire serendipitous discoveries for shoppers this holiday season

Key takeaways

Paid media is essential for fast growth and visibility in today’s competitive digital marketing world, giving businesses better targeting and measurable results. The best paid media agencies use technology, custom strategies, and transparent reporting to drive real business growth, with Hunter Digital leading through a data-driven and client-focused approach.

Key points:

Paid media allows brands to reach the right audience quickly with targeted and testable campaigns.
Top agencies blend creative work & media buying, access exclusive ad features, & use proprietary analytics to get measurable results.
Industry specialization helps agencies deliver more effective strategies faster by understanding unique client needs.
Clear communication, customized planning, frequent reporting, and ongoing optimization are must-haves for successful partnerships.
Hunter Digital stands out with its real-time data, multichannel expertise, and relentless focus on performance and transparency.

Topic

Key Insight

Why It Matters

Action Items

Paid Media Importance

Accelerates growth and delivers measurable marketing results.

Agency Specialization

Agencies with industry experience customize strategies for better outcomes.

Not all campaigns or industries are the same.

Choose an agency with direct experience in your sector.

Core Capabilities

Top agencies blend creative, data, platform access, and transparency.

These factors separate leading agencies from the rest.

Look for agencies with these strengths when vetting firms.

Hunter Digital Approach

Uses proprietary analytics, ongoing optimization, and open reporting for growth-focused work.

Provides transparent, results-driven marketing partnerships.

Prioritize agencies offering data-driven, honest service.

Evaluating Agencies

Asking about customization, reporting, team, & past success reveals agency fit.

Ensures you hire a truly effective marketing partner.

Always ask key questions to assess agency capability.

Why Paid Media Is the Backbone of Modern Digital Marketing

Paid media is now the core engine behind fast growth and visibility for brands. Whether your business is new or already established, digital marketing is too competitive to rely on organic progress alone. Paid media lets you put your brand in front of the right people, on the right platforms, at the right time.

Here’s the simple truth: Companies investing in paid media see faster results. You can target specific audiences, test and scale creative ideas, and get new customers—all with measurable results. As a digital marketing agency, we’ve watched businesses double or triple their revenue after launching campaigns built on data and performance. No guesswork. Just proof that paid media works.

What Makes an Agency One of the Best Paid Media Agencies

Top paid media agencies do more than run ads. They combine technology, creativity, and proven strategy to build lasting growth for their clients. The best agencies know how to match digital marketing tactics to each client’s goals and industry.

Why does that matter? Because not every campaign or client is alike. An eCommerce clothing brand needs something different from a B2B SaaS company. The best paid media agencies understand this—they customize everything, from ad copy to budget splits, based on your business.

From my experience at Hunter Digital, successful paid media comes down to six main strengths:

Integrated creative and media buying—so your ads not only look good, they actually convert.
Access to beta ad features and exclusive partnerships with Google, Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, and more.
Proprietary analytics platforms for real-time insights and quick pivots when results change.
A proven track record of real, measurable ROI.
Custom strategies for each industry.
Transparent reporting and reliable communication.

Agencies praised on industry lists—like these top-rated paid media shops—all share those traits.

Categories of Paid Media Agencies and Why Specialization Matters

Answer first: Not all paid media agencies offer the same thing, & choosing one with experience in your industry can cut your learning curve in half.

Specializations you’ll find in the market:

Enterprise and Fortune 500: Focus on complex, cross-channel buys and advanced analytics. Key for big budgets and global brands.
SaaS and Performance Marketing: Optimize long sales cycles, lead generation, and audience nurturing with laser-targeted search engine marketing and multi-step retargeting.
eCommerce and Direct Response: Maximize every ad dollar to boost sales, lower CPA, and unlock paid social and Google Shopping tactics.
Creator Campaigns: Pair brands with trusted influencers, perfect for Gen Z and those who want authenticity at scale.

At Hunter Digital, we’ve worked with clients across these categories. But no matter the industry, our approach is always data-first and growth-focused. If the numbers aren’t moving up, we’re not finished.

As people define their new normal and return to pre-pandemic levels of seasonal spending, browsing and shopping on social media continue to accelerate, with shoppers expecting a more personal, entertaining and immersive experience. Connecting with and inspiring holiday shoppers while creating a seamless experience, will be key for brands looking to reach new audiences.

Meta recently conducted a global consumer research study to understand seasonal shopping shifts toward purchasing online. This study analyzed global trends on Facebook and Instagram during the 2021 holiday season to better understand these behavioral and technological shifts. Here are three key insights:

Personalization can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and overjoyed

Personalization is at the core of modern experiences and creating relevance has never been more important as consumers face increased selection and buying options. Shoppers have grown to expect personalized shopping experiences on all digital platforms.

Seventy-three percent of survey respondents expect companies to understand their unique expectations and 62% think companies should anticipate their needs, according to a May 2022 Salesforce report. Today’s marketers have an opportunity to tailor marketing to anticipate people’s wants and needs. A personalized online shopping experience is valued by over half of holiday shoppers surveyed, and 55% purchased a product they discovered via personalized ads.

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year, Yankee Candle ran a campaign that combined audience information from their CRM system with real-time data supplied by the Meta Pixel to generate considerable growth. By doing so, Yankee Candle generated a 307% YoY increase in site sessions and a 65% increase in revenue compared to the previous year’s holiday campaign.

Holiday shoppers want to be entertained and inspired

With seemingly limitless options for shopping, the brands that will win the hearts and wallets of holiday shoppers will be those that captivate their attention and spur discovery. Capturing attention early is key and the peak time to reach those looking to discover holiday gift ideas starts as soon as the beginning of October, according to Facebook chatter about gift and holiday-related topics.

Brands that embrace immersive experiences like videos, creator collaborations and innovative technology can help to fuel the holiday shopping journey for shoppers.

Fifty-one percent of holiday shoppers surveyed found brand and product recommendations by creators helpful in finding gift inspiration. In addition, according to Meta Foresight research, 61% of early adopters surveyed wish they could have more immersive experiences with their favorite creators, beyond just watching content on a screen and commenting.5 Immersive experiences like augmented reality (AR) continue to grow in adoption. Last holiday season, there was a 10% lift in users opening AR effects on Meta technologies.

A frictionless path to purchase remains an essential part of holiday shopping

Once shoppers discover something they love, they expect a fast and easy path to purchase. In fact, 69% of holiday shoppers surveyed value frictionless and seamless checkout experiences across their online shopping destinations.1 An intuitive checkout experience and easy-to-use communication channels are becoming increasingly important for brands to provide. In March 2021 alone, 8 in 10 shopping carts were abandoned worldwide.

Connecting directly with businesses is also vital to a successful shopping journey. Nearly half of all holiday shoppers messaged a business via instant messaging this past holiday season, and 53% particularly value business messaging for post-purchase follow-ups like tracking or returns.

Written by Facebook

Link to Original Blog: https://www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/inspire-holiday-shopping-discoveries