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The holiday season will soon be here! Now is the time to start your strategic internet marketing plan. A recent study by BizRate stated that 34.9% of online holiday shoppers will start as early as Halloween this year! You want to make sure the first fold of your website is full of the information holiday shoppers need to know before they'll decide to buy - in this way you will capture their attention. The term "first fold" refers to the portion of your web site people see first, before they scroll down or click on any links.

In order to maximize your holiday conversion rates, make sure your top fold includes:

Your shipping information - If you have the ability to offer discounted or even free shipping, include some mention of this in the top fold of your site.

Holiday specials and discounts: It's best to offer some special deals on your products to attract your visitors to buy! How about a special discount for those last-minute panic-shoppers? Or perhaps an early deal for the customers who make a purchase before a certain date?

Make sure you explain exactly what kind of benefit they'll get from your product or service, and then don't forget to also mention how giving the present will provide benefits for the giver, not just the receiver. Try to think like holiday shoppers and speak to their needs: an opt-in offer such as a "Holiday Buying Guide" which would tell people more about your products and explains why they would make great gifts.

Holiday-themed headlines and sales copy: Make sure your headline addresses the needs of the visitors - they are choosing a gift for a friend or family member so keep this in mind.

Free gift-wrapping service: This is an excellent way to attract your customers even more so without much additional cost to you. Paper and ribbon will not cost very much and you can make any humble package look like a glamorous holiday gift!

Urgency builders: Why not include a little "countdown" box in your first fold? You could use this to tell your visitors how many days there are left to Christmas, or how many days there are left to the shopping deadline for gifts to arrive promptly.

Another option for your site would include installing a Hover Ad with an urgent holiday message. This could let visitors to your site know exactly how long they have left to make a gift purchase. Your Hover Ad could be used to offer a special discount coupon to people who join your mailing list, or you could use it to advertise your holiday specials and encourage your visitors to sign up for more information.

With all of these quick and easy ideas in mind, don't let your competitors get there first! Remember, it's never too early to launch your strategic internet marketing plan for the holidays. Watch your profits rise this season and be astounded by the results.