It’s that time again. Ads are screaming for attention, and everyone’s wallet is bracing for impact. Yep. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are back.

We’re skipping the fluff and getting straight to the good stuff. Just practical, battle-tested advice to make sure your offers get conversions. Buckle up; this is your Black Friday game plan.

By the way. Adcash has a 10% kickback voucher live right now for video ad campaigns. Read on for more information!

Black Friday – Your Ultimate Playbook

Let’s break down everything you need to know about the holiday season, so you can beat the crowds. 

Firstly, download our Black Friday & Cyber Monday Guide for all the key tips and insights you’ll ever need. 

Secondly, mark your calendar.

Black Friday 2025 – November 28

Cyber Monday 2025 – December 1

⚫ Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday 🌐

Two sales. Two completely different beasts.

Black Friday is all about the heavy hitters. Those “I can’t believe it’s that cheap” buys like TVs, laptops, and top-shelf gadgets. It’s chaos in cart form. Don’t think Black Friday is an in-store deal either. Black Friday is just as present online as its sci-fi-sounding cousin. 

Cyber Monday, on the other hand, plays it cool. Smaller-ticket items, beauty products, gaming accessories, software, and subscriptions. It’s where impulse meets opportunity.

And here’s the twist: while Black Friday steals the spotlight, Cyber Monday quietly wins the war. Last year alone, shoppers dropped $12.4 billion online, topping Black Friday’s $10.8 billion haul. So if you’ve been treating Monday like an afterthought, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Stats to Back Up the Hype

Need more convincing that Black Friday is worth the effort? This year, experts predict a holiday spending of $11 billion. Last year saw a 15% increase in online sales, compared to a 7% increase in-store. People are flocking online for the best deals, so make sure you’re there to meet them. 

Of course, the headline days are important. But the holiday sales period is now far more than just 2 days. You now have a whole Cyber Week to play with. Last year, Cyber Week brought in a recorded global total of $315 billion.

Let’s strategize so you, too, can get a piece of that must-have pie 🥧.

That Black Friday Feeling for Advertisers

If you’ve got a killer offer lined up, don’t wing it – plan it. This season, your ad formats need to work smarter, not just louder. Switch things up, keep your creatives fresh, and make sure your ads demand attention, not just impressions.

What are those high-performing GEOs spending all those billions during Cyber Week? Make sure to focus on the US 🇺🇲, but not the US alone. These other GEOs perform really well:

• France 🇫🇷
• Spain 🇪🇸
• The Philippines 🇵🇭
• Thailand 🇹🇭
• Singapore 🇸🇬
• Indonesia 🇮🇩
• Malaysia 🇲🇾
• India 🇮🇳
• Mexico 🇲🇽
• Canada 🇨🇦
• Brazil 🇧🇷

What to Target

eCommerce 🛒

It goes without saying that the big vertical to focus on is e-commerce. People are ready to snap up any discounts and offers they can find. Make your ads unmissable.

Consider device targeting. Data shows a huge spike in shopping on mobile devices. If you’re targeting just desktop, you’re missing out on huge traffic. In fact, last year, 69% of Black Friday purchases were made on mobile.

Effective Ad Formats to use: Pop-Under, Banner

Dating/Online Communities 💕

As the darkness creeps into the northern hemisphere, people continue to search for a partner to share their cozy evenings with. We’re noticing a lot of traffic in this vertical that isn’t showing signs of going down anytime soon. No one wants to be alone for the holidays after all. 

Effective Ad Formats to use: Video, In-Page Push

Video Ad Kickback Voucher

If you do plan to start a video ad campaign for the holiday period, Adcash has a live kickback voucher for you. Valid until the 10th of December, it gives you a 10% credit back on ANY video ad campaign (minimum spend of $100). Use the code VIDEO10 to claim it!

Movies/Streaming 📺

When the weather cools down, people cozy up, and streaming spikes. Think movie marathons, binge-worthy shows, and subscription deals that complete the perfect night in.

This is your moment to tap into the “stay-home” vibe. Tailor your ads to match that mood – highlight convenience, comfort, and entertainment-on-demand.

Effective Ad Formats to use: Pop-Under, Interstitial

Sports & Betting 🏈

eCommerce isn’t the only thing people connect with the holiday season. Sports also take centre stage.  

⚫ The traditional Thanksgiving NFL games are back, with 3 big games on Thanksgiving itself, and a 4th on Black Friday. All eyes will especially be on the epic Lions-Packers game. The Eagles-Bears game sees two in-form teams coming together in an unpredictable affair.

⚫ Some huge soccer games happen to be on across the Black Friday weekend, with a lot of fans expected to tune in. Highlights include Chelsea vs. Arsenal in the Premier League, Leverkusen vs. Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and PSG vs Monaco in Ligue 1.  

Effective Ad Formats to use: In-Page Push, Pop-Under

Publishers Little Black Friday Book

If you’re a publisher, your mission is simple: pull in traffic and make it stick. Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring a flood of visitors, but keeping them engaged (and clicking) is where the money’s made.

Forget guesswork. This is your time to optimize like a pro. Test everything: ad placements, formats, and frequency, and double down on what converts. Treat your site like a lab, not a lottery ticket.

Don’t sleep on SEO. Make your pages fast, structured, and keyword-tight so search engines actually reward your hustle. Nail your on-page basics, refresh old content, and let Google deliver warm traffic while you focus on converting it.

And for some extra fizzy features, be sure to use..

Autotag

Why juggle formats when one tag can do it all? Autotag bundles three top performers – In-Page Push, Pop-Under, and Interstitial – into a single, easy-to-integrate solution. Plus, its Monetization Goal feature gives you control over how often ads appear, balancing user experience with max revenue.

Anti-AdBlock Tags

Don’t let your profits vanish behind an ad blocker. Anti-AdBlock tags make sure your campaigns actually reach your audience. With competition peaking during the holiday rush, every impression counts. Protect yours.

How to Stand Out

Here’s the scoop. Everyone has discounts and offers. It’s Black Friday after all. So how are you going to get noticed? 

Advertisers

Lead with emotion. Sell an experience. Everyone knows you have a deal, and yes, it’s for a limited time. Why do we need your product specifically? How will it change our lives? As we discussed already, users might be seeking a cozy Fall experience, the highs and lows of a sports game, or the latest product that will make their daily life THAT much better. 

Publishers

With ad space in overdrive, your edge comes just from how good your pages look. Optimize your layouts, test your formats, and serve ads that enhance the experience, not clutter it. When everyone else is flooding screens with noise, you’ll stand out by keeping things clean, relevant, and genuinely useful.

Conclusion

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are simply about crafting offers people want to click on. Every brand is shouting, but only a few manage to connect. The secret? Advertise something that has meaning. Be bold, be clear, and give people a reason to stop scrolling and start clicking.

Don’t wait until the chaos hits. Prep your strategy, test your creatives, and go live ready to dominate, not just participate. The winners this season won’t be the ones offering the biggest discounts; they’ll be the ones who tell the best story.

Our digital marketing guide has more information if you want something more in-depth. Now get out there and make something impactful.