Black Friday is the biggest rush of the year for most ecommerce businesses, and it is right around the corner. The most successful merchants prepare for Black Friday early and follow a structured plan to prepare their stores, ensure visibility, and convert first-time visitors into long-term customers.
This guide breaks down your preparation into three categories: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each section builds on the last so that you can grow your readiness over time, regardless of your team size or budget.
Basic: Start with what you can control for Black Friday
These actions lay the groundwork for everything else. Without these, no advanced strategy will stick.
1. Optimize your metadata
First impressions matter, and your metadata is the first thing users see in search results. So make it count and leave a lasting impact.
Why it matters: Strong metadata can improve visibility and attract more clicks. When your titles and descriptions align with what shoppers seek, your chances of standing out rise significantly.
Actionable tips:
- Prioritize metadata for high-traffic products and category pages.
- Include seasonal keywords such as “Black Friday deals” or “holiday gift ideas.”
- Keep titles and descriptions concise and compelling.
With Yoast SEO for Shopify and Yoast WooCommerce SEO, you can preview and improve your metadata in real time. The tools flag missing or duplicated fields and guide you on how to write content that earns clicks.
2. Optimize product pages for both humans and search engines
Product pages are the moment of truth. They’re where curiosity turns into clicks and clicks turn into customers.
Why it matters: No matter how great your traffic or ads are, most people will leave without buying if the product page feels confusing or incomplete. A well-structured page improves your chances of ranking in search and helps buyers feel confident in their decision.
Actionable tips:
- Lead with benefits, not just specs. Tell shoppers how the product fits into their lives.
- Use bullet points and headers to make details skimmable.
- Reinforce trust by showing stock levels, customer reviews, and delivery clarity.
- Bulk update how you showcase your product on Shopify using Yoast SEO for Shopify Content Templates feature.
Yoast WooCommerce SEO and Yoast SEO for Shopify help your product pages appear cleanly and clearly in search results. They add structured data behind the scenes and check your content for SEO and readability so you can focus on turning visitors into buyers.
3. Use internal links to guide traffic
Internal linking guides customer to surface key pages, maps user behavior, and boosts your site’s SEO.
Why it matters: Internal linking helps search engines understand your site structure, distributes authority to key pages, and guides visitors toward high-converting content. It keeps users engaged, supports SEO, and makes your promotions easier to surface across your site.
Actionable tips:
- Link to your Black Friday page from key blogs and evergreen content.
- Feature top categories or bestsellers in your navigation.
- Use anchor text that aligns with what users are searching for.
Yoast WooCommerce SEO offers internal linking suggestions as you write, making keeping your content connected and strategic easier.
Fast wins and common pitfalls
Once you have set up the basics, some steps can help you boost impact quicker and avoid costly missed opportunities.
Fast wins:
- Swap stock photos for original product shots
- Double-check coupon logic and expiration dates
- Test any gift wrap or personalization options on product pages
Big pitfalls to avoid:
- Waiting until November to publish seasonal content
- Using duplicate product descriptions from suppliers
- Letting broken links or outdated pages remain live
Intermediate: Strengthen your SEO and campaign strategy
Once the technical foundation is stable, it’s time to focus on your content and promotions.
4. Test and improve your site’s speed
Site speed directly impacts user experience, especially during high-traffic periods like Black Friday. Slow-loading pages frustrate shoppers and lead to lost sales.
Why it matters: A fast site supports smoother browsing and quicker checkout. Search engines consider page performance in rankings, and users are more likely to buy when the experience feels seamless.
Actionable tips:
- Use performance monitoring tools to identify slow pages.
- Compress and resize large images to reduce page load times.
- Deactivate unused plugins (WooCommerce) or apps (Shopify).
- Clean up excessive code or bulky page elements.
While Yoast SEO is not a speed optimization tool, clean site structure and proper internal linking help improve crawlability and engagement, indirectly supporting performance.
5. Create a focused Black Friday landing page
Your landing page is the command center for your seasonal promotions. It’s where visitors decide to browse further or bounce.
Why it matters: A dedicated page gives your Black Friday campaign direction and cohesion. Instead of scattering your offers across the site, it provides a clear path for shoppers to follow. It simplifies navigation, allows for better internal linking, and gives you a consistent, trackable URL for email campaigns, ads, and site banners. Plus, it’s reusable! Just update the content each year.
Actionable tips:
- Create a short, memorable URL like /black-friday-deals and keep it live year-round.
- Showcase limited-time offers, bundles, top-selling categories, and exclusive discounts.
- Use persuasive headers, quick-loading images, and CTA buttons that lead directly to product pages.
- Answer common buyer concerns upfront, e.g., shipping deadlines, return windows, and local pickup options.
6. Segment your email list and automate flows
Email isn’t just another marketing channel during Black Friday; it’s your direct line to customers ready to buy.
Why it matters: Blasting the same message with monotonous tone to everyone no longer works. Crafting compelling emails with personalized messages that resonate with the reader is key to email marketing. People are more likely to open, click, and shop when an email speaks to their pain points and highlights the solution. A segmented email list means you’re talking to people based on what they care about: early access, bundles, or a product they viewed or left in their cart.
Actionable tips:
- Break your list into clear segments, e.g., loyal customers, cart abandoners, and holiday-only shoppers.
- Map out your flow: teaser email, early access offer, launch announcement, final hours.
- Track performance with UTM parameters like utm_campaign=bf25 so you can optimize in real time.
For more on syncing content and email, check out our basics of email marketing blog post.
7. Create content that helps people find your deals earlier
Buyers don’t always search for discounts. Many start with questions or ideas like “affordable gifts for coworkers” or “best tech gift under $100.”
Why it matters: Helpful blog posts and gift guides pull in people who aren’t searching for your brand yet. These early touchpoints introduce your products and lead them toward your Black Friday offers.
Actionable tips:
- Write guides and roundups tied to real shopper intent.
- Use long-tail keywords that match seasonal search habits.
- Add smart internal links to featured products or your Black Friday landing page.
Fast wins and common pitfalls
Once your product pages are polished, tighten up the surrounding details.
Fast wins:
- Set a calendar reminder for your campaign email and social media schedule
- Add an announcement banner linking to your Black Friday page
- Test your email signup and welcome flow to catch any issues
Big pitfalls to avoid:
- Forgetting to link email campaigns to relevant landing pages
- Using inconsistent messaging and UTMs across channels
- Launching your Black Friday page too late for indexing and ranking
Buy WooCommerce SEO now!
Unlock powerful features and much more for your online store with Yoast WooCommerce SEO!
Advanced Black Friday preparation: Boost visibility, trust, and retention
If you’re already doing the essentials well, these strategies will help you scale.
7. Improve your chances of showing up in local search
If you offer in-store pickup or have a physical store, don’t miss out on the people searching near you. Shoppers looking for same-day purchases often skip past online-only stores.
Why it matters: When someone searches for a product near them, being present in the results can drive instant foot traffic and build trust before they even walk in.
Actionable tips:
- Ensure your name, address, and phone (NAP) are identical across all pages and listings.
- Update your opening hours and add clear pickup instructions.
- Add content to your site that mentions your location, city, or neighborhood.
Yoast Local SEO is included in the Yoast WooCommerce SEO. It helps you create and manage local schema and landing pages that appear in search. (It is not available for Shopify.)
8. Use structured data to stand out in search
When someone searches for a product and your listing shows price, availability, or reviews, that’s not luck. That’s structured data.
Why it matters: Rich snippets give your products more space in search results, credibility, and clicks.
Actionable tips:
- Add structured data (schema) for Product, Offer, and Review to top-selling listings.
- Use Google’s tools to check that your schema is implemented correctly.
- Use product variant schema to improve your chances of showing in rich search results.
Yoast SEO for Shopify and Yoast WooCommerce SEO automatically adds this, but you can also fine-tune it for special products or campaigns if needed.
9. Set up post-purchase flows before the sale starts
Black Friday may be over at checkout, but it’s just the beginning of your relationship with a new customer.
Why it matters: People who buy during Black Friday often need reassurance and support. They’re far more likely to come back if they feel taken care of.
Actionable tips:
- Set up automated flows for thank-you messages, setup tips, and review requests.
- Offer a discount for a second purchase or referral.
- Guide people back to your product pages or Google review profile.
Taking care of this now means you can focus on fulfillment and service during the Black Friday rush.
Fast wins and common pitfalls
A thoughtful follow-up and last check make sure you build on opportunities and are ready for what might come your way.
Fast wins:
- Recheck your sitemap to ensure new pages are indexed
- Update your business hours and contact details in your footer
- Enable review requests to trigger automatically post-purchase
Big pitfalls to avoid:
- Making last-minute technical changes with no buffer
- Ignoring mobile performance and checkout testing
- Overlooking schema validation or broken structured data
Final thoughts
Preparing for Black Friday is about being proactive, not reactive. Every SEO improvement you make now, from product pages to local visibility, will help you attract more shoppers and turn clicks into customers.
Yoast gives you the tools to stay ahead: clearer product listings, stronger search visibility, and smart automations that scale with your store. Whether you’re using Shopify or WooCommerce, optimize now to be ready before the crowds arrive.
Explore:
- Yoast SEO for Shopify, with a 14-day free trial
- Yoast WooCommerce SEO
The post How to prep your Shopify or WooCommerce store for Black Friday before the rush starts appeared first on Yoast.
