Black Friday to Cyber Monday (BFCM) has change into one of the important vacation sale intervals on the US calendar, and their mixed recognition can be essential within the UK.
Since launching in 2010, Black Friday has developed right into a can’t-miss calendar occasion for bodily retailers, however its influence is arguably even stronger on-line. Cyber Monday particularly was designed to help solely on-line gross sales, and the persevering with development of on-line buying throughout the UK has made a Black Friday social media technique extra essential than ever.
On this article, we’ll cowl what units UK Black Friday gross sales aside, recommend concepts for BFCM social media posts throughout every community and showcase profitable campaigns throughout completely different industries.
Black Friday within the UK: What manufacturers ought to count on
While it isn’t a vacation within the UK, Black Friday remains to be a big gross sales date which frequently kickstarts vacation spending all through December. In 2024, the common deliberate spend throughout BFCM was £132 for males throughout the nation and £112 for ladies.
Spending throughout the interval can be on the rise; in 2024, spending by members of Nationwide Constructing Society elevated by 12% when put next with the earlier yr. It’s widespread for retailers to announce timed gross sales, usually promoted by distinct digital campaigns, to draw these consumers.
And in line with Sprout’s This fall 2025 Pulse Survey, 84% of UK shoppers plan to make use of social media the identical quantity, if no more, to seek out presents through the 2025 vacation season in comparison with the 2024 season.
Formally, Black Friday falls on the final Friday of November within the UK–in 2025 that is November twenty eighth. Gross sales often run throughout that weekend till the next Monday, which is known as Cyber Monday. These gross sales are typically extra tech-focused or centered on on-line channels. Nevertheless, as the recognition of BFCM has grown, it’s change into widespread for retailers to plan gross sales for longer than this window, with some beginning gross sales as early because the starting of November.
Black Friday social media methods for Black Friday within the UK
In the event you’re beginning to plan your Black Friday social media campaigns, listed below are a couple of methods that may work properly throughout a number of platforms.
Influencer partnerships for BFCM
Partnering with influencers is an more and more standard and rewarding technique for BFCM gross sales. In accordance with Sprout Social’s This fall 2025 Pulse Survey, greater than a 3rd (35%) of UK shoppers belief influencer suggestions most for present concepts and product discovery through the vacation season.
Influencers permit retailers to additional their attain when selling offers, which might then enhance gross sales and enhance general shopping for energy. That is notably essential throughout BFCM’s time-sensitive, crowded market. This shopping for energy can be backed up by current knowledge from Sprout’s Q2 and Q3 pulse surveys, which discovered that 64% of individuals are extra keen to purchase from firms that companion with considered one of their favorite influencers; proof that each attain and gross sales could be main advantages of managing influencer campaigns over BFCM.
In the event you’re planning a Black Friday influencer marketing campaign, be sure to preserve a detailed eye on the undertaking timeline. You might want to be sure to publish content material on the proper time to direct individuals to energetic gross sales.
Social commerce for BFCM
Social commerce refers to promoting straight by way of social media platforms, and it’s a rising development within the UK. Platforms like TikTok Store and Instagram Procuring are excellent for Black Friday or Cyber Monday gross sales, as they make it simpler for patrons to seek for and buy your merchandise. While you shouldn’t neglect your web site or bodily retailer areas, social commerce presents you a direct channel to spice up gross sales through the busy buying interval.
Because it seems, Sprout’s This fall 2025 Pulse Survey discovered UK shoppers are nearly equally prone to flip to social media for present concepts and product discovery through the vacation season as they’re bodily shops (48% use social in comparison with 49% who use bodily shops).
By internet hosting a reside buying channel throughout BFCM, you may provide distinctive offers throughout all the weekend. These occasions additionally encourage engagement out of your followers, and are excellent for merchandise that promote properly by way of demonstrations, like electronics or toys.
Video content material for BFCM
Video stays the popular content material kind throughout the vast majority of immediately’s hottest networks, together with TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and others. Eye-catching video content material that’s edited properly could make scrollers cease and concentrate, which is right for delivering time-sensitive Black Friday gross sales.
Video content material is simpler than ever as extra customers flip to social search to analysis merchandise they need to purchase. Your movies usually tend to seem in searches when you optimise for TikTok website positioning, or extra common video website positioning should you’re on different platforms. Patrons will use social platforms to seek out energetic offers on BFCM, so capturing these searches makes it extra seemingly that you simply’ll be chosen over your competitors.
Giveaways and contests for BFCM
Planning reside giveaways and social media contests is a good way to spice up viewers and encourage engagement throughout BFCM. These could be mixed with reside buying broadcasts, or managed individually. What issues is that you simply’re providing your followers an opportunity to win one thing by interacting together with your account.
Contests are a sensible means of selling gross sales alongside engagement alternatives. Bear in mind, you may nonetheless present the sale worth of a product while you’re giving it away. This worth ought to replicate an excellent deal to viewers, encouraging purchases even when they don’t win. You can even construct your follower depend by way of giveaways, which broadens your attain whenever you come to share reside Black Friday gross sales sooner or later.
Extending promotions past the display
While BFCM is primarily held on-line, it’s nonetheless quite common for UK manufacturers to host offline gross sales or experiential advertising and marketing occasions like reside activations that weekend. These in-person occasions can construct buzz round your model, which might then be channeled right into a stronger efficiency when Black Friday begins.
Take into account internet hosting these occasions in November earlier than the principle sale interval occurs. You possibly can even use these occasions to advertise some unique pre-BFCM offers, which inspires individuals to attend. One instance of an occasion could be a reside activation countdown for when your Black Friday sale goes reside, the place you give away small presents or provide the chance for company to entry sale costs in individual. All these efforts elevate consciousness and make your BFCM gross sales really feel like a good greater deal.
Black Friday promotion concepts for every community
You possibly can handle profitable BFCM promotions on a couple of completely different networks. Listed below are some examples of main platform choices and the way you should utilize them to extend your attain and gross sales.
In accordance with Sprout’s 2024 Social Media Content material Technique Report, 84% of energetic social media customers have an Instagram account, which is greater than some other platform. Alongside boasting this large variety of account holders, Instagram additionally has options like Reels and Instagram Procuring, which make it very best for Black Friday campaigns.
This report additionally discovered that 61% of social customers discover their subsequent buy on Instagram, which is why it’s important you optimise your posts for searchability. In the event you’re selling energetic gross sales, make the most of hyperlink stickers and make the buying course of so simple as attainable.
Video content material resonates properly on Instagram, however don’t neglect photos utterly. They nonetheless have a spot on the platform, notably as grid posts by way of carousels; these could be very best for showcasing a lot of energetic offers. In the event you’re posting these, be sure to have hyperlinks in your bio in order that your followers nonetheless know the place to go to make a purchase order.
TikTok
TikTok is the highest channel for product discovery amongst Gen Z, which makes it an essential platform should you’re concentrating on youthful generations. One key to success with Black Friday gross sales on TikTok is to faucet into the platform’s area of interest communities. Make use of hashtags that get your posts seen by the proper viewers, which ought to enhance your engagement in addition to your probabilities of changing into gross sales.
Don’t simply depend on hashtags; website positioning optimise your whole content material with caption key phrases and textual content overlays. Making an effort to do that will increase your searchability, which is significant for capturing customers looking for particular offers.
With TikTok, it’s additionally price profiting from your staff and bodily shops. Encourage employees members to movie brief content material POVs and movies displaying off regional gross sales, as this may each increase your popularity and permit you to phase your energetic gross sales throughout completely different elements of the UK.
Fb
With Fb, it may be price investing in focused Fb promoting when selling your Black Friday gross sales. One level to keep in mind is that advert prices on the precise weekend itself could be greater than they’re each earlier than and after. Take into account constructing hype to your Black Friday offers by publishing focused adverts earlier within the week or month, as this may be each more cost effective and helps you construct an viewers forward of time.
When it comes to content material itself, have a look at combining your Fb posts with giveaways or reside occasions. Product-focused photograph and video content material can each showcase your merchandise and encourage gross sales. However make sure that to pair them with the proper key phrases and CTAs to spice up their attain and enhance conversions.
It could look like an odd selection when put next with these different platforms, however the visible nature of Pinterest advertising and marketing could make it a superb selection for BFCM campaigns. Latest Pinterest statistics have proven that 80% of weekly pinners discover inspiration on the platform, together with discovering new merchandise or manufacturers.
Optimise your whole pins so that they hyperlink to distinct product pages in your web site. This makes it simple to transform any discoverers into gross sales. Pinterest can be a community-driven platform, so create content material that evokes creativity and encourages others to become involved. The extra positively your pins are perceived, the extra seemingly pinners are to recollect your model when gross sales time rolls round.
Additionally, make the most of Pinterest retargeting instruments to phase your viewers based mostly on what they’ve interacted with. This may inform focused campaigns throughout Black Friday, the place you may put the proper merchandise in entrance of the proper individuals.
Black Friday advertising and marketing campaigns throughout UK industries and merchandise
Listed below are a number of examples of UK and international manufacturers succeeding throughout Black Friday by way of inventive social advertising and marketing campaigns.
Electronics
Tech merchandise are completely designed for Cyber Monday gross sales, and that is the best-performing sector for Black Friday gross sales within the UK, however this does imply there could be a variety of competitors. One firm that tries to set itself aside by way of pre-emptive advertising and marketing is Currys. They already host a particular Black Friday web page on their web site, the place in addition they promote a Black Friday countdown e-newsletter.
This permits Currys to construct an viewers lengthy earlier than gross sales even happen. They’re capable of increase the hype of their upcoming offers, while additionally making a direct communication channel with their viewers. In addition they mix this with their Currys Perks group so followers may also entry giveaways and unique reductions.
One other standard UK electronics model that sells throughout socials is Ninja. Right here’s an instance of considered one of their Fb adverts from Black Friday 2024.
Ninja’s Fb adverts are designed to be easy and straightforward to catch when scrolling by way of the platform. It’s clear to see how a lot cash customers can save in the event that they entry Black Friday offers, and you’ll instantly navigate to a gross sales web page. Ninja additionally provides a couple of modern pictures of their merchandise and consists of perks like free supply for consumers.
The takeaway
Currys proves how essential it’s for electronics manufacturers to get forward of the sport and promote their Black Friday gross sales properly earlier than the precise weekend itself. In addition they present how helpful it may be to pair BFCM promotions with present advertising and marketing channels, like they do with Currys Perks. This makes Black Friday campaigns simpler to handle and permits them to offer extra reductions and giveaway alternatives to prospects.
In the meantime, Ninja evidences how essential it’s for Black Friday adverts to be concise and to-the-point, notably on Fb. With a lot competitors in electronics, it’s price honing in on the individuality of your product and offering readability on the financial savings you’re providing through the weekend.
Style
Clothes is one other standard business for Black Friday gross sales, with some manufacturers embracing low cost fast-fashion gross sales and others distancing themselves to face out from the competitors. Main on-line style retailer ASOS usually invests closely in inventive Black Friday campaigns, together with in 2024 once they partnered with EYC Ltd.
ASOS’s “Made you Look” marketing campaign was designed for Instagram and TikTok and included activation hype in addition to behind-the-scenes content material and distinctive snapshot moments. The inventive concept aimed to seize followers’ consideration and succeeded, as ASOS’s content material achieved over 4.1million views.
Different UK style manufacturers have taken a really completely different method to Black Friday gross sales. In an effort to distance itself from overconsumption, Lucy & Yak has partnered with the charity Fior Di Loto Basis since 2018. In 2024, they requested youngsters supported by the charity to create drawings, after which used them to make distinct Lucy & Yak dungaree designs.
They’re not the one style model to do Black Friday just a little in a different way. Patagonia has additionally managed a number of distinct Black Friday campaigns centered on the standard of its merchandise, relationship all the way in which again to 2011.
The takeaway
ASOS’s marketing campaign reveals that typically a very powerful factor to do together with your Black Friday advertising and marketing is to seize consideration. After you have eyes in your content material, you’ve time to point out off your merchandise and the gross sales you’re providing to prospects, however getting these eyes within the first place usually calls for a inventive method.
Each Lucy & Yak and Patagonia additionally present that manufacturers can do Black Friday just a little in a different way to attain outcomes. Although each manufacturers might not appeal to as many gross sales, they’ve been capable of increase their popularity, the belief from their prospects and their communities by way of value-driven digital campaigns.
Toys
Toy gross sales are an enormous marketplace for the UK’s BFCM gross sales, because of their proximity to Christmas. Main toy retailers now depend on social advertising and marketing to spice up the attain of their offers, together with Smyths Toys, which has invested in TikTok advertising and marketing.
Smyths Toys promotes Black Friday offers through the weekend, in addition to early gross sales. Their TikTok movies are a bit like a video carousel, and undergo a number of reside offers, which clearly present the sale worth and the financial savings supplied to prospects.
One other main retailer that builds hype round Black Friday early is Argos. They’ve an analogous method to Currys, the place they host a singular webpage for Black Friday lengthy earlier than November begins.
Argos differentiates by internet hosting reside presents on all of its classes earlier than Black Friday begins. In addition they host a number of recommendation pages for customers on their web site, explaining how one can add gadgets to a wishlist, obtain their app or accumulate orders from pickup factors.
The takeaway
Smyths’ TikTok methods present how essential it’s for toy retailers to depend on visible adverts that showcase merchandise, both by way of demonstrations or quickfire gross sales snapshots. In addition they depend on their staff to provide content material, which is a perfect content material kind for TikTok.
The important thing takeaway from Argos is for retailers to dedicate time to build up their web site, in addition to counting on social channels. All the pages on Argos’ web site assist put together guests for gross sales and permit the corporate to get a head begin on prepping consumers for Black Friday earlier than the weekend begins.
Journey and lodges
A closing standard class for Black Friday social promoting within the UK is journey packages and lodge offers. Right here’s an instance from EasyJet’s Instagram web page revealed throughout Black Friday 2024.
EasyJet promotes the reside sale with a easy textual content photograph utilizing their recognisable color scheme, and segments their caption out with easy-to-read emoji bullet factors. In addition they add an additional Black Friday gross sales code for much more reductions, they usually direct followers to the hyperlink of their bio to make a reserving.
One other main UK journey supplier, Jet2, takes a unique method. They as an alternative promote their journey offers with a Reel displaying an influencer having fun with themselves on the deal’s vacation spot in Cyprus.
Jet2 states that phrases and situations apply to any bookings inside the caption of their put up. In addition they revealed this advert on November twenty fourth 2024, which was the weekend earlier than Black Friday.
The takeaway
EasyJet creates its Black Friday sale content material with a particular audience in thoughts. The instance above is designed particularly for a household of 4, which is made clear in each the picture and the outline. They present how essential it’s to know your viewers when selling offers throughout the weekend.
Jet2’s content material makes use of a number of hashtags to enhance searchability. By counting on a vacation spot reel, they’re capable of activate FOMO, which makes followers extra prone to observe their hyperlink and resolve to e-book a vacation for themselves.
Plan your Black Friday marketing campaign activations immediately
Profitable Black Friday social media campaigns are the results of cautious planning. You might want to optimise your content material and produce throughout the channels most related to your viewers to seize gross sales throughout such a time-sensitive buying and selling interval.
In the event you’re prepared to start out planning your Black Friday marketing campaign for the UK market, learn by way of our newest perception on 2025’s vacation buying developments. Discover out which platforms shoppers are utilizing and which content material varieties are driving purchases.