If you’re a San Antonio retailer reading this the week before Christmas, you might think it’s too late to do anything about your website. It’s not. Last-minute shoppers are hitting Google right now, and a few quick fixes can capture their attention.
Add a “Last-Minute Gift Ideas” Page
Create a simple page…it doesn’t need to be fancy…featuring products available for immediate purchase or pickup. Title it “Last-Minute Gift Ideas” or “Still Need a Gift?” and link to it from your homepage.
Include items that are:
- In stock right now
- Available for same-day pickup or fast local delivery
- Gift-ready (no assembly or special ordering required)
This page targets exactly what desperate shoppers are searching for: “last minute gifts San Antonio” or “same day gift pickup near me.” For a deeper approach to year-end website planning, our 2023 retail website planning guide walks through the full process.
Make Gift Cards Impossible to Miss
If you sell gift cards, make them the most prominent thing on your website this week. Banner at the top of every page. Pop-up when people land on your site. The hero image on your homepage.
Gift cards are the ultimate last-minute purchase. People buy them Christmas Eve morning, Christmas Day, and even the week after (for belated gifts). Make purchasing one as easy as possible…ideally available for instant digital delivery.
Update Your Holiday Hours
Is your website showing your regular hours? Update them for:
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
- The week between Christmas and New Year’s
- New Year’s Eve and Day
Add these to your homepage, your contact page, and your Google Business Profile. A boutique in the Blue Star Arts Complex that clearly shows “Open Christmas Eve until 3pm, Closed Christmas Day” prevents frustrated customers and builds trust. Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date too – that’s where most people check hours first.
Enable or Highlight Local Delivery
If you offer local delivery within San Antonio, this week is when it matters most. Add a banner: “Free local delivery in San Antonio…order by [date] for Christmas delivery.” Even a small delivery radius…Southtown, King William, Downtown…can capture sales from people who can’t make it to your store.
Speed Check Your Site
This isn’t the week for a full redesign, but a quick speed check is worth the two minutes. Go to PageSpeed Insights and test your site. If your score is critically low, the single fastest fix is usually compressing your images. Use a free tool like TinyPNG, re-upload your largest images, and you’ll see an immediate improvement.
Think Beyond Christmas
The holiday rush ends, but your website works year-round. Use the energy from this season to plan website improvements for January. Start a list of everything you wished your site did this month. That becomes your 2025 website to-do list. And once January arrives, use email marketing to keep those holiday shoppers coming back.
Need a website that works harder for your shop? Visit gift.growmysmallbusiness.com and let’s make 2025 your best year online.