This guide breaks down how to create Thanksgiving-themed Facebook ads that inspire shoppers to visit your store and take action.
Thanksgiving kicks off one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. In 2024, U.S. consumers spent over $5.6 billion on Thanksgiving Day alone, a 6% increase year over year. For brick-and-mortar businesses, this isn’t just about online clicks—it’s about getting real people through your doors.
Facebook’s advertising platform remains one of the most effective tools for driving local awareness and conversions. According to Meta, local awareness ads can lift in-store visits by up to 32% when targeted effectively.
1. Create a Holiday-Focused Offer
Your Thanksgiving campaign should start with a strong, time-limited offer. Examples include:
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A special Thanksgiving weekend discount
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A free gift with purchase
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Early access to Black Friday deals for in-store visitors
Use urgency-driven copy like “This weekend only” or “Limited Thanksgiving offer” to motivate quick action.
2. Target Locally and Intelligently
Geo-targeting ensures your ads reach people within a specific radius of your store. Combine this with demographic filters (such as age, interests, or shopping behaviors) to reach your ideal local audience.
76% of mobile ‘near-me’ searches result in a store visit within 24 hours – showing high intent from nearby users
Custom and lookalike audiences can also help you retarget past customers or find new shoppers with similar profiles—a powerful tactic during high-intent shopping seasons.
3. Use Festive Visuals That Tell a Story
Thanksgiving visuals should evoke warmth, family, and gratitude. Show people gathering, sharing meals, or unwrapping gifts—not just products. Ads with relatable emotions tend to outperform purely promotional ones. In fact, emotionally resonant campaigns see 23% higher engagement rates compared to neutral content.
Include clear visuals of your store or products in a seasonal setting. Consistent branding helps users recognize your business instantly when they scroll through their feeds.
4. Optimize for Foot Traffic
Choose the “Store Traffic” or “Reach” campaign objective to maximize local exposure. Add your business address and enable location-based directions. Encourage users to check in, share posts, or tag friends who might want to visit.
Pro tip: Run ads during the days leading up to Thanksgiving when intent is highest, then retarget users who engaged but didn’t visit.
5. Measure and Adjust in Real Time
Use Facebook’s built-in analytics to track impressions, reach, and store visits. Compare performance across different ad sets—for example, holiday imagery versus standard branding—and adjust your budget to favor the top performers.
Consistent testing ensures your campaign remains cost-effective throughout the season.
Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving isn’t just a day to celebrate—it’s a strategic opportunity for businesses to connect emotionally with their communities and drive in-person engagement. By combining festive creativity with smart targeting and analytics, you can turn holiday goodwill into measurable results.
