Meta has released a 2026 holiday planning guide.

• Research reveals that 82% of consumers need to trust a brand before purchasing, while 79% say convenience is crucial at the point of purchase.
• The social media platform's data shows that 85% of global holiday shoppers use Meta technologies weekly. These shoppers spend 1.2x more than average festive shoppers, purchase across 1.3x more categories, and 78% have bought directly in-app.
• Creator content drives purchasing decisions, with 94% of Meta users looking to creators for festive guidance and 57% saying creators influence their purchases.
• Partnership ads deliver 50% higher click-through rates than standard campaigns, and 71% of consumers purchase within days of seeing creator content on Meta.

The framework: Hearts earn the right, baskets close the deal

Think of a festive marketing strategy as two systems working together:

Winning hearts

• Reels, creators and authentic storytelling that build the trust that 82% of consumers need before they'll buy. This is the brand equity engine, and it compounds beyond the festive season.
• Reels trending ads place a brand after the most trending and culturally relevant content for the brand 
• Creator partnerships translate brand intent into authentic narratives
• Short-form video covers 60%+ of time spent on Facebook and Instagram

Boosting baskets

• AI-powered optimisation, personalised recommendations and omnichannel tools that make purchase effortless for the 79% who expect zero friction.
• Advantage+ sales campaigns deliver 20% improvement in cost per result
• Omnichannel optimisation drives 15% lower cost per purchase vs website-only
• Advantage+ catalogue ads automate personalised product recommendations at scale

The magic happens at the intersection: when trusted creator content seamlessly connects to a frictionless purchase experience, all within one ecosystem.

Meta recommends a phased approach: building creator partnerships and content in Q2, launching and optimising campaigns in Q3, then executing at scale in Q4.

For more information, visit facebook.com.