Black Friday is one of the biggest sales opportunities of the year – but it’s also one of the noisiest. With brands competing for attention (and ad costs rising across every platform), the businesses that win are the ones who know how to adapt to what’s actually working right now.
At Naked Marketing, we manage Black Friday campaigns across Meta, TikTok, and Google for a range of New Zealand businesses. And this year, we’re already seeing clear trends in what works, what doesn’t, and where brands should be investing their budget.
Whether you’re preparing your first Black Friday promotion or levelling up from last year, this guide breaks down what’s performing best across each platform.
1. What’s Working on Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
Meta remains the strongest channel for Black Friday sales – especially for product-based businesses – but the game has changed. With Meta’s Andromeda update, creative now plays a bigger role than targeting.
Short-form video is outperforming everything
Reels-first creative is driving the highest:
- Click-through rates
- Engagement
- Add-to-carts
- Return on ad spend (ROAS)
The most effective Black Friday video styles include:
- UGC-style product demos
- “TikTok-style” talking to camera
- Fast-paced Reels with hooks in the first 2 seconds
- Before/after transformations
- Unboxings and ASMR-style “satisfying” clips
Broad targeting is winning
For Black Friday, Meta’s AI performs best when you:
- Keep audiences broad
- Use simplified campaign structures
- Test multiple creatives instead of multiple audiences
If you’re still running interest-targeting-heavy campaigns, you’ll likely see weaker results.
Strong offers + simple messaging = better conversions
Your offer should be obvious within the first 1–3 seconds of the ad.
Examples:
- “Black Friday: 25% Off Everything”
- “Today Only – Extra 15% Off Sale Items”
- “FREE Gift With Purchase (This Weekend Only!)”
Avoid overcomplicating your message – people scroll too fast.
2. What’s Working on TikTok Ads
TikTok is still the king of impulse-buying – especially during Black Friday, when users are actively searching for product recommendations.
Here’s what’s driving performance:
Raw, unfiltered content
Overly polished ads are underperforming. What’s working instead:
- Lo-fi videos filmed on a phone
- Creator-led content
- Quick product tests (“Does this actually work?”)
- Trending audio (where permitted)
- Authentic reviews
If it feels like an ad, people scroll past.
Problem–solution hooks
TikTok users respond to ads that instantly name a problem.
Examples:
- “If your skin gets dry in summer, try this…”
- “Struggling to find a gift under $50?”
- “This is the one tool I use every day for ___”
Retargeting with urgency
The last 48 hours of Black Friday = your retargeting window.
Use:
- Countdown timers
- “Last chance” offers
- Revisiting cart reminders
- UGC testimonials
TikTok users buy fast once they trust the creator — retargeting seals the deal.
3. What’s Working on Google Ads
Google searches spike massively during Black Friday weekend – especially branded searches and “best of” categories.
Search + Performance Max combo
The strongest structure right now is:
- Performance Max for scale
- Search campaigns for high-intent traffic
Performance Max helps drive broader discovery, while Search captures people ready to buy.
Shopping ads with strong assets
If you sell products and aren’t running Google Shopping, you’re missing the highest-intent buyers.
Make sure your shopping feed has:
- Clean product images
- Black Friday titles where relevant (e.g. “Black Friday – XYZ Product”)
- Accurate pricing
- Clear product types and benefits
“Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” search themes
People aren’t just searching for brands – they’re searching for deals.
Examples:
- “Black Friday deals NZ”
- “Best Black Friday skincare deals”
- “Black Friday gifts under $100”
Optimise your ad headlines and descriptions to match seasonal intent.
4. What All Winning Black Friday Ads Have in Common
Across all three platforms, the highest-performing brands have one thing in common:
They start early.
Building hype in the weeks leading up to Black Friday massively increases:
- Engagement
- Warm audiences
- Ad performance
- Email list growth
- Conversion rates on the day
And for 2025, the format that’s dominating?
Short-form video.
Whether it’s Meta Reels, TikTok videos, or YouTube Shorts, scrolling behaviour is consistent – the fastest, most authentic content wins.
Need Expert Help With Your Black Friday Ads?
As a digital marketing agency in Auckland, we help businesses across NZ create, plan, and execute high-performing Black Friday campaigns across Meta, TikTok, and Google.
From offer strategy to creative testing to full-funnel paid media, we make sure your campaign cuts through the noise and converts when it matters most.
Want help with your Black Friday ads? Get in touch with Naked Marketing today.
