How To Use Gleam For Your Black Friday Promotions

Black Friday is an awesome time to run promotional campaigns and get people excited by running giveaways and rewards programs.

Black Friday is the prime time for businesses to be offering special deals, flash sales, and exclusive offers.

The only trouble is, as everyone will be running promotional deals and flash sales, you’re competing with basically every other business out there to get your Black Friday campaign to stand out.

However, here are some ideas on how to make your sales stand out to potential customers using Gleam for your promotional campaigns.

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Best Practices for Black Friday Promotions
• Prepare for Black Friday by starting campaigns early, at least 2 weeks before the sale goes live.
• Combine Friday sales with rewards like a gift card or bonus prize.
• Offer exclusive Black Friday free shipping for abandoned carts.
• Promote during both Black Friday and Cyber Monday to extend visibility into Cyber Week.
• Showcase best of the Black Friday deals with urgency (countdown timers, popups).

One of the best ways to make your Black Friday promotion stand out is to run a sweepstakes in the lead-up to the sale.
By starting early, you generate buzz before the flood of Black Friday sales and holiday shopping events begin, ensuring your brand gets noticed first.

Announcing your sweepstakes a couple of weeks before Black Friday and Cyber Monday helps build momentum and grow your audience ahead of the sale start.
With Gleam, setting this up is simple—just customise the template below and you’ll be ready to attract entries and excitement around your campaign.

  view template

Running a sweepstakes is one of the most effective ways to encourage customers to take part in your Black Friday promotions.
A sweepstakes randomly selects a winner from participants who complete valuable actions such as subscribing to your mailing list, following your social channels, or sharing your campaign.

This approach not only builds excitement around your brand but also drives actions that fuel your wider Black Friday sales strategy.
For example, growing your follower base and expanding your email list means more people will see your exclusive Black Friday offers, Friday deals, and Thanksgiving promotions when the sale goes live.

To maximise results, promote your sweepstakes across all of your social media platforms so every potential shopper knows they can enter and be part of your Black Friday shopping event.

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How to Implement a Secret Code Action (Gleam)
Where it works: Competitions & Rewards (available on Hobby Competitions plan and above, and any Rewards plan).
Add the action: In your campaign, add Secret Code as an entry action to validate a code before users can continue.
Set frequency: Configure the entry interval so a code can be used once or multiple times (e.g., daily/once per campaign).
Single vs multiple codes: Add one code directly, or upload multiple codes via CSV (comma-separated or one per line).
Case handling: Codes are converted to UPPERCASE on import and during input, so matching is case-insensitive.
Limits: Your plan sets the max number of codes per campaign (annual plans typically allow higher limits). Contact support for higher limits if needed.
Use cases: Password-protect a campaign, treasure hunts/scavenger hunts, validate order IDs, printable coupon numbers, or in-store codes for bonus entries.

Another effective sweepstakes idea is to encourage customers to register their interest ahead of your Black Friday sale.
By doing this, you not only build anticipation but also gather valuable customer data that can help you plan your upcoming Black Friday promotions more effectively.

You can send everyone who registers an early access link to your sale a day before it goes live, creating a sense of exclusivity.
As an added incentive, one lucky participant can win a voucher or gift card to spend during your Black Friday sales.

This approach helps you understand which products your audience is most excited about, how much they are likely to spend during the holiday season, and ensures your brand stays top of mind when the Black Friday deals in stores begin.

  view template

Running a 7 Days of Black Friday giveaway is a powerful way to get ahead of the competition and stand out from the flood of sales and promotions during the holiday season.
By giving away prizes each day in the week leading up to Black Friday, you build excitement and keep your audience engaged over multiple touchpoints.

This campaign works by customising the template below and promoting it consistently across your social channels.

  View 7 Days of Black Friday Template

Participants complete the actions you choose each day, and with Gleam you can automatically draw a new winner daily for 7 days in the lead-up to your Black Friday promotion.
This approach ensures your campaign stays visible and top of mind before shoppers are distracted by other Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

Adding actions such as retweeting your post or sharing content can further extend your reach, driving more entries, shares, and ultimately more sales when your Black Friday offers go live.

Partnering with another brand for a giveaway is a powerful way to expand your reach during Black Friday promotions.
By tapping into each other’s audience, you not only gain exposure to new potential customers but also make your campaign more appealing with a higher-value prize pool.

  View Partner Giveaway Template

To set this up, reach out to complementary brands and propose a collaboration.
Offer to bundle products from both of your stores and require participants to follow each brand’s social accounts or join mailing lists as part of the entry process. This ensures both parties benefit from the promotion.

By joining forces, you increase excitement around the prize, attract more entrants, and expand your visibility across multiple customer bases.
This type of collaboration not only grows awareness but can also lead to longer-term partnerships beyond the Black Friday sales period.

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How to Implement a Viral Share Action (Gleam)
Where it works: Competitions only (all paid plans).
What it does: Rewards entrants with bonus entries when they successfully refer friends using their unique referral link.
Setup: Add the Viral Share action to your campaign, customise the share message, and choose supported platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Messenger, Email).
How it works: Entrants share their unique link; when a new user clicks and enters via that link, the referrer earns extra entries.
Tracking: Gleam automatically attributes new signups to the correct referrer using cookies and unique tracking IDs.
Best practices: Encourage sharing by offering extra rewards for referrals, promote on social media, and combine with other entry actions to maximise campaign reach.
Use cases: Grow your email list faster, amplify Black Friday promotions, drive social buzz, or reward loyal advocates.

Referral programs are a proven way to maximise engagement during your Black Friday promotions.
By offering incentives and exclusive rewards, you encourage customers to share your Black Friday sale with their friends and family, turning every shopper into a potential brand advocate.

This strategy works by providing discount codes to people who make a purchase through a referral link, while also rewarding the friend who referred them with a bonus discount once the purchase is complete.

Run Referral Programs

Referral campaigns not only attract new customers but also drive repeat purchases and increase loyalty.
They are especially effective during high-traffic shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when customers are actively looking for exclusive Black Friday deals and Friday sales.

By combining loyalty rewards, discount incentives, and referral opportunities, you can improve customer retention and strengthen relationships long after the holiday season has ended.

  View Referral Discounts Template

Tiered discounts are a smart way to boost the impact of your Black Friday promotion.
The bigger the purchase, the bigger the discount your customers unlock—encouraging higher spending and helping you stand out among competing Black Friday sales and Friday promotions.

  View Tiered Discounts Template

Offering multiple levels of discounts motivates shoppers to increase their order value to reach the next tier.
This tactic works especially well during the holiday season, as buyers are already primed to take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers.

Tiered discounts not only raise average order values but also improve customer satisfaction—shoppers feel like they’re getting the best of the Black Friday deals while maximising value.

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How to Implement a Coupon Action (Gleam)
Where it works: Rewards & Competitions (available on all plans).
What it does: Allows you to distribute discount codes, vouchers, or special offers as rewards to users once they complete an action.
Setup: Add the Coupon action, then choose whether to supply a single universal code or upload multiple unique codes via CSV.
Display: Coupons can be shown directly on-screen, delivered by email, or both. You can also combine with expiry dates to create urgency.
Limits: Track redemption numbers inside your Gleam dashboard to monitor performance and availability of codes.
Best practices: Use coupons to re-engage customers, reduce cart abandonment, or drive upsells. Offer incentives like free shipping, % off, or gift cards to align with Black Friday promotions.
Use cases: Reward referrals, unlock tiered discounts, provide early-access offers, or give exclusive Black Friday and Cyber Monday codes.

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges during Black Friday shopping events.
Implementing targeted popups is a proven way to keep browsers engaged and stop them from leaving before completing checkout.

These popups can recover lost sales by reminding customers about the products left in their carts and offering an incentive—such as a free gift, discount code, or exclusive Black Friday free shipping—if they finish the purchase.
This tactic works especially well during high-traffic sales periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when competition for customer attention is at its peak.

  View Cart Abandonment Popup Template

Offering free delivery is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce cart abandonment during Black Friday promotions.
Shoppers are far more likely to complete their order when they know shipping is free, and many will even spend more to take full advantage of the offer.

This tactic works especially well for hesitant or first-time buyers. By positioning free shipping as an exclusive Black Friday deal, you can re-engage on-the-fence customers and increase your overall sales volume throughout the holiday season.

  View Free Shipping Coupon Template

A scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way to keep customers engaged during your Black Friday promotion.
By asking participants to search through your website, blog, or social media to find hidden codes, you encourage deeper engagement with your content and increase overall time spent with your brand.

  View Black Friday Scavenger Hunt Template

For prizes, you can offer early access to your Black Friday sales or allow winners to fill their cart with products up to a set value and check out for free.
This not only creates excitement but also reinforces the sense of exclusivity that makes Black Friday shopping so appealing.
By combining gamification with exclusive Black Friday deals, you can build hype, boost participation, and strengthen loyalty leading into the holiday season.

Early access campaigns are an excellent way to build excitement and reward engaged customers ahead of your Black Friday promotion.
By running a rewards campaign, you can incentivise users to complete valuable actions—such as subscribing to your mailing list, following your social accounts, or sharing your content—in exchange for exclusive early access to your Black Friday sales.

  View Early Access Template

This type of campaign helps your brand stand out by launching slightly ahead of other Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers.
It also allows you to collect valuable customer contact information, so you can continue marketing to people who have already shown interest in your Black Friday shopping events.
The result is higher anticipation, stronger engagement, and a more successful Black Friday weekend.

A photo contest is a creative way to collect user-generated content (UGC) and build buzz in the lead-up to Black Friday.
By encouraging customers to share photos of themselves using your products, you not only gather authentic content to support your marketing but also drive social proof that helps influence purchasing decisions.

These contests work like word-of-mouth marketing—participants post entries on their social media feeds, @tag your business, or use a branded hashtag to be part of the competition.
With Gleam, you can also allow direct photo submissions through the widget to capture more entries from those who prefer not to post publicly.

  View Black Friday Photo Contest Template
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How to Implement an Upload Action (Gleam)
Where it works: Competitions & Rewards (all paid plans).
What it does: Lets users upload photos, screenshots, or files as part of their entry.
Setup: Add the Upload action in your campaign builder, give it a clear title (e.g., 'Upload Your Black Friday Photo'), and set file requirements.
File types: Accepts common image formats (JPG, PNG, GIF). You can restrict formats if needed.
Storage: Uploaded files are securely stored in your campaign dashboard for review and moderation.
Moderation: You can manually approve, reject, or download submissions before displaying them in a Gallery.
Use cases: Collect user-generated content for photo contests, proof-of-purchase uploads, creative entries, or receipt validation during Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns.

Offering a valuable prize—such as exclusive Black Friday discounts, a gift card, or a featured spot on your social channels—encourages higher-quality entries and wider participation.
Because every photo shared reaches the entrant’s friends and followers, photo contests are one of the best ways to expand your reach and visibility before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Adding a popup to your website is another effective way to remind visitors about your Black Friday promotion.
Popups capture attention, drive traffic to your sale page, and reduce the risk of shoppers clicking away before exploring your best Black Friday deals.

  View Black Friday Popup Template

Adding a countdown timer is an awesome way to build excitement and a sense of urgency around your Black Friday promotion.

As people can see time is running out, they're more likely to make the purchase in fear of missing out on the great deal.

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How to Set Up a Countdown Capture in Gleam
Step 1: In your Gleam dashboard, create a new Capture and give it a name (e.g., Limited Time Offer Countdown).
Step 2: Under Capture Type, select Countdown from the dropdown menu (options include Bar, Popup, Floating, Coupon, Countdown, etc.).
Step 3: Customise the countdown timer to end at your Black Friday sale start or deal expiry time.
Step 4: Adjust the layout style (bar, popup, takeover, or embedded) depending on where you want the timer displayed.
Step 5: Save and install the Capture on your site to start building urgency and driving conversions.

➡ Try the Limited Time Offer Countdown Template to launch yours quickly.

With so many customers shopping on mobile during Black Friday weekend, your social media bio is one of the most valuable places to drive traffic.
Using Linktree makes it easy to guide shoppers directly to your Black Friday deals without distractions, reducing the chance of them clicking away before exploring your offers.

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You can even run a giveaway straight from your bio to attract new followers and convert casual scrollers into paying customers.

  View Linktree Giveaway Template

Alternatively, use your Linktree to share exclusive Black Friday discount codes and funnel users straight to your website.
Since Instagram only allows one clickable link in your bio, a clear and well-structured Linktree ensures your Black Friday promotion gets maximum visibility.

  View Linktree Coupon Unlock Template
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Check out some more Linktree ideas here.

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