From clicks to conversions: 823,000 UK Black Friday searches could be lost to slow websites
As search demand for Black Friday deals surges, brands urged to optimise their websites before 28 November 2025
Searches for “Black Friday Deals” Soared More Than 20,000% Between September and November 2024:
With Black Friday fast approaching (28 November 2025), competition for online attention will reach its annual peak. Google search data from 2024 shows how dramatically consumer interest accelerates – searches for “Black Friday deals” jumped from 3,600 in September to 33,100 in October, and then soared to 823,000 in November.
A Record Year for Online Spending
Global spending during the Black Friday weekend surpassed $74bn in 2024, with the UK accounting for more than £9bn in sales.
The surge extended far beyond consumer purchases – eCommerce website traffic rose by around 220% compared to a typical day, while UK retailers increased their digital advertising spend by 220% year-on-year in September, as competition for clicks intensified.
Amid this spike in demand, Nomada Digital (https://www.nomadadigital.co.uk/) – a digital marketing agency based in York specialising in SEO, CRO, and paid media optimisation – is urging businesses to review their websites and landing pages before peak shopping season hits.
“Every year brands spend heavily on ads to win traffic, but lose out because their websites can’t keep up. A slow page load or clunky checkout can undo thousands of pounds in ad spend. Before peak season hits, businesses should focus as much on conversion performance as they do on visibility,” said Danny Sullivan, founder of Nomada Digital and SEO/CRO expert.
Why a Well-Designed Landing Page Matters
With millions of users searching and shopping simultaneously, every second counts. If a landing page loads in one to three seconds, bounce rates average around 32% – but if load time stretches to five seconds, abandonment can jump to 90%.
“Even a perfectly targeted ad won’t convert if the page it leads to takes time to load,” Danny explained. “Speed, structure, and clarity are just as critical as the ad itself – that’s where real ROI is won or lost.”
A slow or poorly optimised site doesn’t just frustrate users – it wastes marketing spend. Ensuring that landing pages are streamlined, intuitive, and conversion-focused is one of the easiest ways to protect performance during high-traffic events.
Mobile Optimisation Is Now Non-Negotiable
Mobile dominates modern eCommerce. In 2024, 69% of global Black Friday purchases were made on mobile devices, yet many landing pages still fail to adapt properly for smaller screens.
This creates unnecessary friction and lost sales opportunities – especially during a season when competition for attention is at its highest.
A mobile-first strategy should be standard, says Nomada Digital. Pages must load quickly, use clear and accessible navigation, and offer simple checkout flows. Even the best-targeted ad campaigns can underperform if users can’t easily interact with a page.
Five Expert Tips to Boost Black Friday Conversions
Drawing on its experience improving website performance and conversions for UK brands, Nomada Digital shares five key steps to maximise results this Black Friday:
1. Prioritise Speed: Keep pages light. Optimise images, remove unnecessary code, and cut out features that slow down performance – such as autoplay videos, oversized hero sliders, or heavy animations.
2. Make the Offer Instantly Clear: Users should understand the deal within seconds – use bold headlines, direct calls-to-action, and simple pricing.
3. Guide the Eye: Ensure the key elements stand out first – the offer, the call-to-action, and main benefits. Remove clutter that distracts.
4. Build Trust Fast: Add reviews, clear payment and delivery details, and visible security cues that reassure buyers.
5. Design for Mobile: Most shoppers browse and buy via their phones. Make sure layouts adjust perfectly, buttons are easy to tap, and checkout is friction-free.
“These fundamentals might sound simple, but they’re what separate high-performing websites from average ones,” Danny said. “We use data to identify where users drop off, then optimise every step of the journey – from first click to checkout. The smallest tweaks can have the biggest impact on conversion rates.”
Ready for the Black Friday Rush
As businesses increase their paid media and eCommerce activity ahead of Black Friday, website optimisation is one of the simplest and most effective ways to convert ad spend into sales.
With consumer demand peaking and competition intensifying, Nomada Digital’s data-driven approach helps brands transform traffic spikes into long-term revenue growth.