To Pause or Not to Pause? The Christmas Dilemma for Google Ads

With the festive season just around the corner, many business owners are asking themselves the same question: Should I pause my Google Ads over Christmas?

It’s a logical thought. You might be closing the office, your fulfilment team might be on a well-earned break, or you simply don't want to pay for "window shoppers" while you're trying to enjoy your turkey.

However, in the world of Google Ads management, the "off" switch can be a dangerous tool. At Gregory Marketing Ltd, we’ve seen how the right holiday strategy can be the difference between a slow January and a record-breaking start to the year.

The Pros and Cons of Holiday Advertising

The Pros: Why Stay Live?

• Lower Competition, Lower CPCs: As many competitors blindly pause their ads on December 24th, the "auction" becomes less crowded. This often leads to a lower Cost-Per-Click (CPC), allowing you to hoover up high-intent traffic for less.

• Capturing the "Research Phase": Not everyone buys on Christmas Day, but millions browse. B2B decision-makers often use the quiet time to research suppliers for the upcoming year. If you’re not there, you aren’t on their shortlist for January.

• Protecting AI Learning: Modern Google Ads rely heavily on AI and Machine Learning. When you pause a campaign entirely, you break the data flow. When you restart in January, the algorithm often enters a "Learning Phase" again, which can lead to volatile performance and higher costs while it recalibrates.

  
  

The Cons: The Risks of Running

• Wasted Spend on "Dead" Days: If your business requires a live person to answer the phone (e.g., a local locksmith or a B2B consultancy), paying for clicks when the office is shut can be frustrating.

• High "Bounce" Rates: If your website says "Delivered by Christmas" on December 26th, users will leave immediately, wasting your ad spend.

  
  

Who Should Pause, and Who Should Play?

Every industry is different. Here is our expert guide on how to handle the festive "red zone":

Industry Type	The Strategy	Why?
E-commerce	Keep Running	Post-Christmas is huge for gift card spending and "Self-Gifting". Just update your copy to mention "January Sale" or "New Year Delivery".
B2B / Professional Services	Reduce, Don't Pause	Decision-makers are researching. Keep a presence, but perhaps reduce daily budgets by 50% to stay visible without breaking the bank.
Home Services (Plumbers, etc.)	Use Ad Scheduling	Only run ads during hours you are actually available for emergency call-outs. Use Ad Scheduling to shut down on bank holidays.
Health & Fitness	Scale Up!	From Boxing Day onwards, the "New Year, New Me" crowd starts searching. This is your peak season—don't miss the wave.

The 9 PM Christmas Day Miracle: A True Story

At Gregory Marketing Ltd, we’ve been managing Google Ads since 1998. Over nearly three decades, we’ve learned that the "Internet never sleeps"—and neither does opportunity.

A few years ago, at approximately 9:00 PM on Christmas Day, while most of the UK was mid-film or mid-mince pie, our system pinged. An enquiry had come through our own Google Ads for "Google Ads Management."

Most agencies would have ignored it until the 2nd of January. We didn't. That lead was from a business owner who finally had a quiet moment to focus on his company's growth. We responded, he signed up, and he stayed as a loyal client for over 8 years.

That is the power of staying visible. You never know when your "perfect" client is finally sitting down to find you.

How We Manage the Holidays for You

Managing ads during the holidays isn't about "set and forget." We use a combination of Human Insight and AI Learning to protect your budget:

1. Seasonal Adjustments: We use Google's AI "Seasonality Adjustments" to tell the algorithm to expect a temporary spike or dip in conversion rates, preventing the AI from overreacting to holiday data.

2. Strategic Budget Scaling: Instead of a hard pause, we often recommend "scaling back." This keeps the data flowing to the AI, ensuring your Quality Score remains intact for a fast start in the New Year.

3. Ad Copy Updates: We ensure your ads reflect reality. If you are closed, your ads should say "Enquire now for January start" or "Boxing Day Sale Now On."

   
   

Our Rule of Thumb:

Don't let your competitors own the conversation just because it's a bank holiday.

Is your Google Ads account ready for the festive period?

Don't risk a "Learning Phase" slump in January. Whether you need a full account audit or expert management to handle the holiday shifts, our family-run team is here to help.

Would you like us to review your current holiday ad scheduling to ensure you aren't wasting budget this December? CALL 01689 869263