Originally published 2019. Updated 2025 and again October 2026.
Black Friday used to mean lines around the block, doorbusters at dawn and a lot of people who probably should have stretched first. Then it moved online and turned into inboxes full of promo codes. This year, it looks different again.
More and more shoppers have stopped scrolling through pages of search results to find a deal. They click one of the top few results on Google, or they ask Google’s AI, ChatGPT or TikTok for a recommendation. All of those paths lead to the websites that search engines and AI tools trust most. The businesses that win this Black Friday and Cyber Monday won’t just have the best deal. They’ll have a website that ranks well on Google, gets recommended by AI and makes buying easy. Here’s what has changed and how to get your business ready before the weekend hits.
Mark Your Calendar: Black Friday Weekend 2026
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, which means the big weekend lines up like this:
- Black Friday: Friday, November 27
- Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 28
- Cyber Monday: Monday, November 30
Those three days can make a real difference for your business. The work that pays off, however, happens in the weeks leading up to it. If you want customers to find you that weekend, the time to get ready is now.
How Black Friday Shoppers Search Now
Last year, people spent a record $11.8 billion shopping online on Black Friday, about 9% more than in 2024. Cyber Monday did even better at $14.25 billion, and more than half of those online purchases were made on a phone, according to Adobe. The biggest change, though, came from AI. Adobe found that the number of shoppers who clicked through to store websites from AI tools like ChatGPT was about nine times higher on Black Friday than it was in 2024. In other words, AI is sending more shoppers to websites, not fewer.
That trend shows no sign of slowing. In a Similarweb survey, 37% of shoppers said they plan to use AI more for their holiday shopping this year, mostly to compare products, find the best price and get gift ideas. About 30% said they’re comparing more businesses than they used to before they buy. People are doing their homework and, as I always say, the more they are looking to spend, the more homework they will do. AI is helping them with that.
Get Found Before Black Friday
The good news is that what helps you rank on Google is mostly the same as what helps you show up in AI answers. It’s also what helps real people choose you. Before the weekend, make sure you’ve covered the basics:
- Put your offer on your website in plain text in addition to an image. A beautiful graphic is great for people, but search engines and AI tools still have a hard time reading words inside images.
- Give your offer page a clear title and description. Use the words your customers actually type into Google, like “Black Friday spa packages in Santa Monica,” so search engines and AI tools know exactly what the page is about.
- Make the basics on your website impossible to miss. What you sell, where you are, when you’re open and how to buy or book should be clear on every page that matters.
- Update your Google Business Profile. Add your Thanksgiving weekend hours, fresh photos and a link straight to your offer page.
- Ask happy customers for reviews now. Recent reviews help people trust you, and AI tools read them too.
- Keep your story consistent. Your website, Google profile and social accounts should all say the same thing about your hours, offer and contact info.
None of this is too difficult. It’s just making sure that when Google, ChatGPT or an actual human goes looking for you, they all find the same clear, current answer. Here’s a simple timeline to keep you on track:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before November | Decide on your offer, update your Google Business Profile and start asking for reviews |
| First half of November | Build your offer page, write your emails and schedule your social posts |
| Second half of November | Tease the offer, test your website on your phone and check every button and form |
| Black Friday weekend | Go live, answer messages quickly and keep an eye on what’s working |
Make Your Offer Easy to Understand
A great deal doesn’t help if people can’t figure out what it is or how to get it. Pick one clear offer and say exactly what it is, who can use it and when it ends. “Save 25% on any package booked by Cyber Monday” works. “Huge savings on select items, some exclusions may apply” is a quick way to lose people’s attention.
Give your offer its own page on your website with one obvious button to buy, book or call. Since more than half of last year’s online Black Friday shopping happened on a phone, make sure to test that page on yours.
Not a Retailer? Black Friday Still Applies
Black Friday isn’t only for stores selling TVs and sweaters. Plenty of local and service businesses do very well that weekend when they offer something that makes sense for their customers.
Restaurants and bars can sell gift cards with a bonus, like a free $20 card with every $100 purchase, or open reservations for a special event. Boutique hotels can run a Cyber Monday room deal for the slower months. Spas, salons and wellness businesses can bundle services into packages or memberships. Even consultants and other service businesses can offer a limited number of discounted spots for projects starting in the new year.
Plus, don’t forget Small Business Saturday on November 28! It’s a day built for local businesses, and people actively go looking for places to support. If you’re local, say so loudly on your website, your Google profile and your social media.
The Bottom Line
Black Friday and Cyber Monday still mean big sales, but how people find those sales keeps changing. A customer might start with a Google search, ChatGPT or a friend’s recommendation, yet the sale still happens on a website. The businesses that do best this year will have a website that ranks well on Google, gets recommended by AI and makes buying easy.
