LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 11/15/12 -- Christmas shoppers are expected to spend a total of GBP 86bn this year, according to a report(i) 'UK Retail 2012 and Beyond', just published by Verdict Research in association with SAS UK.

With online sales predicted to account for 10.6% of the total retail spend, retailers need to ensure their sites are optimised and offer a good experience.

To help digital marketers and brands to do just this, leading independent digital marketing agency, Greenlight, has released a Digital Advent Calendar, containing essential tips and recommendations around Social Media, internet advertising and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Executed properly, they can be the key decider of which sites, brands and products rank well and crucially are visible to consumer online searches during the all-important peak in search activity.

Included is an evergreen Christmas planner for digital campaigns with a detailed tabled timeline outlining every stage of the process - from strategy, monitoring & analysis, content creation, through to website & planning. Action points are given at each step and for each month starting from July, when, according to Greenlight, digital marketers should ideally get started on their Christmas campaign plans, through to January the following year.

Don't have an SEO Nightmare

Described on Twitter as being 'catchy and pertinent', day one of Greenlight's Digital Advent Calendar, shows a lively animated SEO Nightmare jingle (Matt Cutts is coming to town), with a 'Don't Spam' tip and the consequences of doing so.

Take your business mobile (7% of online shoppers in 2011 used a tablet to do so)

The explosion of smart phones and tablet devices onto the market has meant that for businesses with an internet presence, having a mobile strategy has gone from being a 'nice to have' feature to an integral part of an online business' strategy.

In fact, Verdict and SAS UK's research shows that more than 7% of UK consumers that shopped online last year did so using a tablet, with the figure expected to rise. In addition, the report says retailers offering click and collect, m-commerce, and tablet and mobile optimised websites are set to capitalise, all of which emphasises just how essential it is for retailers to ensure they give their target mobile browsing audience the best experience.

Greenlight's Digital Advent Calendar provides three practical ways this can be achieved - through a standalone mobile site, an optimised responsive site and/or through a mobile app, depending on how you want to connect with your target audience.

Top tips for Twitter and Pinterest

The infamous Waitrose Twitter Campaign #WaitroseReasons which asked consumers to complete the sentence "I love shopping at Waitrose because..." (with some fantastic answers!) showed just how successful Twitter can be when used as a marketing tool.

From the best time of day to tweet, using Twitter to target different sectors, getting hashtags right, and identifying the key dates and times consumers will be talking about Christmas on Twitter, Greenlight's Digital Advent Calendar packs its top 10 Twitter tips into under a minute's read.

With Pinterest proving the latest flame on the social media circuit, Greenlight's ten minute webinar divulges practical and easy to implement ideas to use the platform for best advantage.

To access Greenlight's Digital Advent Calendar go to: http://www.greenlightdigital.com/digitaladventcalendar/.

Notes to Editors:

(i)The report 'How Britain will shop for Christmas' by Verdict Research in conjunction with SAS UK, contains the latest forecast for retail expenditure at the start of the season, using analysts' expertise, industry knowledge and data collected over the past 28 years. http://www.sas.com/offices/europe/uk/press_office/press_releases/Britons-to-spend-GBP86bn-this-Christmas.html.

About Greenlight:

Greenlight is a leading independent digital marketing agency, providing Search and Social Media services. With over 100 blue-chip clients including Santander, New Look, Sky and ghd, Greenlight is a leader in the digital marketing space, and is recognized worldwide for its commitment to delivering record ROI for its clients and investing in the future.

Greenlight is considered the premier thought leader in the sector publishing widely read industry reports, original research and speaking at trade events. Founded in 2001, Greenlight is headquartered in London, with offices in New York. www.greenlightdigital.com