It's November, your to-do list is long, and you still haven't made your holiday gift guide.
Meanwhile, your readers are up at 11 PM searching “gifts for coffee lovers under $25,” credit card in hand, begging for someone to say, “Here, I’ve got you.” That someone can absolutely be you.
Gift guides are the kind of content people bookmark, send to friends, and come back to all season long. When your guide meets them right where they are, they save it, share it, and help support your blog while they shop.
I'll show you exactly how to plan, create, and publish a holiday gift guide — even if you've never made one before.
Black Friday is around the corner, so let’s get your guide ready before the rush!
Why bloggers should create a holiday gift guide
Holiday shopping is overwhelming. Your readers are staring at a long list of people to shop for and have zero ideas. Your gift guide can take that decision fatigue off their plate.
Besides that, they also:
Solve real problems for real people, like the stress of gift-giving. When your reader's sister mentions she loves baking cupcakes but they have no idea what to get her, your “Baking Tools for Cake Making Queens” guide becomes their holiday hero! 🦸♀️
Show up for keywords people search. Terms like “holiday gift guide 2025” and “Christmas gifts for her” spike starting in October and November.
The affiliate opportunity is HUGE. Readers are already in buying mode in Q4. A thoughtful, well-structured gift guide can earn more in a few weeks than some posts earn all year.
Build trust with your audience. When you consistently recommend products you love, you become the friend who always knows the perfect gift. Readers remember that long after the holidays are over.
Planning your holiday gift guide
Before you start grabbing links and screenshots, you need to get a plan in place. A little mapping out now makes everything else feel smoother later!
How to choose a gift guide niche or theme
Your gift guide needs to be specific to your people.
If you're a food blogger, don't create a generic “Gifts for Him” guide. Instead, think about what your people want:
- “Gifts for the Home Baker Who Has Everything”
- “Kitchen Tools Under $50 for Small Spaces”
- “Stocking Stuffers for Coffee Lovers”
Travel bloggers might focus on:
- “Weekend Getaway Essentials Under $25”
- “Gifts for the Friend Who's Always Planning Their Next Trip”
- “Practical Travel Gear That Actually Fits in a Carry-On”
The more specific your angle, the more your readers think, “Oh, this is literally what I was looking for.” That also helps you show up for those super-targeted searches.
Structuring and designing your holiday gift guide
Time to decide how everything fits together on the page! You want someone to land on your post and instantly know where to look.
By price (perfect for buyers on a budget)
- Under $25
- $25-$50
- $50-$100
- Splurge-worthy finds
By person (helps readers shop for specific people)
- For her, him, etc
- For kids, grandparents, brother-in-law
- For bloggers, teachers, nurses, wine enthusiasts, etc
By category (show what you know!)
- Cooking tools
- Camping essentials
- Coffee & tea
- Must-have travel packing items
and experience.
3 tips for setting your holiday gift guide up for success
- Start now. Mid-November is prime timing for publishing gift guides. You want your post to be live and indexed before everyone starts searching and filling their cart. 🛒
- Think evergreen with seasonal updates. Choose products and categories that will still make sense next year. Remember, you can update prices and swap out discontinued items.
- Keep compliance in mind. If you're using affiliate links (and you should be!), make sure you're following program rules for images and affiliate disclosures.
Okay, now let's make your gift guide!
How to make a gift guide by Black Friday using Tasty Links
If your gift guide is all about specific products, Tasty Links makes it so much easier.
Instead of pasting the same URLs and images a dozen times, you set up your links once and drop them into your post as clean, shoppable product blocks.
The Featured Link block is perfect for gift guides because it:
- Pops in a big, clear product photo that actually gets clicked
- Keeps the name + link together in one gorgeous block
- Adds a bold “Buy Now” button so readers can shop with one tap
- Looks great on mobile and desktop, so it works wherever they’re scrolling
Jenna from Heavenly Spiced did it in her unique gifts for foodies gift guide (preview below)!
I'll follow a similar setup with our WordPress link plugin (Tasty Links) so you can create your gift guide just as easily!
1. Set up your affiliate links in Tasty Links
First, you'll need to create affiliate links for each product in your guide.
Go to WP Tasty → Tasty Links → Links.
Click “Add New Link” (or “Add Amazon Link” if you're using Amazon products).
Then, you'll see the screen below. Enter your affiliate URL and give it a keyword (like a coffee scale or packing cubes).
This is also where you upload your image that'll show up in your gift guide! Upload an image from your media library or paste a URL.
After you upload your image, toggle the right link settings below and save your link!
2. Add featured link blocks to show off products
Here's where your holiday gift guide starts to look the part! 🎁
In your post editor, type /featured and select the 🔗 Tasty Links – Featured Links block. Search for the product link you just created.
The block automatically pulls in the product image, title, your affiliate link, and a built-in CTA!
Here’s a quick “Christmas Gifts for Coffee Lovers” example so you can see how a finished section looks. ☕️
3. Build out each section of your holiday gift guide!
Now it’s time to put everything together on the page!
- Create a heading for each section
- Add 3-5 Featured Link blocks under each heading
- Include a brief description of why you recommend each item
How to make a holiday gift guide using Tasty Roundups
If you already have product reviews, comparison posts, or recommendation articles on your blog, you’re basically sitting on a gift guide. And this is where Tasty Roundups becomes your holiday BFF. 🎁
Instead of rewriting everything from scratch, you can bundle your existing posts into a beautiful, shoppable guide in minutes! It’s perfect for bloggers who've been reviewing gear, gadgets, tools, or essentials all year long.
Below is a quick example using three travel-gear reviews — digital luggage scales, solar chargers, and packing cubes.
With Tasty Roundups, I pulled these posts together into a clean “Practical Travel Gear That Actually Fits in a Carry-On” section in less than 5 minutes.
Here's how I did it! ⬇️
1. Add a Tasty Roundups block to your new gift guide post.
2. Search for your existing posts, like your luggage scale review, cookie sheet comparison, or favorite hiking boots!
3. Click to add each item. Tasty Roundups pulls in the image, title, and description for you automatically.
4. Style the layout (image shapes, buttons, columns, etc.) to make it feel like a true gift guide from YOUR blog.
5. Publish your guide with all your detailed reviews just a click away!
And… done. Your readers get a curated holiday list, and you get to reuse content you’ve already created. That’s the holiday magic we love. 🎄✨
Want some examples of gift guides you could create? I'll give you some ideas for how you can make this strategy work for your specific audience!
Holiday gift guide ideas for every blogger
I hope these examples will spark ideas for your own guides!
| Blogger Type | Gift Guide Idea | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Food Bloggers | Favorite Kitchen Tools Under $25 | Practical, budget-friendly tools home cooks already trust — easy crowd-pleasers. |
| Gifts for the Beginner Baker | Starter tools + favorite cookbooks = a warm, approachable guide for new bakers. | |
| Stocking Stuffers for Foodies | Specialty salts, artisan chocolate, and tiny gadgets — perfect for small, fun gifts. | |
| Travel Bloggers | Weekend Getaway Essentials | Gear that makes short trips easier — packing cubes, chargers, mini toiletries. |
| Gifts for Digital Nomads | Items that make remote work smoother: laptop stands, adapters, headphones. | |
| Experience Gifts for Adventurers | Tour packages, adventure passes, and destination guides for memory-making gifts. | |
| Craft / Lifestyle Bloggers | DIY Gift Kits for Creative Friends | Project kits and supplies that help spark new hobbies. |
| Cozy Home Gifts Under $50 | Blankets, candles, coffee-table books — beloved comfort, cozy gifts. | |
| Sustainable Gift Ideas | Reusable, low-waste products that appeal to eco-conscious shoppers. | |
| Parenting / Family Bloggers | Stocking Stuffers for Busy Moms | Useful little luxuries moms *actually* want — planners, mugs, self-care items. |
| Screen-Free Gifts for Kids | Board games, crafts, outdoor toys — perfect for parents limiting screen time. | |
| Family Experience Gifts | Local passes, subscriptions, or activities that create memories, not clutter. |
Grab the bundle and launch your holiday gift guide before Black Friday!
Holiday shoppers are already searching, saving, and spending. The sooner your guide is live, the more time it has to get indexed, pinned, and clicked before Black Friday and Cyber Monday hit.
That’s where the WP Tasty All Access Bundle comes in:
- Tasty Links for shoppable product blocks
- Tasty Roundups for turning past reviews into fresh gift guides
- Tasty Pins for Pinterest-ready images and descriptions
- Tasty Recipes if you’re sharing edible gifts or holiday bakes
Together, they turn your blog into a cozy holiday shopping hub and help your affiliate links actually work for you.
Our Black Friday sale is live, so it’s the perfect time to jump in and save up to $175!
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