With the lockdown isolating the entire planet, entrepreneurs wonder if their ventures will survive the economic downturn. Organizations worldwide work hard to stay relevant to the market and attract clients. With brick and mortar stores closed, companies need to focus on eCommerce and digital advertising. People are shifting their shopping efforts towards the online medium, and brands fight for attention.
The pandemic wreaked havoc not only on public health but also on the economic system, and organizations are preparing for a financial crisis similar to the 2008 recession. Many of them are already experiencing a decrease in sales because, during the pandemic, people engage with brands differently. So, businesses need to adjust their marketing strategies to stay relevant to their public.
Should companies care about SEO during the economic downturn?
Brands can set themselves up for success after the lockdown if they maintain a strong digital presence through online marketing. People turn to the Internet for purchases, and companies need to be present online for their public. Statista reports that traffic rates for online stores increased since March 2020. Supermarkets registered 4% more sales, while fashion retailers experienced a 6% jump, and pharmacies a 15% increase.
People address their shopping needs online, and the businesses that’ll rank higher in Google will thrive after the pandemic. Organizations should consider that mobile devices usage has seen growth during the last months with tablets and smartphones, registering a 50% growth in usage in 2020, compared to 2019.
Why should businesses use SEO in 2020?
It’s simple to measure the success of an SEO campaign. It all comes to how high the website appears in search results. When the rankings are low, SEO agencies use different keywords to target and count on strategies like link-building to improve a website’s performance.
SEO techniques are reactive by nature, so when one doesn’t provide the expected results, the search engine expert moves to another. It often comes to finding the keywords that appeal to the public’s current needs and preferences.
Buyers are increasingly using the Internet to fuel their shopping needs. Companies that provide non-essential services had to close their doors. So, people are now using the Internet to purchase the products they need. But for brands to sell their products, they need to appear on the first search results. Otherwise, their clients won’t know they exist. Often Search Engine Optimization experts create link-building campaigns around a single product to rank it higher in Google.
SEO can maintain a business’ success even during an economic crisis. Things get back to normal, no matter how many crises the world economy is facing. It may take some time for organizations to recover the loss, but they can rely on online marketing to speed up the process. Implementing SEO programs during the pandemic can help them prepare the market for when the government will end the lockdown. They must create SEO campaigns that yield results for many years to come so they can recover from the economic loses they experience during the pandemic.
Suggestions for brands that want to use digital marketing and SEO during the pandemic
Create content that engages the public
Not only consumers turn to online resources to feed their needs, but companies also do it, so brands are facing mammoth competition. To attract clients to their site, they need to create content tailored to their needs. They need to learn more about their problems, interests, and preferences.
Stay in top of relevant trends
Companies should keep in mind that people are isolating and social distancing at the moment. When they build SEO and digital marketing strategies, they need to consider how fast news changes and trends come and go. When companies stay on top of recent and relevant trends, they cater content that reaches their clients. For example, during the last months, some exciting trends have arisen. People are looking for bread recipes, ways to buy stocks, affordable home workout equipment, and educational resources for children.
Organizations can use tools to monitor trends and deliver their customers effective content. It’s crucial to identify the trends the moment they rise to provide the public with current and useful information.
Help the public think of the future
Businesses should share with their audiences the impact the crisis has on their public, and how they try to fight the problems. Each story is inspirational, even if its primary role is promotional.
People are stuck inside their homes, some work from home, and they cannot enjoy their typical lives, so they turn to the Internet for hope.
They are looking for reassurance that the future is brighter, and they will strive when the pandemic ends. Brands can help their public find positive things to look forward through the messages they craft and the content they promote. SEO implies more than updating headings and meta titles; it creates valuable content that inspires people.
Sometimes, even a crisis like a health pandemic can bring opportunities for people, and it’s organizations’ role to present them with options. The solutions they provide can help their clients make the most out of an unfortunate situation. During the economic crisis, SEO and marketing campaigns should strive to provide resources that meet future demands.
Keep the content fresh
People have more free time to browse the Internet, so they take in more information than they previously did. Brands must ensure their content is current and frequently updated. It doesn’t mean they need to craft new content daily; they can also update and improve the old one to meet the present requirements. Usually, people click on recently updated or published articles. For example, when they’re looking for the best educational resource for children, they won’t read a blog from 2013.
When they are regularly adding and updating content, they show to search engines their website is well maintained, reliable, and up to date, so search engines rank it higher. Valuable and relevant content also lowers the bounce rate. During these awful times, companies should use SEO to direct organic traffic to high-quality content, so encourage users to spend more time on their web pages and make a purchase.
