The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a new world. While it started out as a health crisis, we can no longer deny its impact in every aspect of our lives — and businesses are no stranger to these disruptions.
The world over, companies are losing customers and revenue.
The question of the hour is: how can we salvage the situation and keep our businesses afloat?
Here’s a ray of light in the bleakness of the current economic climate: while in-person and physical business has all but dried up, screen time has been exploding.
People who are on lockdown or practicing social isolation are moving online and consuming digital content at a faster rate than ever.
Your business can take advantage of that with the smart use of SEO services.
We’re going to show why search engine optimization efforts are highly relevant to the survival of your business during the pandemic — and in the long run.
What can SEO and Content Marketing do for your business right now?
Times are hard, that’s true. Will it justify reducing or completely cutting off critical brand promotion strategies like search engine optimization and content marketing services?
The simple answer is: No. No it won’t.
Let’s examine the short-term benefits of maintaining your digital marketing endeavors alive during the global crisis and how you shouldn’t let knee-jerk reactions blind you to the cash flow opportunities presented by a now predominantly digital consumer base.
The short-term effects on your business
SEO services can get you cash now
Pulling the plug on your existing marketing strategy might save you some cash but it also means you are getting rid of your most important asset in creating more revenue to keep your business open.
So keep on with your marketing. It will drive traffic and sales, the lifeblood of your business, but do set your expectations
We’re all struggling with the effects of the crisis. It’s likely that your revenue won’t reach pre-pandemic levels for some time.
Also Read: Digital Marketing Amid COVID-19
Increased opportunity for brand awareness
Even while we’re all experiencing the crisis, people will still be needing products and services.
With several businesses pulling back on their online spend, users will naturally be searching for the next best alternative. And they will be doing it online.
So, you’d better optimize your site and make sure your content marketing services have got your digital presence up to snuff.
Optimizing your site and content make for a satisfied customer
Doing proper SEO does not only mean drawing in traffic. Part of the strategy is to optimize UX and UI. When done right, you can delight the audience with engaging site elements and navigability.
They may then be more open to choosing your product or service over competitors, so use this opportunity to make sure your website content is as good as it can be.
Maximizing your current online presence and relevance
Create curated content regarding the current situation
Search behavior has changed to survival mode; the drop in search rankings are most likely related to how users no longer need ‘on-the-go’ content.
Switching the focus of your digital marketing strategy and the content you generate will ensure you stay relevant in the present while signaling to your audience that you are paying attention to their needs.
You can also check Google Impressions to project how much your business will decline due to the global crisis and plan your business strategy accordingly.
Depending on the results, you will be able to map out or visualize where to divert your operational efforts in the foreseeable future.
Tweak existing content to suit the situation
Good news. Even while keeping an SEO campaign running, it’s possible to save — and produce relevant content quickly, too.
Minimize your investment in content marketing services by revisiting and redeveloping content that you already have.
Make sure to pick content that has done well previously, as that’s an indicator of content your target audience will welcome in another format. Turn eBooks into a series of video blogs, regular blog posts into infographics, etc.
As long as you put effort into figuring out who the content is for and aligning that message to their needs, you should be fine.
Bonus: Since you’re delving into new territory platform-wise, you also stand to reach a new section of the market that might have passed on your original content because it wasn’t in a medium they prefer.
That’s a win for your business right there.
Bank on Local SEO
Travel might be restricted to only the essentials, but that doesn’t mean customers are going to stop needing products and services.
It just means that they’ll be more likely to patronize local businesses.
Be the business that is ready to serve and cater to their needs. Optimize your online presence to bank on local SEO.
Create your content to feature your area, incorporating the term ‘near me’ in your keywords to give your brand traction. Also, update your Google My Business listing.
What would an established SEO strategy mean for you in a post-COVID 19 world?
As you probably already know, search engine optimization is a strategy that works towards long-term security. Results grow and compound as you nurture it over-time.
So while pausing your campaigns might look like an attractive concept that could save your business some money right now, it will likely wreak havoc on your long-term marketing goals.
Don’t let your digital marketing efforts collapse
If you’ve invested well in your pre-COVID 19 SEO and content marketing services, then that content would have been created to be evergreen.
Once the dust settles, you’ll probably only need to make cosmetic changes before it’s good to go again.
Continue creating and optimizing this season
Your business will be more advantageously placed for a rebound in the future if you do. How so?
- Visibility – while several of your competitors hold back on spend, those of you who make the bold move to continue digital marketing have the opportunity to eat up market share. A solid SEO strategy will help ensure your business is the one that comes out on top.
- Credibility – in times of need, people will remember who was there to help them. That should be your business at the moment. Optimize your content to not only serve search engines but, more importantly, cater to the audience’s needs.
Identify your target market’s unique challenges during the global crisis and see how your business could sincerely offer them support. This has the dual effect of expanding your reach and moving your products/services and helping your clients make it through the pandemic.
End notes
The global pandemic known as COVID-19 is affecting almost every part of life all over the world.
As the global economy reels from its impact, many businesses are shifting to more modest operational strategies and hoarding cash to prepare for the worst.
But the reality is that businesses can still succeed in down times. And many of the winners will invest heavily in search engine optimization services and content marketing solutions to drive business forward.
Want to learn about how we’re helping our clients find opportunities in times of crisis? Contact us today for a Free Growth Marketing Assessment!
