Coronavirus has had a huge impact on our lives, our jobs, and the world as a whole. Virtually every country has been affected. But what about Coronavirus and SEO?
The End of the World?
We’re two weeks into social isolation measures in the UK. Working from home is now the norm, not the exception. For many people, this has been a steep learning curve. The stress of dealing with kids and pets suffering from cabin fever isn’t much fun. And with the supermarket shelves empty and no loo roll available for love or money, Stephen King’s The Stand is starting to feel less fictional and more prophetic.
Living in a Digital World
Here at Ink Elves, we’ve been self-isolating for years. We all work from home and everything we do is done digitally. This is the norm in our industry, where offices are unnecessary overheads and managing remote teams is how we roll.
So far, although some clients have cancelled orders (mostly in the travel sector, which has been hit harder than most), we’re ticking along as usual. Globally, however, many sectors have seen a big fall in online traffic.
Coronavirus and SEO: Traffic Ups and Downs
Neil Patel, a respected name in marketing, has published some data on his blog. It shows that while finance, food, healthcare, media, and pharma have enjoyed a rise in traffic, all other sectors, especially travel, have seen their traffic fall. Conversions are also down as people reel from the double whammy of job losses and sickness.
It’s not all doom and gloom.
Amazon has hired 100k new distribution workers to handle a sharp rise in online shopping orders and supermarkets can’t cope with the increased demand for home deliveries. Not all retailers have experienced a spike in sales – many families are cutting back on non-essential purchases after losing their jobs or having hours reduced. It’s likely the retail sector will undergo a seismic shift over the next few months and many brands may decide to prioritise their online presence once this is all over.
Boosting SEO Makes Sense
While some businesses won’t survive the carnage, those that do are in a strong position to capitalise on recent events. If your competitors disappear, their customers will become your customers. Double-down your marketing and take advantage of less competition. You might not see results straight away, but this approach will pay off in the long-term.
If your business has an online presence, SEO is very important.
Online brands need effective SEO to get ahead of the pack. Content marketing is a big part of SEO, which is why we expect an increase in orders in the long-term. Once the initial shock of coronavirus wears off, brands will soon realise that investing in long-term SEO and marketing makes sense.
PPC and Content Marketing
Now is an excellent time to boost your online profile. Look into PPC advertising to increase exposure to new customers. The market is almost certainly heading for a recession, but rather than hiding in a corner, put your brand out there and grab a bigger slice of the pie.
Content providers like Ink Elves can help you build a content marketing strategy. While we are quieter than usual, order some guest posts and blogs or ask us to revamp your web content. Turnaround times are much faster than normal and if you have worked with us before, you know we are reliable!
The important thing to remember right now is that this will pass. Don’t panic. Wash your hands. Stay at home. Be nice to supermarket checkout operators. And if you spot some loo roll in Tesco, hang on for dear life.