The coronavirus has taken the world by storm during the past nine months and has caused a lot of damage to businesses. It might be tempting for businesses to place search engine optimization (SEO) on the proverbial backburner for the time being.
However, such well-developed advertising principles are even more important in these trying times. Let’s look at a handful of reasons why businesses of all sizes need to embrace what SEO has to offer during these difficult times.
The Trending Nature of COVID-Related Searches
It should come as no surprise that the term “COVID-19” and similar phrases have been dominating the online search sector in recent times. In fact, millions of queries take place on a daily basis.
While COVID searches are indeed trending, they are not nearly as high as they were during the early stages of the outbreak. Therefore, relevant and evergreen topics will remain in place long after COVID has finally subsided.
The Notion of Evergreen Material
“Evergreen” content was mentioned in the previous paragraph and it deserves slightly more attention. Evergreen marketing involves curating content that remains relevant and valid from a long-term perspective.
While this material might not always rank within the top SERP results, the fact of the matter is that it will continue to drive traffic to a website.
Furthermore, SEO is all about creating long-term relationships with customers as opposed to more flash-in-the-pan marketing strategies.
This is why creating evergreen material will help to ensure a higher return on investment in the future in terms of quality leads and higher online recognition.
The Growing Role of Online Searches
Huge amounts of consumers are turning to authoritative websites and search engines such as Google to keep up to date with the latest news.
Therefore, businesses that are able to fully leverage the advantages associated with SEO will remain one step ahead of their competitors.
While this observation is obviously true for large organizations, it is just as important in terms of the SME community. This also leads us directly into the next major point.
The Critical Role of Localized Searches
We are all aware that recent and ongoing governmental restrictions have disrupted countless millions of lives.
Travel plans have been curtailed, businesses have been forced to close and simply travelling to a regional shopping centre might no longer be a viable option. This is why we have seen a growing trend of local online searches as consumers require goods and services from nearby areas.
In fact, local optimization has always represented one of the core tenets of SEO and Google looks favorably upon such approaches.
Not only will catering to local customers help to increase search rankings, but it provides a sense of transparency and convenience that consumers are not likely to forget.
Gaining Trust During Times of Crisis
With so much disinformation and conspiracy theories floating around the ether of the Internet, it is no surprise that consumers have become wary of what to believe.
Online businesses that provide their visitors with a higher level of transparency and clarity will become quite appealing.
Furthermore, utilizing SEO tactics to identify and solve problems will build a long-term rapport and provides businesses with an authoritative edge.
Adopting a Personalized Approach to Breed Long-Term Loyalty
SEO is not only about higher SERP rankings and addressing search engine algorithms. It involves resonating with the needs and desires of the end user.
This is why analytics will often come into play when deciding upon which keywords to use, where advertisements should be placed and how to gauge the success associated with a specific SEO campaign.
In these challenging times, the ability to curate a personalized approach to SEO will enable a business to rise head and shoulders above its contemporaries.
If such a firm foundation is able to be established at the present, there is no doubt that it will continue once the COVID-19 crisis finally abates.
Top SEO Tips to Embrace During COVID-19
On a final note, it is important to keep the following suggestion in mind:
- Create evergreen material that can be used in the future
- Integrate COVID and non-COVID terms into your SEO strategy
- Focus more upon local marketing campaigns
- Cater to the reader as opposed to the search engine alone
- Foster a sense of trust be creating personalized and relevant content
If these strategies can be adopted in the present, there is no doubt that they will prove beneficial in the future.
Read Also:
- How Do You Know Your SEO Strategy is Working?
- The Key To The Keyword: Fundamentals of SEO
- 13 SEO Tips to Rally Your Organic Traffic
- How Does SEO Impact Online Reputation?
- Why You Should Spend a Good Penny on High-End SEO Solutions
Author Bio: This article was written by Conor O’Flynn of O’Flynn Medical. Conor has found SEO to be an excellent method of promoting healthcare products during the current pandemic.
