Read More

There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our everyday lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined a couple of years ago. Businesses have been particularly hard hit, with many having to quickly adjust their business model. One of the things which is often forgotten in the need to keep trading is SEO, but there are four key ways in which the pandemic has changed the way people are searching online. Many of these changes may well be permanent, and you could be missing out if you’re not taking them into account.

Pandemic-Related Topics

The most obvious difference is that people are now searching to news and information related to Covid-19. Google’s algorithm prioritises information from known, reliable sources to make sure they appear on the first page over the conspiracy sites. There has also been a surge in searches about non-virus related subjects such as things to do in your local area, hobbies, music or boxset recommendations. Keep an eye on the Google trending topics to see what people are searching for as this may allow you to offer new products, or link your existing products to current search trends.

Local Businesses

We’ve spent a year being told to stay local, so it’s no surprise that searches for local services and businesses have skyrocketed. A recent survey has indicated that an overwhelming majority of customers intend to keep supporting their local businesses after restrictions are fully lifted. So if you’re a small company with a local market, then now is the time to look into your SEO. Keep your business pages up to date, especially with information about opening hours, social media accounts and your products. Short term, it’s a good idea to reassure customers that you’re doing your best to keep. Encourage customers to leave you positive reviews, and consider what you might do on social media to get people talking about your company, services and products.

Online Shopping

Non-essential shops have been closed as much as they have been open during the pandemic, and a huge number of customers have only had the option to shop online. If you’ve not already set up an online store then now is the time to start. Although many customers will be happy to return to the High Street, others have embraced the simplicity of ordering online and having it delivered, and if you’re not offering this service, you’re missing out. Setting up an e-commerce site isn’t tricky, but there are lots of agencies who can help with this.

Evergreen Content

It’s tempting to latch onto the pandemic and write loads of content about how your business is responding. But eventually the pandemic will be over and that content will no longer be relevant. Intersperse the odd article about Covid-19 with evergreen content – articles which won’t date and which will remain relevant to customers for a much longer period of time. This could be “how to” guides, information about the history of your company, recipes, or anything else related to your business and the products and services which you offer.