The COVID-19 crisis has driven the online community towards e-commerce, creating more organic traffic than many companies can handle right now. On the other hand, this trend also creates an opportunity for marketers to attract new leads, with the right SEO techniques.
Here’s a simple framework you can use to achieve the right balance and maintain or even increase your market share.
Create a dedicated COVID 19 page
Whether or not your business is directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, consider creating a page that talks mainly about the crisis and how your business is dealing with it. You don’t essentially need to update people on the virus and its impact; just reassure your customers that you and the rest of your team are working overtime to avoid any kind of disruption to your services.
For example, you can highlight any preventive measures you’ve put in place, relief efforts, or any other changes you’ve made in your operations to control or reduce the spread. Doing so will not only instil trust in your brand but also be useful for your SEO ranking. Capturing a good portion of the relevant traffic by using keywords that are associated with the crisis and the actions you’re taking.
Redirect your content strategy
The importance of content creation and sharing for marketers is indisputable. If you’re able to get it right, half of your SEO work is done. Here is how you can shape your content approach.
Track new trends
Keep a close eye on current search trends, to gain insights in real time. By doing so, you’ll be able to push the right piece of content at the right time, to attract maximum attention online.
What would be good topics to write about? The right and keywords to use? Look no further than at Google Trends, to observe the prevalent search patterns and identify emerging trends.
Audiences want empathy and transparency
Besides physical health concerns, the coronavirus has also taken a toll on our mental health. And as a marketer, you need to be able to read the room at all times.
What kind of message are you sending out to your followers? Does your content come across as empathic? Or do you need to tone it down? Find a way to express the human side of your business. Don’t hesitate to let customers know that you know what they’re going through and are willing to assist.
Create content that builds trust
Consumer sentiments have been influenced by the crisis. Offer a message of hope but also think about creating educational content designed to help consumers cope with the ongoing situation.
A Conductor study found that 48% of customers are more likely to buy from brands that promote education. By using this strategy, you help out your customers and build a reputation for yourself as a trustworthy.
Manage your Web presence
Besides putting out the right content, think about the platforms you’re leveraging to reach your potential customers. How can you effectively improve your brand’s visibility and increase your chances to get discovered by new customers?
Update your schema
The coronavirus has made an impact on the e-commerce environment, whether it be the abnormal inventories or new distribution models. It’s essential, therefore, to keep your customers abreast on any new or interim policies as we adjust to the “new normal”.
Keep your website schema up to date so that search engines can crawl accurate information about your products. Consider adding elements like product availability or any special announcements you might want to make.
Google My Business
Have you updated your Google My Business listing? Make sure it reflects your current operating hours, contact numbers, store locations, and so on, so that your customers face no inconveniences, simply due to inaccurate information.
Social Media
As your customers spend more time online, they are likely to visit their social accounts more often, too. That’s the signal to keep your own profiles active!
Share relevant material on a cycle to gain a presence in their timelines. Again, empathy and transparency are the key. Focus on their needs and foster a sense of hope in these challenging times. Interact with customers through messages and comments, encourage user-generated content, and collaborate with influencers to widen your presence. Just associate yourself with positivity for now; this is not the time to do any hard selling.
This crisis is affecting marketers, too, we know. The bottom line here: Take whatever limited resources you have right now and use them where presence truly counts. Remain visible in your best channels, stay relevant with your messaging.
Let’s have a chat about how you’re coping with the COVID-19 crisis. If you need a lifeline to keep your marketing efforts going, we’re here for you, too.