How to Adapt Your SEO Strategy to the New Normal

The year 2020 brought out a surprise that affected the whole world. The COVID-19 pandemic made social distancing the norm in many countries. 

Naturally, your customers’ priorities have changed, and as a business, you need to adapt to the current times. This includes reviewing and updating your SEO strategy to ensure that they are well-suited for the changing environment. 

This article seeks to provide you with practical short and long-term SEO tactics that will enable your business to respond to challenges, such as COVID-19. Adapting your SEO campaign is crucial if you want to survive and prosper. 

Digitise your business 

One of the most significant effects of COVID-19 is how businesses and customers socially interact with each other. Many physical shops have closed down to prevent the virus from spreading, and the usual economic activities have been disrupted. However, this has also presented an opportunity for brave entrepreneurs. 

Consider the possibility of digitising the way you sell your products or services. Here are several ways of achieving your digital transformation goal. 

•       Use digital streams for your meetings or conferences.
•       Find new ways to reach customers while observing social distancing protocols.
•       Make it easy for customers to download technical content about your product. 

Consider your short-term SEO goals 

Right now, businesses are being classified as ‘essential’ or ‘non-essential.’ You need to find out which side you are on. 

If you’re deemed as ‘non-essential,’ don’t despair. Instead, find out how you and your staff can continue working remotely. If you take this approach, make sure to update your site, GMB profiles, and other online assets to keep your target customers informed. Don’t forget to include how your business will be available soon. 

Take your long-term SEO goals into account 

It will take some time for things to go back to the way they were. You don’t have the luxury of waiting that long. It would help to prepare your business for the long haul. 

One way is to ensure your website will rank well for high-volume and competitive keywords that will peak soon. 

For example, let’s say you’re selling water tanks. Focus your SEO strategy on how people will soon need the product when summertime comes. 

You may inevitably have short-term losses when times are uncertain. The important thing is to plan and optimise your products or service offering. This will help ensure the swift recovery of your business once the economy bounces back.     

What can you learn about people’s behaviour during uncertain times? 

The self–isolation and slowing down of economic activities had a significant but positive impact on the environment. This has led many decision-makers, business leaders, and professionals to consider the environmental impact of their construction projects. Many are now willing to adopt methods that will reduce their waste and carbon footprint. 

When you promote your product, therefore, you need to highlight it as a clean, safe, and sanitary solution to your customer’s problems.   

SEO strategies for the new normal 

Always look for ways to refine your message around important issues, such as COVID-19. Consider the following SEO tips if it applies to your business. 

1. Dedicate a page addressing COVID-19 

If your products or services have been affected by COVID-19 or other related issues, consider creating a dedicated page. This will direct any related traffic to critical areas in your site, such as the product pages. 

2. Create more videos or YouTube content 

YouTube and other video platforms continue to grow in popularity as people are forced to stay at home. Use this opportunity to create video content or convert your written content into a video format. 

3. Update your FAQ to address present concerns 

COVID-19 and other critical issues are enough reason to update your FAQs (frequently asked questions). You need to include answers that will satisfy queries related to the epidemic and how your business is responding to the challenges it brings. 

4. Incorporate the idea of social distancing into your messages to customers 

In your content creation, consider adding relevant messages, such as keeping social distance. You could also write DIY content using your products or services. 

5. Incorporate  cleaning guidelines for your products 

Cleaning and hygiene concerns are often on top of people’s minds during times like these. By adding such instructions to your products, you can capture a significant amount of search traffic. 

Conclusion 

Businesses need to adapt to the changes brought about by the new normal. You need to take action and modify your SEO strategy as needed. Also, your business will need to rely on working remotely and other digital means. If you need guidance on how to weather the storm, consider reaching out to us here at Springhill Marketing. We’ll help you explore new ways to adapt your digital marketing efforts to this brave new world.