How to use SEO to combat the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

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May 8, 2020 / by
How to use SEO to combat the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

SEO has been called a lot of things over the years but one thing it’s never been called is particularly helpful. It’s helpful to marketers, of course, and it’s certainly helpful for Google (otherwise, the results would be complete chaos) but few people have ever openly declared that good SEO has enriched their souls or changed their lives. Well, all that could be about to change.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting us all on lockdown, businesses across the globe have taken a pretty substantial hit across the board.

But while now might be the time to focus on the things that really matter (our health, our families and our sanity), SEO could be the port in this particular storm for businesses that hope to sustain themselves throughout this unique ordeal.

So how can SEO be of use during this global lockdown?

Don’t be forgotten

There’s nothing quite so painful and damaging as being forgotten and depending on how long this lockdown lasts, there are going to be hundreds of brands that have been forced to effectively put themselves on ‘pause’ that will probably be forgotten when this is all over.

Don’t be one of those brands – use the downtime to embolden your identity and SEO is one of the most powerful brand identity tools in the game.

People might not have a use for you right now, but they will, so use SEO to keep your brand in their minds so you’re not forgotten.

Be a lifeline

People are online now more than ever before and there are hundreds of companies taking advantage.

With so many other companies putting on the brakes, join this ambitious throng and be a lifeline to those businesses that want to put their pent up energy into a fresh SEO strategy.

Google doesn’t stop working just because the rest of the world has either – it’s still ranking at all times. If you’re running a small, niche business, use the opportunity to start ranking better within your niche. You might be the only one out there right now!

Show you care

This is not the time to be giving it the hard sell. The last thing people want when suffering through a global catastrophe is to be given the hard sell every time they open their phones. Use this time as a chance to show a little empathy and share content that lets them know you’re there for them and that you empathise with their plight. Also, if you’re trying to make the world a slightly better place (by donating a percentage of your profits to the NHS, for example) then don’t be shy about it – share it with there world. After all, we’re all in this together.

Discover and analyse new trends

There are a handful of major keywords currently being tapped into every search engine on earth on a daily basis right now but as the lockdown slowly becomes ‘normalised’ people will start reaching out for new things and new trends will undoubtedly develop. Just think, was ‘toilet paper’ a trend 2 months ago? Not at all, but now it’s like gold dust. You can also use SEO analytics to predict what the demand will be like as people’s needs and desires start to change, which will help you plan every move with razor-sharp efficiency.

The future is uncertain and the world is heading for a recession that might make the 2008 crash look like little more than an inconvenience. But that just means you should be thinking more long term. SEO is a definitively long-term marketing strategy that will plant the seeds now for fruits that might not develop until long after the coronavirus pandemic has faded from public consciousness. So start planting now before it’s too late!