The COVID-19 outbreak is all that’s on everyone’s mind right now and a load of uncertainty and panic comes along with it.

Changes have to be made for many businesses, both employers and employees are being affected, and everyone is getting themselves prepared for the worst.

In a crisis, however, there is always opportunity. 

Businesses can find that they thrive in these circumstances, which is why it is so crucial to continue SEO work!

Despite what it seems, the world keeps going round.

People still need things; they still need products and services, even if they’re shut indoors.

If you’re in self-isolation, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself getting bored quite quickly – and what do we do when we’re bored?

We use our devices! Whether it be on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, we will be scrolling, searching, clicking and buying.

Search engine marketing

If you’re advertising your product, you’ll still have the opportunity to make money. Even if sales slowdown as a result of the pandemic, investing in your SEO and search engine marketing will assure that the cash will keep flowing and position you well for when things do improve.

The great thing about search engine marketing is that you can easily track your results and see what’s working and what isn’t via analytics.

If something isn’t working so effectively, you can simply change tactics depending on what your data says. This assures that every penny is being well spent because, in some cases, you need to stretch your pound further!

You already know customers will be searching, so capture their attention at this point of the buying process. A campaign can be set up in a matter of hours via Google Ads and it’s a great way to reach customers with buying intent.

Searching in a time of scarcity

You’ve probably seen evidence of this already, but scarcity makes people buy. There’s no doubt that keywords such as ‘hand sanitser’ and ‘toilet roll’ are being searched in their thousands every day, and purchases lead to such items being sold out!

And what happens when items become sold out? People start searching for alternatives.

If your products or services can be considered as alternatives, then brace yourself for a lot of orders or enquiries coming your way!

If you see an opportunity to capitalise on certain keywords, then seize it! Work on content surrounding those keywords and similar topics to improve your rankings.

Popular keywords are likely to have a very high cost, so sticking to SEO can ensure you keep your spending down while still benefiting from scarcity buying.

Back to normal

Even when things have returned to their normal state, SEO and search engine marketing will still be the best way to reach customers who are searching – and customers will always be searching, no matter the state of the world!

An SEO campaign is a cost-effective way to get your business visible to potential customers, but it doesn’t happen overnight.

Campaigns can take months before you see results – so the sooner you start the sooner you’ll see those benefits.

Sometimes challenging a crisis head on can be the best foot forwards!