Planning to Pause Online Activities Due to Coronavirus? Read This!

Neadoo Digital
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Neadoo Digital is a dynamic, innovative marketing agency specializing above all in search engine optimization and in running effective Google Ads campaigns. We build SEO strategies that answer the particular needs of every client. Our goal is to help companies of any size succeed in the digital arena - growing their visibility and driving valuable traffic to their websites.

Published
2020-03-27
5 min read

The coronavirus epidemic is a massive blow to the economy and a test for many businesses. However, the market abhors a vacuum, and every tragedy, even a global one, produces not only losers but also winners. Based on Google Trends data, we can see that queries related to online shopping are gaining popularity both in the Polish market and in the UK and the US.

The industries benefiting the most from the situation include:

  • online grocery stores,
  • developers and providers of online communication apps,
  • in the Polish market, also electronics stores (webcams, laptops, smartphones),
  • online gaming providers,
  • pet supplies,
  • personal protective equipment.

Those who have lost the most are primarily:

  • restaurants,
  • fitness clubs,
  • all kinds of entertainment venues - clubs, movie theaters, theaters,
  • the beauty industry,
  • taxis.

The absence of the travel industry in this infographic is somewhat surprising, but that is likely due to the specifics of the US market. Below is an infographic showing sales trends in the American market:

Is It Worth Giving Up on DIGITAL Marketing?

When a crisis hits and companies look for any possible way to cut costs, online advertising expenses often seem like one of the first things on the chopping block. And naturally, in many industries, this makes sense, since it is hard to justify marketing spend when facing employee layoffs, for example. Nevertheless, the 2009 financial crisis (the collapse of Lehman Brothers) already proved that cutting these activities is not a good decision. Why?

  1. SEO earns money, and search engine marketing drives sales and brings potential customers to your website right at the moment they are looking for products or services. Despite a 14-day quarantine, people still need products and services, and staying home encourages online shopping and web searches.
  2. Search engine marketing is measurable and flexible. With thorough data analysis, you can target your budget toward high-intent buyer keywords and channels, cutting back, for instance, on purely brand-focused terms - it is all a matter of pivoting your strategy!
  3. The market abhors a vacuum. Right now, it is difficult to find products like protective face masks, antibacterial gels, or toilet paper in traditional brick-and-mortar stores ;). Imagine the revenue generated by the top ten search results for those queries. If your business is not among them, your competitors certainly will be.
  4. Remember, despite this tough situation, the world is not ending. People will still need products and services, and search engine marketing is the best way to reach those customers.
  5. In time, everything will return to normal, and thanks to the right SEO strategy implemented or executed right now, you will gain far more benefits.

In his article for Search Engine Land, "Reducing digital marketing due to COVID-19? Read this first", Nick LeRoy also recommends sticking with SEO and Content Marketing efforts. He references data analysis showing that the only reason for lower impressions or traffic is a drop in demand caused by the coronavirus, not a shift in keyword rankings. Slashing your SEO budget means risking the loss of those valuable rankings, and when search volume bounces back - and it certainly will - you might see even less traffic than before the pandemic started. That is why maintaining - if not expanding - your SEO activities is so critical.

What You Can Do During This Challenging Time

In critical moments, reach out to your customers through social media. We are stuck in our homes, unable to meet friends or go to the movies or our favorite restaurants. Because of this, we are using social media more than ever to look for updates or stay connected with friends. This is a great time for your company stood out in a positive way. Do not be pushy, show empathy. Showcase your good deeds and build your brand.Make sure your company can be found online. Currently, more people are online than on the streets. In recent weeks, web traffic has increased significantly; we are looking not only for new information, but also for ideas on how to spend our free time and for entertainment, which for many involves shopping. This is not the time to hide online. It is time to build an SEO strategy to make it possible for people to reach your products.PPC advertising - a smart move for nowPPC is a great idea to gain a competitive edge. Statistics show that the average cost per click has dropped by about 6% and will likely continue to decline due to a smaller number of competing companies. Less competition, of course, also means a higher chance of conversion.Stay ahead of the competition SEO increases organic traffic to your website. Reaching the very top takes time, investment, and strategic planning. Halting an SEO campaign can be a critical mistake for your business - you risk losing not only your hard-earned results, but also revenue.Prepare your company for a return to normalcy The situation cannot last forever. It can be expected that in a month or two everything will begin to stabilize along with consumer behavior. What happens today in your SEO activities will be felt precisely when people want to spend their money.Special offers Show support for your customers. Create promotional offers. People are looking for savings and are eager to use discounts. You can quickly promote them using PPC ads or social media.Do not panic Making hasty decisions never ends well in an online marketing strategy. Analyze the data and make decisions based on it. The economy is not ending; people will continue using Google to search for products and services.Use this time to wrap things upHaven't had time to roll out new products to your website? Or maybe you've been writing copy for a new category for a month now? This is the best time to finish your digital to-do list. It is worth taking a close look at your website and running a CRO audit. So that you can hit the ground running with full force as soon as the epidemic ends.And one last, most important piece of advice...Take care of yourself, because your health is what matters most.Sources:https://searchengineland.com/covid-consumers-pessimistic-but-spending-more-online-331519https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seomonitor-marketing-investments-shrink/355828/https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-marketing-combat-coronavirus-impact/354780/https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-after-covid-19-8-opportunities-to-start-working-on-now/357068/