Are you planning on stopping online activities because of coronavirus? Read this!
The coronavirus epidemic is a huge blow to the economy and a test for many companies. However, the market hates a vacuum, and every tragedy, even a global one, creates not only losers but also winners.
Based on the Google Trends results, we can observe that on the Polish market, as well as in the UK and the USA, searches related to online shopping are gaining popularity.
The industries benefiting from the situation are primarily:
- online grocery stores,
- developers and suppliers of applications that enable online communication,
- on the Polish market also electronics stores (cameras, laptops, smartphones),
- suppliers of online games,
- pet supplies,
- personal protective equipment.
Among the most affected businesses are:
- restaurants,
- fitness clubs,
- all kinds of entertainment facilities (clubs, cinemas, theatres),
- beauty industry,
- taxis.
The lack of the tourism industry in the infographic may be a bit surprising, but it is probably a matter of the specificity of the American market.
Below you can find an infographic presenting sales trends on the American market:
Should you give up on digital marketing activities?
In a moment of crisis, when companies are looking for all possible sources of savings, the costs associated with online advertising seem to be among the first to “cut”. And, of course, in many industries, it is justified. After all, it is hard to expect to sustain marketing expenses when faced with, for example, redundancies. Nonetheless, the crisis of 2009 (the collapse of Lehman Brothers) has already shown that giving up on such activities is not a good decision. Why?
- SEO – makes money, and search engine marketing leads to sales and helps potential customers reach your website whenever they are looking for such an offer. Even during the 14 days of quarantine, people still need products and services. And staying at home promotes online shopping and searching the web.
- Search engine marketing is measurable and flexible. Thanks to a thorough analysis of the data, you can direct your budget to phrases and channels aimed at purchase-oriented customers, giving up, for example, brand phrases – everything is a matter of changing your strategy!
- The market abhors a vacuum. At the moment, it is difficult for us to get such products as protective masks, antibacterial gels, or toilet paper in traditional shops. Imagine the income generated by the top ten search results for these phrases. If your company is not among them, your competitors certainly will.
- Remember, despite the difficult situation, the world is not coming to an end. People will still need products and services, and search engine marketing is the best option to reach customers.
- In a while, everything will be back to normal, and by realizing the appropriate SEO strategy or implementing one right now, you will gain more benefits.
Nick LeRoy, in his article for Search Engine Land, “Reducing digital marketing due to COVID-19? Read this first”, also recommends continuing with SEO and Content Marketing activities. He’s referring to the analysis of the data, which shows that the only reason behind the decline in the number of views and visits to a website is a fall in demand caused by the coronavirus, not by the changes in ranking. By reducing your budget for SEO campaigns, you’re risking losing valuable positions, and once the search level comes back – and this is sure to happen – you may have even fewer visitors than before the pandemic began. That’s why it is so important to maintain – if not develop – your SEO activities.
What can be done during this difficult time?
In times of crisis, contact your customers via social media
We are locked in our homes, we cannot meet our friends, go to the cinema or our favorite restaurant. Because of this, we use social media more often, whether to look for new information or contact friends. It is a good time for your company to stand out in a positive way. Do not be pushy, show empathy. Show your good deeds and build your brand.
Make sure that your company is visible on the Internet
Nowadays, more people are online than on the streets. In recent weeks, online traffic has increased significantly, and we are looking not only for important information and news but also for ideas for spending free time and entertainment, which many people associate with shopping. This is not the time to hide your online presence. It’s time to build an SEO strategy to help clients reach your products.
PPC Ads – Smart On/Off Promotion
PPC is a great idea to gain a competitive advantage. The statistics show that the average cost-per-click has fallen by around 6% and will probably continue to fall due to fewer competitors. Less competition gives you, of course, a better chance of a conversion.
Stay ahead of the competition
SEO increases organic traffic to your website. But reaching the very top requires time, investment, and strategy. Stopping your SEO campaign due to the epidemic can be a fatal mistake for your company – you risk losing not only the achieved results but also the revenue.
Prepare your business for a return to normality
This situation cannot go on indefinitely. It can be expected that in a month or two, everything, together with consumer behavior, will start to stabilize. And the effects of your current SEO activities will be felt when people decide to spend their money again.
Promotional offers
Show support to your customers. Create promotional offers. People are looking for savings and are happy to use discounts. You can quickly promote them with PPC ads and social media.
Don’t panic
Hasty decision making never ends well when it comes to online marketing strategy. Analyze data and base your decisions on the results. The economy is not over, and people will continue to look for products and services through Google.
Use this time to get things done
If you haven’t had time to add new products to the website until now or you have been writing texts for a new category for a month now – this is the best time to complete your digital to-do list. It’s worth taking a look at your website, perform a CRO audit. This way, you’ll be able to start working at full capacity as soon as the epidemic is over.
And the last advice…
Take care of yourself. Right now, your health is the most important thing.
Sources:
https://searchengineland.com/covid-consumers-pessimistic-but-spending-more-online-331519
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seomonitor-marketing-investments-shrink/355828/
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-marketing-combat-coronavirus-impact/354780/