It wasn’t long ago that the whole world was brought to a standstill by an unknown yet deadly corona-virus “Covid-19”. While govt. authorities all around the globe have taken precise measures to contain and prevent this epidemic. Businesses and industries have sought alternatives, primarily the internet to meet the demand & supply quotient, and connect with their clients.
The internet is proving to be a safe haven for everyone these days. More people are spending more time on the internet due to restrictions. Consequently, search engines have encountered more traffic and a change in search trends. SEO strategists claim to have observed a sudden shift in users’ behavior.
Let’s find out some of the major ways Covid-19 has impacted the search trends and why it’s important to adjust your SEO strategies so your business can survive and thrive in these crucial times.
Covid-19 is Trending!
At present, Covid-19 is the hottest keyword in search engines and it’s been like that for a while now. (No, there is no vaccination yet). It’s better to optimize your content accordingly to draw more organic traffic.
Even Google couldn’t escape the virus!
Google has confirmed a surge in Covid-19 related search trends in last few months. Almost every website these days have mentioned/included Covid-19 related searches in their web pages. Finding the right keywords has never been that important. Google Trends is a tool which helps you find the trending keywords so that you can stay up to date and modify your website accordingly and create valuable content.
Rise in web traffic in Essential E-Commerce Sites
Ever since the pandemic broke out, demand of hygiene products like toilet paper, hand sanitizers, face mask, etc., has skyrocketed. Essential commodities are in high demand whereas non-essential items have seen a never before decline in consumers’ interest.
Surge in Health & Wellness queries, and News publishers
As the number of cases of Covid-19 mounted, more people got health conscious. As a result, demand on information related to the Corona-virus symptoms, prevention & safety measures, home remedies, hygiene techniques, anti-bacterial and anti-viral products is on the rise. Traffic on health & wellness publishers’ sites has increased drastically and is still on the rise.
Medial queries cannot be taken lightly; therefore, it is important to utilize all the expertise possible to create relevant & valuable content. Building trust with your clientele at such delicate times will definitely bring more business your way long after the pandemic is over.
News publishers have seen significant rise on search traffic. Publishing authentic and credible news is the key to gain organic traffic in a long run.
Food Industry has been affected considerably by lock-down restrictions. Non- perishable food is in high demand. Recipe & cooking websites have experienced an upward trend. Restaurants are trying various means to reach their customers such as road-side take-away.
(Tip: Use structured data to promote recipes with fewer ingredients or with ingredients which are available right now.)
The impact of Covid-19 on the sector is huge. Danger is still lurking around and the effects are endless. But, whether the effects of Covid-19 be short term or long term. In any case, it is high time now for site owners to focus on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and adapt to the change in search trends and consumers’ expectations. Search Engine Optimization is the key to gain more traffic and earn more business in current digital medium of retail trade.