With the onset of COVID-19 in our communities and our world, the way people live and work has permanently changed. For the first time in history, many people have found it necessary to get online for work, supplies, and information in order to survive.
It’s important to look at the pandemic landscape and acknowledge that we’ve learned some critical lessons. Taking note of past and current trends will help you move into the future with confidence and success.
Why Is SEO Important?
SEO has always been a crucial part of any business marketing plan. Increasing traffic to your website and providing a premium shopping experience are essential for obvious reasons.
In the last two years, many people have had to use the internet as a lifeline.
SEO has taken a front seat to business success, and it can no longer be a haphazard, pieced-together plan. Intentional and comprehensive SEO strategies must be a part of every plan to reach target audiences.
Learn how our SEO services can help you reach your target audience organically. Contact us today!
Here’s What We’ve Learned About SEO:
1. Great Content is Key
Premium, relevant information has always been a top priority when it comes to online content. Google algorithms are getting better and better at deciphering good content from excellent content, and that appears to be on a consistently upward trajectory.
Moving into post-COVID territory, user experience and online content will have more competition than ever before. That means unique, timeless, detailed information is what will set businesses apart. For companies to survive, many have moved online to sell, communicate, and promote their businesses.
2. Optimizing Your Mobile Site Is a Must
Focusing on a stunning website is important, but are you taking time to optimize your mobile site as well? With a rise in using the internet to shop, get information, and news, mobile usage is rising.
Google noticed that trend in March of 2021 and started working towards a Mobile-first indexing model1, dropping desktop-only sites from being indexed. With over half of all online searches2 on mobile devices, not focusing on mobile SEO efforts is a huge mistake.
To take full advantage of business opportunities via mobile, pay attention to organic traffic strategies, advertising, and SEO techniques such as loading time, responsiveness, and visual stability3. Consistent updates and creating excellent content are crucial to getting found in google searches and improving your search engine rankings.
3. Utilize All Social Media Opportunities
If businesses want to stand out from the crowd, they need to be visible. That means that they need to have a presence in every place that their consumers spend time. A solid social media presence is crucial to getting found and increasing traffic to your site.
Using multiple digital platforms allows for a further reach in demographics, age groups, and socioeconomic status. Posting quality, consistent information is another crucial component of post-pandemic business savvy.
How COVID-19 Has Influenced Consumer Search Trends
Lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 have meant that people’s focus has also shifted. Staying on top of keyword research trends is essential to a strong SEO strategy so your business can rank highly. Here are some of the emerging trends:
- Health. Both mental and physical health have become big players in the online world. This Centers for Disease Control 2020 mental health survey4 found that 40% of the surveyed adults claimed issues related to mental health. Getting creative with reaching people dealing with anxiety or depression is the first step in providing much-needed care. Telehealth use5 is also on the rise, and with that, increased use of wellness apps.
- Consumerism. With so much uncertainty surrounding product supply chains and travel, people seem to want to shop smarter and stay local. Shoppers frequently use the web to verify hours, order curbside pickup and get the latest up-to-date information. Local SEO and tools such as Google My Business and Google Posts have become essential for in-town businesses to get found. Not giving proper attention to local SEO means leaving valuable money on the table.
- Pandemic related topics. The one thing that’s on everyone’s mind is anything COVID or vaccine-related. People want to know the latest information about research, government mandates, and safety. Studies on pandemic search trends6 have shown more people searching for care, government programs, travel, outlook, and news regarding Covid-19 and its effect in our communities.
- Hobbies. With more people working from home and some having extra time on their hands, an uptick in recreation and hobby searches has been ongoing. Recipes, sewing, and golf are just a few of the increased trending keyword searches. Now more than ever, people are taking time to focus on personal well-being and leisure activities.
How can you optimize your content to take advantage of these growing trends? Contact Levy Online to learn how we can help!
How Online Trends Help Us Plan for the Future
By looking at consumer search trends, we can see that on-page and off-page SEO is more important now than ever before. With an increasing number of people turning to the web to get information and fulfill daily needs, SEO-optimized websites are a must to survive.
Premium content and intentional SEO efforts are no longer optional but essential. Optimizing content and keywords now will help your business withstand economic changes and give you a solid foundation for the future. The SEO team at Levy Online is ready to help you take your business to the next level with SEO strategies that work. Contact our team to see how we can partner with your business and help you achieve your goals.
Sources:
1Montti, Roger. (14 October 2020). Google Mobile First Index – Zero Desktop Content March 2021. Search Engine Journal. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
2Statista. (July 2021). Mobile share of organic search engine visits in the United States from 3rd quarter 2013 to 2nd quarter 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
3Google Search Central. (28 May 2020). Evaluating page experience for a better web. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
4Czeisler MÉ , Lane RI, Petrosky E, et al. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (14 August 2020). Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1049–1057. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
5Koonin LM, Hoots B, Tsang CA, et al. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (30 October 2020). Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January–March 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1595–1599. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
6Mangono T, Smittenaar P, Caplan Y, Huang V, Sutermaster S, Kemp H, Sgaier S. (May 2021). Information-Seeking Patterns During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across the United States: Longitudinal Analysis of Google Trends Data. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) 2021;23(5):e22933. Retrieved 10 December 2021.