Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing has been a key component of company marketing strategies for more than 2 decades. The United States issued social distancing guidelines in March 2020 and extended them through April 30, 2020. Since then, millions of businesses have been impacted by increasing unemployment rates and changes in consumer spending. COVID-19 has directly affected the way that people shop, the way that companies operate and the way that businesses approach marketing. As a result, COVID-19 is also impacting how SEO marketing operates.
Why Link Building Matters
Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo are popular search engines people use to search the web for information and websites. These search engines have crawlers that review data on billions of web pages. These crawlers use links to travel from page to page and site to site to find the most relevant, reputable information that fits the user’s search parameters. The crawlers target keywords related to the search information provided. Consequently, effective link building is a crucial component of professional web design.
How SEO Marketing Works
SEO marketing involves adding keywords to your website. The keywords increase the site’s ranking and ensure that it is indexed for relevant searches. An effective SEO marketing strategy involves producing relevant onsite content, as well as offsite content that links to your company’s website. Offsite content links ensure that search engine crawlers will locate your site and evaluate its content for relevance. Pairing your site’s links with other links to reputable sources of information with high SEO rankings will elevate your site’s rankings.
Developing an SEO Marketing Strategy
White Label SEO Reseller ensures that the links to their client’s website are placed in relevant content online. White label SEO companies like them use offsite link building from blogs and other websites to direct crawlers to your site and connect your business to reputable data sources with high rankings. SEO resellers perform keyword research to capitalize on current market trends. This can ensure your website is on the first page of search returns. The increased exposure to your site can generate traffic and revenue.
COVID-19
COVID-19 was first identified in China in late 2019. It is a highly contagious respiratory illness that has no known cure. COVID-19 has spread throughout Asia, Europe, North America and the rest of the world. Nations, including the United States, issued lockdowns or social distancing guidelines to limit the spread of the virus. The Washington Post reported March 26, 2020 that 3.3 million Americans had filed for unemployment benefits in the preceding week due to social distancing guidelines and shelter in place orders.
Online Traffic Shifts
Website traffic has shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers are turning to online retailers to purchase essential supplies without leaving their homes. Essential businesses that sell essential products are seeing increases in traffic, businesses with non-essential products have recorded declines of as much as 20%. Social media sites, such as Facebook, have seen growth in traffic and content volume. Spending on apps and the use of apps has increased by 15% and 20% respectively.
Short-Term Marketing Response
Businesses are conserving resources to cover critical expenses and retain the capital required to continue operating after lockdowns are lifted. Some businesses, including small businesses that have been forced to close during the pandemic, have opted to cut spending on marketing to compensate for decreased demand and loss of revenue. The reduction or elimination of marketing budgets has impacted all forms of advertising, including SEO marketing.
Long-Term Pain from Short-Term Cuts
Effective SEO marketing strategies rely on maintenance. Search engines are continually reviewing online content. A site’s ranking may be impacted by a decrease in relevant search terms or links from external sources. Over time, the lack of SEO marketing maintenance can result in a company’s site moving from the first page of returns a search engine produces to the third or fourth page. This decreases the site’s profile and traffic. Companies may negate their savings by increased post-pandemic marketing expenses required to rebuild their site’s ranking.
Planning for Recovery
Outbreaks of other diseases, such as measles and SARS, were followed by periods of economic recovery and growth. Businesses that retain SEO marketing are poised to capitalize as consumer spending increases. They may benefit from discounted rates for SEO marketing content during the pandemic. Businesses that maintain their SEO marketing will also be ready to launch new campaigns when the economy recovers, instead of concentrating on rebuilding their site’s profile.