SEO in times of Covid-19: changes, opportunities and recommendations

In SEO, the question arises as to how the behavior of users and search engines is changing in times of Covid-19 and what steps a company should consider taking in online marketing. The following article therefore deals with the search behavior of users, how Google is dealing with Covid-19, the potential for companies and reveals a few SEO recommendations so that nothing stands in the way of a top ranking even in these times.

1. user behavior in times of crisis .

A study based on data from Sistrix and Similarweb compared 40 websites from 18 different industries and identified the biggest losers and winners. The results of the study show that the food and beverage (+14.73 %), gaming (+11.14 %) and music (+11.07 %) industries have seen improvements in visibility, while the alternative and natural medicine (-10.23 %) and dating services (-2.45 %) industries in particular have lost significant visibility during the crisis.

Changes in user behavior can also be seen in the search volumes for some keywords: While almost no one was searching for toilet paper online before 2020, the search volume for the keyword "buy toilet paper online" jumped to 135,000 searches per month in March. In April, the hype calmed down again and the search volume decreased to 9900 search queries. The situation is similar with keywords such as "homeoffice", "homeschooling", "short-time work allowance", "1000 pieces puzzle" and other products from the entertainment industry.

Google Trends on the topics "homeschooling", "homeoffice" and "buy toilet paper online "

The current state of society is reflected in search queries. More time is being spent at home and more purchases are being made online. This change in user behavior offers great potential for companies to reposition themselves and opportunities to stand out from the competition.

2 Google in action .

In addition to the change in search behavior, Google is also adapting to the current situation. If you currently search for "coronavirus", a search engine result page (SERP) appears that addresses various topics relating to Covid-19. A site bar appears on the left with the topics "Overview", "Statistics", "Treatment", "Symptoms" and "Prevention" and on the right there is a map of the current spread and further information.

SERP for the keyword "coronavirus"

In addition, there are the latest headlines and information from the German government or the Robert Koch Institute above the first snippets. Google provides the user with an extensive selection of different high-quality content directly in the above-the-fold area and makes it easier for the user to obtain information. This clearly shows that high-quality content is strongly preferred by Google and that other content with less relevance has no chance on the first pages.

3. what companies need to consider now

These findings raise the question of how companies should act in the current situation without profiting too much from the plight of others. As a result of the changes in the lives of many customers, these changes are already starting on a small scale. Companies should inform customers whether the service, products or services they offer are currently available. This can be done via newsletters, pop-up windows or info boxes on the homepage.

In 2019, almost 50 percent of all search queries were related to local information, which is why local SEO is particularly important. Due to the current situation, social life is only taking place in a limited form. It is therefore advisable to maintain a company presence via Google My Business. Here, businesses can be reported as temporarily closed, opening hours can be adjusted and general brief information on a limited number of people in the business, mouth-nose protection rules or other precautions can be stored. In this way, customers can find out about changes to operating procedures before they visit the store. Recently, it has also been possible to

Enter information on whether food can be eaten on site or whether it is possible to collect or deliver food.
Even if a service cannot currently be offered or the business has to remain closed, websites should not be shut down. Hard-earned SEO signals are lost and links lead to broken links. In such cases, it is advisable to deactivate the purchase function and provide transparent information about the temporary restrictions.

Even in times of short-time working and reduced production, SEO optimizations should not be stopped, but rather opportunities should be seized to overtake the competition with targeted measures. Webinars, videos or responding to online reviews can help you stay in front of your customers. Discount campaigns on goods that are currently in demand, such as entertainment products or the offer of online sessions, for example in the fitness or music industry, are also worthwhile. By extending the validity of vouchers or launching targeted brand campaigns, you can stand out as a company during the crisis by sending positive signals and stay in the customer's mind.

4. recommendations

For the SEO channel, current projects will not be discontinued, but should continue as usual. The SEO basics remain the same even with the current social cuts.

Issues such as reach and authority should be considered in business ideas. Brands should be clear about what content they want to push and who they want to work with. The tone of voice of any advertising campaign should be adapted to the current climate so that customers can easily relate to it.

One basic consideration should be whether the content created offers added value. If a company wants to comment on the topic of Covid-19 on its website, it is important to question whether this serves a real purpose and helps the customer or whether the company simply wants to be present on a current topic. The focus should still be on the company's core business. If the company sells products that are in demand or useful in the home office, a blog article on the current application or tips for working at home is suitable at this point.

As many companies are now discovering the home office for themselves, the current situation also offers the opportunity to explore different media formats. There is an opportunity to test video integrations or webinars and increase brand awareness at the same time. In addition to implementing new content, it is also advisable to review existing content such as old blog posts, infographics, website texts or images. Is the content on the page still up-to-date, is traffic still coming in or is the content outdated and can be deleted? The analysis of existing content shows which content, titles and descriptions, product descriptions or landing pages should be revised.

Such updates, from new content to the maintenance of old content, are welcomed by search engines and can lead to an improvement in rankings. Now is the time to take care of the basics and outdo the competition who may not be taking any action.