COVID-19 has impacted all online and offline industries across the globe, and search engine traffic is certainly not immune to its impact. While many digital platforms and websites have experienced a surge in traffic, many ecommerce websites have witnessed a marked reduction.
In this article, we will explore 7 ways in which COVID-19 has impacted search traffic and how SEO experts can respond to this pandemic.
Here, take a look:
1. The Sale of Essentials has Increased
Ecommerce sites that are selling essential items have witnessed marked increments in traffic and impressions. People are turning towards ecommerce sites to shop for basic essentials and cleaning products, particularly hand sanitizers, toilet papers, wipes and more. While the demand for essentials are increasing, people are avoiding buying makeup products, clothing and luxury items.
SEO experts can respond to this surge in demand by curating segments and pages for products that are high in demand. It is important to keep a close eye on traffic data and impressions, and observe keywords and log files.
2. Increased Demand for Health & Wellness Information
In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, Google has developed stricter content policies for informative and advice articles pertaining to medical issues. There is a huge surge in the demand for health and wellness sites, as people are looking for information that they can incorporate in their everyday lives.
SEO experts must focus on designing easy to navigate and immersive websites that provide reliable and scientifically backed information.
3. Cooking Recipes are high in demand
Since more and more people are cooking at home instead of eating out, and cooking is also a healthy hobby, there is a greater demand for food and recipes-related content. This demand is likely to continue until the coronavirus pandemic is well behind us.
SEO experts can respond to this surge in demand by providing elaborate websites with immersive recipes. Structured data and content optimization will help boost the search results. It is also important to focus on recipes that do not require fancy ingredients.
4. Increased Traffic on Travel Websites
While the pandemic has shut down all possibilities of traveling and vacationing, people are still visiting traffic websites in huge number. They are looking for “cheap flights” and hotel discounts in hopes that the pandemic restrictions would prove helpful in scoring valuable deals. SEO experts can respond by pooling all relevant data into streamlined and structured websites.
5. Greater Demand for Publisher Websites
Publisher websites are facing an incredible surge in demand as people are constantly seeking updates on the worldwide impact of the pandemic. Needless to say, we have all been glued to news lately, and SEO experts can offer valuable support in terms of news and factual updates.
6. Decreased demand for restaurants
Restaurants have experienced a marked reduction in demand, while many are operating on a pick-up and delivery basis. If you are working as an SEO expert for a restaurant, perhaps you can push the audience to focus on delivery options. If your restaurant is closed down entirely, you can help your audience by starting a cooking show and teach them to prepare their favorite dishes at home.
7. Reduced Spending on SEO Campaigns
Businesses all over the world have had to cut down on their spending for SEO campaigns. These budget cuts have urged SEO experts to focus on organic search and content optimization, which has made SEO more significant than ever.
