The normal ways of doing business have changed forever because of the coronavirus pandemic. Amid this transition to a new reality, one thing is clear: digital is absolutely essential.
Many of the world’s leading think tanks and agencies have long been advocating that a major shift to digital is looming. COVID-19 has only accelerated this. That’s why thousands of companies are spending more to make their online presence even more robust. If you aren’t one of them, you need to do everything in your power to stand out online. That means you need to start focusing on your SEO right now.
The post-COVID world will be digital
“The COVID-19 crisis seemingly provides a sudden glimpse into a future world, one in which digital has become central to every interaction, forcing both organizations and individuals further up the adoption curve almost overnight,” say the authors of an essay titled ‘Digital strategy in a time of crisis’ in an August 2020 McKinsey & Co. publication.1
They add that we are entering “a world in which digital channels become the primary (and, in some cases, sole) customer-engagement model.”
We have also previously written many articles that talk – among other things – about how SEO is crucial and why SMEs should revamp their digital strategy now.
Today, let’s look at 3 reasons why SEO is extremely important in this digital-first ‘new normal’ of COVID-19.
Customers are doing a lot more online
Going forward, consumers will look for new businesses almost exclusively online first. In fact, in a recent Moz whitepaper2, nearly 80% of respondents said that businesses’ home page is now Google. What does this mean?
In the pre-COVID days, customers could find out about business in many ways. They could see a signboard or attend an event, or meet someone from the company. However, due to the increased restrictions on going out and the growth of remote work, people are mainly finding companies online, through Google search.
And, as we all know, if you want your business to be found online, SEO is the best way to do it.
Local SEO is more crucial now than ever
Because people don’t want to go far to get their services, searches for products or services ‘near me’ are on the rise. The goal of local SEO is to get you the fastest relevant result which is close to your current geographical location.
Therefore, if companies focus on their Local SEO, they can ensure they get a lot more business from people in close proximity.
More brands are investing in digital and SEO now
Another recent report reveals that COVID-19 is only increasing the pressure on companies to undergo a digital transformation.1 Nearly 90% of the technology specialists surveyed reported that digital customer experience is now their first priority.
At the same time, more than 65% said that the pandemic has exposed several weaknesses in their digital strategy. Meanwhile, about 75% of them said that digital projects that would have taken a year or so to get approval are now being approved in weeks!
All this just goes to show how important digital is. Thousands of companies are accelerating their push to give customers a seamless digital experience. So, if everyone around you is in a race to Page #1 on Google, don’t get left behind! Start working on your company’s SEO strategy immediately so you can also capitalise on this opportunity.
If you’re not sure how to create an SEO strategy, just get in touch with us and we’ll do a free SEO audit for you!
In the coming weeks, we are going to be writing more about SEO and what SMEs can do to quickly undergo a smart, effective digital transformation. Follow us on LinkedIn and regularly visit our blog to read the latest updates!
1. McKinsey & Co., Digital Strategy in a Time of Crisis
2. Moz, State of Local SEO Industry Report 2020
3. AppDynamics, The Agents of Transformation Report 2020: COVID-19 Special Edition
