The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is rapidly redefining business models and changing consumer behavior.
As the disease continued to spread, countries announced various measures to contain the virus, by closing schools, shops, public spaces and points of entry.
These containment measures are causing drastic changes in various business sectors and in people's lifestyles.
With citizens encouraged to stay home, they end up spending more time online than ever before. This puts brands with an online presence in a better position to weather the storm compared to brands that don't.
However, several companies are taking various steps to cushion the economic impact by announcing spending cuts across all departments, including marketing.
However, with government-issued locks that have seen a reduction in foot traffic, businesses are now investing and channeling more resources into digital marketing.
The main objective is to capture the interest of consumers who isolate themselves in their homes and search for certain products and services on the Internet.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 outbreak has affected virtually every business sector. It also appears to be causing variations in digital marketing trends.
While some search engine optimization experts have noticed a drop in their organic search traffic, others have reported higher rankings along with an increase in organic search traffic.
What are the implications of COVID-19 for your current SEO strategy?
The measures in place to contain the COVID-19 outbreak only allow for the continued operation of essential services.
And during this time of crisis, search engines will focus on presenting users with authentic and credible content focused on global health information.
This also means a potential increase in organic traffic and SEO performance for companies with services related to nutrition, fitness, health and wellness.