Recently, SEO Journal released an article about the behaviours of people when they visit websites. The author, Julie Joyce, said that there are 8 reasons why we “Google” and click (or tap) on a website:
- To learn
- To buy
- To be entertained
- In need of information
- To be inspired
- To stay in touch
- To feel connected
- Just bored
It may sound like we’ve been doing all this since the beginning of the internet, but these reasons are more prevalent now in the age of COVID-19. While Australia is slowly reopening its economy and businesses are excited about welcoming their customers into their stores again, many people are still at home, either working or studying and would rather not risk going out.
This new way of life has led to an e-commerce boom and the ‘Netflix and chill’ has levelled up.
Older folks who cannot go out of their homes have adapted to a new norm: video calls with their children and grandchildren. Meanwhile, students are also using video conferencing as a way to keep up with their classes and lectures.
We’ve begun to take a new appreciation for working at home and scrolling Pinterest for ideal home office setups to suit our tastes has never been more popular.
Some of us have even reconnected with old flames through social media!
And sometimes we just jump down the rabbit hole late one night and find ourselves on Youtube watching What The Truman Show Teaches Us About Politics.
So how do these trends affect your content marketing strategies?
Optimised Content is still King
If you notice amongst all those actions listed above, they have one thing in common: optimised content.
SEO services are as relevant now as they were then, especially now that ad spending has taken the back seat in many online marketing budgets. During this time, it’s good to realign your content marketing goals with your business goals – and they must be customer-centric.
These goals may be:
- Supporting customers throughout COVID-19 and beyond.
- Informing them how your business and the industry you’re in, is dealing with the effects of the ‘new norm’.
- Engaging new customers in a variety of creative ways.
One way you could let your customers know you care is to have a COVID-19 page. Not only will it rank in specific searches, but it’s also a good idea to let them know what the current state of your business is and the necessary precautions you’ve taken.
If you’re a restaurant owner, for example, you can say that while you are not open for dine-in at the moment, customers can still buy from you via takeaway or delivery.
On the other hand, if you’re a hardware store, you can inform site visitors by saying that your shop is still open and you still offer your services but only accept contactless payments or allow a few people in your store at a time.
Remember that aligning your goals with what your customers need is what gets them coming back to your site.
Videos Remain Superior
There are people who are now at home and trying to improve an aspect of themselves.
It may be an online course about gardening in a small space or the standard home workout videos.
Either way, these are usually in video format, regardless if it’s free or not, and people are watching.
We also know that millions of employees are now working from home and using video conferencing platforms like Skype, Zoom and Google Meet to talk with their colleagues. Even some B2C companies are using these platforms to conduct online consultations with their clients or having product demos.
People use TikTok to make a funny video or make a point that text-based statuses cannot fully convey.
Videos have been around for a relatively long time but are becoming a pillar of connectivity in the new norm. It’s best to optimise this handy feature to get to your customers faster. Even at the comfort of your own home, if you have good lighting and all the materials you need to teach or show off your skills, you can use videos to get the audience you need.
Voice Search Triumphs During COVID-19
Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are fun AI to talk to.
More so, they are instrumental in helping customers find businesses near them.
For instance, if you’re a B2B company who’s still operating and you need a helping hand with your digital marketing execution, you can ask Siri for help on your iPhone. Come close to the speaker and say ‘search engine optimisation in Australia’ and she’ll give you a list of agencies that you can contact.
Narrow it down further with, let’s say ‘SEO services in Melbourne’ and you’ll get more specific searches nearer your location.
It’s easier to use than typing in on Google Search, and you get your results even faster.
Each strategy has its own strengths but put them together into one fool-proof content plan and you will find yourself in the same field as your customers.
Whether it’s optimised content, videos or voice searches – Social Fox has the right mix of strategies to help your business stay at the forefront of your customers’ mind and one step ahead of your competitors. We offer search engine optimisation services in Australia, helping companies use the right keywords, at the right time and create amazing evergreen content that’ll rank high on search engines.
Learn more about our SEO services on our website and, when you’re ready, contact us for a free quote.