Here’s why SEO is more important than ever

It’s been a challenging few months for business owners across the world, with many being forced to reconsider budgets and the marketing channels they have been investing in. 

Those who have been investing in SEO for some time now will have likely reaped the benefits throughout the pandemic – PPC and social ad campaigns may well have been switched off to save vital funds, but the long term gains of SEO will have come into their own.

Whilst we’re definitely beginning to return to some sort of normally, it’s safe to say that we’ll be feeling the effects of COVID-19 for some time yet. So, if you’re starting to think about ramping up your marketing again, here’s why SEO is a channel that shouldn’t be ignored. 

Business has changed…

Lockdown of course meant that many businesses had to quickly adapt and utilise digital avenues. And whether we like it or not, it’s likely to have changed the way people shop and do business for good. 

If there’s ever a time to be easily found online, it’s now. Competition is only going to get fiercer, and with SEO being more of a ‘slow burn’ it’s best to start building your search presence sooner rather than later to get ahead of the curve.

Search behaviour has changed too, so if you’re already investing in SEO, it’s definitely worth revisiting the terms you’re optimising for. 

Local searches for example have increased as people are spending more time at home and turning their focus to independent businesses close by, so make sure you’re thinking about “near me”, “open now” and “delivery” search terms.

“Evergreen” content 

Evergreen content is a huge part of SEO, and essentially refers to content that doesn’t date – topics within your niche that are going to stay relevant regardless of the season or current ‘trend’.

COVID-19 has been an unavoidable topic of late, and something that all businesses have been tapping into from a content perspective, but interest is naturally going to decline over time. Those who continue to push out timeless pieces of content are going to come out on top when the Coronavirus noise inevitably dies down.

Whilst it’s always great to be topical, try not to let it dominate your content marketing strategy – there will be search queries now that need answering for years to come. 

Cost-effective visibility

Although you may not see instant results from SEO, it should be viewed more as a long term investment. Ultimately, we have no idea if something as drastic as a national lockdown could strike again. If the worst case scenario hits and you find yourself having to switch off those PPC ads, you’ll be glad you invested in organic as a channel that ensures visibility even when budgets get tight. 

You’ll also find that SEO becomes more effective over time – you might need to invest more initially but as your site authority improves and organic presence strengthens, you’ll likely need to do less to improve or maintain rankings. This makes for a great ROI.

Looking to invest in an SEO agency? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help during these difficult times.