Let’s face it, it is a challenging time.
People are struggling, so do small businesses. Many are wondering whether they shall reduce their annual budget in an attempt to mitigate any potential issues in their cash flow, or still, whether they should cancel a marketing campaign for fear that the business may not survive the downturn. Another crucial question many are asking is whether they should wait for the dust to settle before committing to anything.
As you continue to figure out the steps to take for your business, think about this: what’s going to happen when things turn around? Once the crisis ends, we will surely be left with a totally different world with customers and competitors being completely reshuffled from what we know today. Many business owners are hesitant to spend today, which is understandable. But the truth is, whoever keeps investing and knows how to invest wisely, will most likely be the one who will come on top in the future. As Warren Buffet famously said, “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” It’s all about allocating resources to the right thing at the right time.
“Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy and Greedy When Others Are Fearful”
Warren Buffett
If you are on the outlook for long-term profits just like those value investors do, there’s no better time than now to invest part of your spare resources into something that can generate long-term value, for instance, SEO.
Why investing in SEO in the middle of the current COVID-19 crisis is actually a good idea? Let us present you with three reasons:
Your competitors are losing momentum
Due to the drop in demand and the government orders, many businesses are halting their operations, and their SEO budget hasn’t been spared. Whatever momentum your competitors have been building, be sure that it has been slowed down, thereby presenting you with a unique opportunity. If you have been struggling to keep pace with other leaders in the market, this is the chance for you to cement your place at the top. As competition recedes during the current COVID-19 crisis, you can be certain that there will be new realignment, and smart business owners would take advantage of this to get ahead.
Majority of your competitors aren’t planning about their future, as most of them are focused merely on what is in front of them at the moment. They assume that they will just pick up where they left off. But the truth is, when it comes to SEO, building momentum is key. With lost momentum, your competitors will require more time and resources to catch up with you. Imagine that!
Organic search will be the key driver of acquisition
Currently, there is a necessity due to shelter in place, and there will also be a change in the purchasing habits expected in the future because of the crisis. Over the years, many consumers have already shifted their shopping destinations online, and more will use the search engine to find what they need. Remember that even before the coronavirus hit the world, search engines were used for a majority of all the purchase decisions – almost 89% – and reached over 3 trillion searches in a year. This is to tell you that circumstances and habits are expected to continue driving consumers and businesses to search engines so as to find an alternative. And as customers continue searching for products and services online, they may find that their previous suppliers is no longer there or the services offered by the current ones aren’t up to par, the customers will start looking for alternatives. When they do, you’d better be there. Nothing beats an organic ranking at the top of Google when it comes to customer acquisition, simply because occupying the golden spot on the internet is just as good as, if not better than, owning a brick-and-mortar on Oxford Street!
Customers still need products & services
Despite the fear that has flooded the entire market, it is not like the world is coming to an end. People will still need goods and services. And as you know, search engine advertising and marketing is one of the best ways to reach customers with the intent of buying. So, if your business is one of those that provide essential goods or services that are sought after regardless of changing economic climate, you should definitely have a presence online. All you have to do is to ensure that you have a good website which is ranked high enough in the search engines, thereby, can be easily found by your potential customers.
In the end, everything will normalise eventually. When that happens, you can be certain that one of the most effective ways to reach your potential customers will be through the internet. The business that implements effective SEO strategies during the crisis will be primed to take a leading position when everything returns back to normal. It is true that for a SEO strategy to run effectively, it takes time and skills, but for businesses that dare to spend now during the crisis, they will reap lasting rewards in the future. Fortune favours the bold. Think long term. As an old Chinese proverb goes: in order to catch a big fish, you need to cast a long line.
