The coronavirus pandemic was something that no one saw coming, and it has affected the economy in huge ways. It has also brought the importance of internet marketing into the spotlight. When states went into lockdown, many traditional brick-and-mortar stores had to shut their doors. However, this was not the case for digital commerce. While internet marketers were less likely to close down, they were still affected by the pandemic, and now face a new and uncertain landscape. One thing is for sure, however, and that is that loyal customers are built on trust in the business. In this day and age, search engine optimization (SEO) is the best way to build trust through marketing, and in this article, we’ll go over exactly how to use it.
Marketers and SEO
According to a Conductor report from the Search Engine Journal, 63% of marketers believe that SEO will become more important as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect Americans. Such a widely shared belief is uncommon in any industry. Coronavirus has also brought struggles to the forefront of the internet marketing industry, with 86% of marketers agreeing that their goals will be harder to achieve in 2020. Despite these somewhat pessimistic statistics, it is revealing that internet marketers face them and see SEO as a feasible countermeasure.
Trust and SEO
In times of economic strain, like during a pandemic that has cost thousands to lose their jobs, customers are unlikely to spend their money with a business that they don’t trust. SEO is what companies use to build trust with their potential customers. When people are searching for a service, they expect their search results to be accurate. It is because of this that Google now has E-A-T quality rater guidelines; to ensure expertise, authority, and trust. The E-A-T guidelines essentially provide google with data telling them if their algorithm is successful at providing the search results people are looking for. Good use of SEO can help you rank highly among search results, which shows consumers that you are trustworthy, a major factor in where they decide to spend their money. If one thing has been made clear in 2020, it is that trust is one of the deciding factors for consumers.
Investing in SEO
According to a BrightEdge report from the Search Engine Journal, more than 40% of earnings are brought in just by organic internet traffic. Most of these customers are brought in by SEO and internet marketing. When your site ranks in the top few search results, customers are more likely to click the link. With this much revenue driven by SEO, it is an investment that can pay for itself quickly. Especially when you’re forced to deal with a decreased marketing budget, SEO is a great way to keep traffic steady while spending less. With 65% of marketers predicting a budget cut this year, smart investments are more important than ever. SEO is by no means a new marketing strategy, but it has shown itself to be one of the most consistently successful.
SEO in Tough Times
SEO offers two main benefits: a foundation of trust with the public and return on a long-term investment. With economic uncertainty in the future for an unknown amount of time, having these safeguards in place has become more important than ever. Keeping your revenue up by staying relevant online is key to staying alive through tough times. A good SEO strategy can be a lifeline during times 51% of all web traffic comes from organic searches, according to the BrightEdge report. Even with a shutdown in traditional businesses, e-commerce has been going strong and SEO has never been more important when it comes to staying relevant among the competition.
While the US continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy, many businesses face an uncertain future. Even with shrinking budgets, SEO is a crucial marketing strategy in 2020 and can save a struggling business in the pandemic. With an uncertain future on the horizon, an SEO strategy is one of the best investments you can make for your company. For help developing a comprehensive SEO and internet marketing strategy come to Local SEO Tampa Company.