28May, 2020

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Coronavirus has affected the world in an unprecedented way. Never was a pandemic this widespread and this severe since the bubonic plague 400 years ago. It has affected every walk of life and businesses are the worst affected. People are relying on courier services for eCommerce in India even for getting the essentials delivered to their doorstep – such is the fear of stepping out of homes. Automobile, Tourism and Hospitality, Retail, Insurance and Sports are the industries that are worst affected and face a fight for their existence.

When in times of a crisis, companies tend to cut peripheral costs to run core functions like payroll and operations. Generally, marketing is the first to get burnt in cost-cutting. In this world of digital marketing and e-commerce, SEO companies that rely on the marketing budget of the firms face an unprecedented crisis.

But cutting marketing budgets during the times of crisis is not a sustainable idea. A brand always must be on top of a customer’s mind. It is taking the budget away from marketing signals that a brand is absent during the crisis. This is not good for a company in the long run.

Digital Marketing and SEO agencies will have to adapt to this crisis, as well. Here are a few strategies that SEO agencies can employ to lessen the impact of coronavirus:

Build Up Goodwill

In the time of crisis, many companies are resorting to cost-cutting measures. But it is the countless local businesses on the verge of going out of business like local restaurants, departmental neighbourhood stores etc. Trying to help them ride out this crisis genuinely will earn a lot of goodwill. This will be helpful once the crisis is over to attract more clients who believe you.

Predict Early Trends

There has been a surge of internet traffic due to lockdown. With more free time, the search behaviour of the people is changing. Seizing onto the opportunities in new trends will reap benefits in the future.

Think Long Term

In these trying times, many companies are cancelling their contracts owing to budget cuts. So, it is up to the SEO agencies to take the first foot forward and stall the deals. This has a twofold advantage. Firstly, as you are stalling the contract, your clients won’t have to pay the fees, and you won’t lose your clients. Secondly, this will earn the trust of the companies. Use this crisis as a platform to build a long-term relationship with your clients not based on business but trust.

Expand Your Portfolio

The coronavirus crisis has hit many industries, but there are a few that are thriving. EdTech, Pharma and healthcare, consumer goods and OTT platforms are flourishing from this lockdown. So, trying to sign clients from these domains would hedge the losses suffered if the companies are trying to cancel their digital marketing contracts.

This pandemic has impacted all the businesses. It is up to the SEO agencies to help companies understand the importance of SEO in times when internet traffic is surging. We live in an era where speed and convenience are prioritized. So, investing in SEO will not be a loss for the companies in the long term.