The Coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic continues to gain momentum around the world. In an effort to slow this pandemic, many countries have asked their populations to stay confined to their homes or to limit their social contacts.
This confinement must also be respected by all professional sectors combined, apart from points of sale deemed essential, such as the food or health sectors. Faced with this crisis, the hotel and catering sectors and all other stores, independent or not, must react to limit occupational risks.
1) Web presence: the key to communication with your customers
You must continue to talk about your company. If this period of confinement undoubtedly disturbs your business or your activity, it also disturbs the daily lives of your employees and your customers.
On the one hand, your employees have to work from home or are temporarily laid off. On the other hand, your customers can no longer come to your business.
It is in this period of uncertainty that the web and SEO come into play and will be able to give you a real boost. Crises, whether financial or health, develop the spirit of solidarity of the population.
The first thing to do in times of crisis, such as that of Covid-19, is to warn, inform and reassure, in short to communicate about the state of your business and relate the facts.
It is important to remember the measures taken by the authorities and what you, as a company, will achieve to respond to these measures, both internally and towards your customers.
The use of digital technology is now at the heart of business communication strategies. Social networks (short term) and your website with SEO (long term) – if you have a website – will allow you to communicate easily with your different audiences.
Remember to reassure your audience and the people who follow you, about your services, to be transparent and honest about your situation.
Communication goes through three stages:
- Upstream communication: the measures taken by your company at all levels;
- Communication during the health crisis: how your company will react and react;
- Communication after the crisis: It is also essential to communicate when the crisis is over, talking about getting back to normal is more than important.
2) Adapt your offer and communication
Your business cannot open during confinement? Using social networks and your website can help you overcome this period of confinement.
It is important to continue communication with your customers and even to increase it. Indeed, if you have been forced to close, share your daily life, your recipes, your advice or other, to remind your customers that you are present and ready to welcome them at the end of the lock down. An action very easy to achieve using social networks, emailing and, above all, your website and its SEO.
Containment is an opportunity to develop the content on your website in order to develop, at the same time, the referencing of it!
And therefore, your presence on the search engines. An essential step for Internet users to find you and discover your activity.
Haven’t you started e-commerce? Don’t panic, social networks can help you once again. It is indeed possible for you to offer your services and products via social networks.
Offer consumers to order them directly by comment and put them aside or plan a nice and attractive little package to send them.
Are you in the hotel and catering business? Offering your services by delivery can also be a good option in the short term.
What social media users love is knowing more about the company and its commitments.
Talk about yourself, your employees, the brands you offer. It is also good to share this information on your website. Remember to take some photos or short videos of your products and detail their particularities: country of origin, materials, use … content that will certainly appeal to new generations, given the awakening of awareness of climate issues and products of short circuit.
3) Creating articles
Have you always wanted to give advice to your clients, write articles about your services?
Containment may well be the time.
Don’t hesitate to stay close to your audience by creating content on the internet: short articles, some tips, a tutorial … content that will allow you to maintain a relationship of trust with your customers, while keeping them entertained.
By directly integrating your articles on your website, you kill two birds with one stone. You communicate with your customers and you improve your SEO.
A site fed with relevant and unique content allows you to boost your site’s SEO on Google!
And, what could be more rewarding than being on the first page of a Google search? The opportunity to diversify your audience and make yourself known more.
Don’t have any ideas for content? Anticipate any questions your customers might ask about your business. Respond on video or in writing.
Writing about your online business will set it apart from the competition. This is why going through an agency specializing in internet SEO will allow you to translate your ideas into words. Your content will be optimized and your image enhanced, while being visible on search engines like Google!
4) Adapt your advertising budgets
Have you invested in advertising on multiple channels?
Containment will limit their diffusion.
Therefore, think about readjusting your priorities, reassessing your short-term expenses. Google Ads bidding systems may well increase after lockdown. It is therefore important to know precisely the services on which you want to position yourself.
5) Develop your presence on google
All these changes caused by the health crisis worry consumers, your audience!
Aside from building your social media and website content, realize that most consumers will need quick answers.
So take the time to update your information on the net. Whether it’s on your website by integrating a way to inform about your new opening hours, or your temporary closure, or a post on Facebook.
Search engine point of view? Adapt your hours and the specifics of your business during this period of confinement by updating your Google My Business page.
Google My Business is this little information page that appears on Google when you search the internet for your business. A key element of your communication during this time of crisis, since it allows everyone to contact you in seconds.
A good alternative for companies that do not yet have a website. Know all the same that the presence on the internet combined with a good SEO is the key to a new market.
Develop your presence on Google
Google My Business also invites you to create temporary posts, enough to communicate quickly, directly on Google.
Containment linked to Covid-19 has a very real impact on the functioning of all sectors of activity. Trying to be positive and developing your online presence and SEO will keep people engaged. A plus to prepare, very slowly, after the confinement!