By Alex Lysak, Contributor
Anyone that has researched the latest SEO techniques 2020 before March of this year didn’t anticipate the COVD-19 pandemic. Now, businesses are scrambling to stay afloat through digital marketing, courier services, and other online sources.
Companies of all backgrounds have experienced interruptions to an extent, but one thing is certain: their SEO methods have to change. There’s no better time to research consumer behavior, keep up with trends, and increase organic search visibility in your restaurant’s during and post-pandemic SEO strategy.
That’s why Alex Lysak from Scanteam shares how to build advanced SEO techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to learn ten tips to strengthen your SEO program during the coronavirus crisis.
Make Your Statement Known
Viewers are paying attention to what your stance is on current events. This is the time to express it by creating an entire page dedicated to your COVID-related traffic. This landing page should be about what you’re doing to make a difference. It can be in the form of contributions or plugging invaluable resources for those that want to help.
As a restaurant, you’ll also want to explain the extra cleaning efforts and precautions your restaurant is making to keep both your staff and guests safe from COVID-19 transmission at your establishment.
Optimize Your Restaurant’s Website
It’s time to update your information if you haven’t already. With increased online traffic, you want to fine-tune your restaurant’s website by simplifying the navigation, increasing page speed, and improving the overall appearance. You can also add additional features such as live chat for guest support and a free newsletter to keep your guests and followers informed and delighted by your offerings.
This is also where you’d add your address regarding COVID-19. It would be in your best interest to include a banner or a pop-up along with a page. It can be a quick summary of what your business is doing to keep customers and employees safe.
Strengthen Your Restaurant’s Online Presence
Consistency will be even more important now that you have more eyes watching than usual. In a world filled with change and uncertainty, it’s nice to enjoy something that's posted on a regular schedule. It’s a continuous process that’s rewarded with growth.
It’s hard work like any other campaign, but this time, it keeps the audience engaged and distracted from world events. Strengthen your online presence by being creative but consistent. This can be as simple as sharing user-generated content (UGC) you’re tagged in on social media, creating some videos promoting your talented kitchen & bar team, talking about major sporting events, and more.
Build Trust Through Your Content
Right now, customers are being bombarded with conflicting information and are turning to news outlets and brands they trust. Being on the top of a Google SERP shows that you are considered a reliable source as well. That means having the answers to their most difficult questions.
Unsure how to gain the trust of your audience? Here are some key points to building your reputation.
Avoid pushing sales. Instead, be mindful of your audience.
Provide facts. Reference reliable sources when discussing COVID-19, and offer contacts and support that is relevant to your area and audience.
Avoid divisive language. Aim to create content that is comforting, educational, and reassuring.
Stay Relevant (and Relatable)
Many advanced search engine optimization strategies emphasize the importance of staying on top of what’s trending, and there’s nothing more talked about than COVID-19. So, your audience is in the middle of a pandemic, but what does that entail? Much of your audience is in one of the following situations:
Unable to travel
Unemployed or working from home
Working in the frontlines as an essential worker
Struggling with homeschooling and handling children at home
Experiencing common side effects of self-isolation
It’s also about putting yourself in their shoes and thinking about what kind of experience they would like from your website. On top of providing relevant and informative content, you can also add in evergreen blog posts, as long as it’s mindful of the pandemic.
Update Your Meta Descriptions
Adding meta descriptions is another essential step to your pandemic SEO program. Using meta descriptions in your web pages helps Google understand your website and how to rank your pages in their searches.
When you do your keyword research, look for long-tail keywords that are specific to FAQs. Users are more likely to make searches close to a question format - especially when it pertains to the pandemic and new business practices.
Use Local SEO Tactics
The movement to support small local businesses is on the rise. With travel restrictions and other factors brought on by the pandemic, visitors are increasing searches with local intent. Using local SEO tactics means that you are competing with businesses on a local level to show up on searches related to your area.
Invest in popular local keywords related to COVID-19, lockdown, or what businesses are doing to practice social distancing. Regularly update your Google My Business to include news and information regarding your restaurant’s business hours, delivery or curbside pickup, or your latest promotions. Another quick way to rank high in local searches is by getting a backlink featured in local media articles.
At this rate, small businesses have simple SEO tricks and a clear advantage against larger brands. Keeping it local is one sought out a way to reach prospective customers in target locations. During the pandemic and lockdown, this tactic is more useful than ever.
Keep Up with Your Audits
Many companies have months worth of content prepared ahead of time. If you are one of them, it may be time to go over it and remove anything that would be considered irrelevant now. Anything that involves breaking social distancing, travelling, or not wearing masks is off-limits.
For instance, many brands have put a halt to launches and campaigns that were deemed tone-deaf. Others that pressed forward have received backlash. Give your restaurant’s website a review. Not only will you cut away any useless information that’s insensitive or outdated, but it’ll also give you a chance to figure out what your visitors want to see.
Double Down on Security
One overlooked, but highly advanced SEO strategy is taking precautions against cyberattacks. While you’re working hard to gain new guests, hackers are looking for ways to steal their information. Protecting your restaurant and its website is an essential part of any SEO program. Here are a couple of easy steps you can take to secure your campaign.
Keep an eye out for spambots and errors in your log file.
Reinforce security through Single Sign On (SSO) implementation, which allows one set of login credentials on different platforms.
Keep your plugins and other tools updated to eliminate any weak spots.
Use the latest SSL encryption to protect your visitor’s information.
Think About Your Restaurant’s Future
Your SEO strategy must be optimized for the duration of the pandemic, as well as after lockdown is lifted. Following trending keywords and topics also means foreseeing the upcoming changes and preparing content for them. Examples of this can be tourism, entrepreneurship, or online courses.
Conduct research on what people are currently doing, and what they plan on doing once the pandemic is over. Then, create content accordingly that ties back into your restaurant’s brand. You won’t be able to take advantage of every trend, but it’s worth keeping an eye on to see what does.
Preparing for Post-Pandemic Success
While many are staying home and practicing social distancing, moral support and entertainment are needed more than ever. If you have extra time, seize the opportunity to strengthen the SEO strategy that will help you long after the pandemic is over.
