As it continues to spread and take hold in various regions, COVID-19 leaves in its wake a devastating human tool.
As of publishing, more than 2 million have been infected and more than 130,000 people have died worldwide.
As new data and early projections on the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic are made available, only one thing is certain:
Nothing is certain.
In these challenging times, empathy and compassion for customers and employees are critical.
In enterprise organizations, large teams and in many cases the entire workforce is affected.
History has shown that in tumultuous economic times, SEO is more important than ever.
The entire supply chain is affected, all the way from manufacturing facilities through ordering, customer service, delivery, and of course the customers themselves.
The demand for credible, useful information is massive.
Media consumption has spiked as people now need to figure out how to work from home with children out of school, how to get groceries and stay fit without leaving the house, and more.
These are just the bare-bones logistics.
In the coming weeks and months, we will be exploring entirely new ways to go about our business as usual in an environment that is anything but.
Many businesses are now in a position where they need to adjust operations or even pivot their strategy in light of COVID-19 business interruptions and impact.
Paid search budgets are being halted as marketers have to figure out new ways of serving customers and delivering products.
Universally, companies are looking for the most cost-effective channels and many are having to shift from real-world events and promotions to digital-only in record time.
All of this widespread change means enormous volumes of content being created and pushed to consumers.
Companies need to be agile and get in position to capitalize on demand surges with short-term wins, while balancing this approach with the need to protect the brand long-term.
Interest in SEO as a discipline is growing more than ever before.
Google Trends Interest on SEOGoogle Trends interest on SEO as of April 8
Here are three key areas where SEO professionals need to focus right now to get ahead of these trends.
People
Your employees must do what they did before in a remote work environment that may be brand new for them.
While a lot of organizations had some flexible scheduling or an occasional remote workday, entire companies have now had to go remote-only.
Employees are feeling a lack of connection and the impact of social isolation, not only in their work-life but in their personal lives, as well.
Teams that may have functioned quite well together in the office now need to learn entirely new methods of communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and productivity.
Your brand can support employees by ensuring that remote work policies are empathetic to the needs of employees in this environment.
Regularly scheduled team meetings may not work for all, especially those with other family members to care for.
It is important that each employee has the tools and also knows the process for executing their duties remotely.
Dedicate Some Channels to Socialization Only
For example, you could put a member of each team in charge of scheduling an (optional) hour of games played on Zoom once a week.
You might have dedicated Slack channels for discussing what people are watching on Netflix.
Remember that a lot of people aren’t getting these simple conversations they would’ve had at the water cooler anymore, and that complete isolation can be devastating.
Set up an Open Room Online Where Colleagues Can Get Together in a Co-Working Environment
It should be made clear that this is not a chat room, and that it is appropriate to go on mute well you get work done.
However, this structure still allows employees to take breaks together, run ideas by one another, and have that face-to-face interaction that is so important in professional relationships.
Don’t Forget About Physical Wellness & the Mental Health Benefits of Activity
In some regions, people are being entirely discouraged from going into public spaces and well in a lot of areas you could still go for a walk, many people are entirely housebound at this point.
Put a member of the team in charge of organizing group video activities that employees can opt into at different times of the day do light stretching or other low-impact physical activity.
Offer employees a free subscription to a fitness video website.
Find ways to support the mental and physical health of your employees at this time.
Tap Into the Expertise of Your SEO Pros as You Develop Content & Channels for Employees
They have the skills and knowledge to make that content readable and findable, to make your channels user-friendly, and to set up systems of measurement that will help you understand how they are being used and how you can improve your delivery.
Remote work may very well be the new normal for your organization and investing in your employees’ success today will pay off for years to come.
Be More Respectful Than Ever of Employees’ Time
Hold meetings only when necessary, and only for as long as needed to get the major decision making done.
As of publishing, more than 2 million have been infected and more than 130,000 people have died worldwide.
As new data and early projections on the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic are made available, only one thing is certain:
Nothing is certain.
In these challenging times, empathy and compassion for customers and employees are critical.
In enterprise organizations, large teams and in many cases the entire workforce is affected.
History has shown that in tumultuous economic times, SEO is more important than ever.
The entire supply chain is affected, all the way from manufacturing facilities through ordering, customer service, delivery, and of course the customers themselves.
The demand for credible, useful information is massive.
Media consumption has spiked as people now need to figure out how to work from home with children out of school, how to get groceries and stay fit without leaving the house, and more.
These are just the bare-bones logistics.
In the coming weeks and months, we will be exploring entirely new ways to go about our business as usual in an environment that is anything but.
Many businesses are now in a position where they need to adjust operations or even pivot their strategy in light of COVID-19 business interruptions and impact.
Paid search budgets are being halted as marketers have to figure out new ways of serving customers and delivering products.
Universally, companies are looking for the most cost-effective channels and many are having to shift from real-world events and promotions to digital-only in record time.
All of this widespread change means enormous volumes of content being created and pushed to consumers.
Companies need to be agile and get in position to capitalize on demand surges with short-term wins, while balancing this approach with the need to protect the brand long-term.
Interest in SEO as a discipline is growing more than ever before.
Google Trends Interest on SEOGoogle Trends interest on SEO as of April 8
Here are three key areas where SEO professionals need to focus right now to get ahead of these trends.
People
Your employees must do what they did before in a remote work environment that may be brand new for them.
While a lot of organizations had some flexible scheduling or an occasional remote workday, entire companies have now had to go remote-only.
Employees are feeling a lack of connection and the impact of social isolation, not only in their work-life but in their personal lives, as well.
Teams that may have functioned quite well together in the office now need to learn entirely new methods of communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and productivity.
Your brand can support employees by ensuring that remote work policies are empathetic to the needs of employees in this environment.
Regularly scheduled team meetings may not work for all, especially those with other family members to care for.
It is important that each employee has the tools and also knows the process for executing their duties remotely.
Dedicate Some Channels to Socialization Only
For example, you could put a member of each team in charge of scheduling an (optional) hour of games played on Zoom once a week.
You might have dedicated Slack channels for discussing what people are watching on Netflix.
Remember that a lot of people aren’t getting these simple conversations they would’ve had at the water cooler anymore, and that complete isolation can be devastating.
Set up an Open Room Online Where Colleagues Can Get Together in a Co-Working Environment
It should be made clear that this is not a chat room, and that it is appropriate to go on mute well you get work done.
However, this structure still allows employees to take breaks together, run ideas by one another, and have that face-to-face interaction that is so important in professional relationships.
Don’t Forget About Physical Wellness & the Mental Health Benefits of Activity
In some regions, people are being entirely discouraged from going into public spaces and well in a lot of areas you could still go for a walk, many people are entirely housebound at this point.
Put a member of the team in charge of organizing group video activities that employees can opt into at different times of the day do light stretching or other low-impact physical activity.
Offer employees a free subscription to a fitness video website.
Find ways to support the mental and physical health of your employees at this time.
Tap Into the Expertise of Your SEO Pros as You Develop Content & Channels for Employees
They have the skills and knowledge to make that content readable and findable, to make your channels user-friendly, and to set up systems of measurement that will help you understand how they are being used and how you can improve your delivery.
Remote work may very well be the new normal for your organization and investing in your employees’ success today will pay off for years to come.
Be More Respectful Than Ever of Employees’ Time
Hold meetings only when necessary, and only for as long as needed to get the major decision making done.
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