The Corona Virus is all anyone seems capable of talking about at the moment – and for good reason; it’s a scary time for us all. As the pandemic grasps the attention of everyone all over the world, many of us are left wondering how COVID-19 will impact our respective industries.
With the health of our society being the primary concern, many within the search community are questioning how the Coronavirus is going to influence SEO metrics. As per usual, the answer really depends as different industries are going to be impacted in varying ways.
Considering how quickly everything is changing as news unfolds, impressions and search traffic is giving SEOs an interesting insight into user behavior during the pandemic. This little window provides a helpful insight into the different ways COVID-19 is impacting search trends. Here’s what has become apparent so far:
1. Essential E-Commerce Businesses are Thriving
It’s no surprise that the searches of online necessities are on the increase during the pandemic. People are stocking up at supermarkets, pharmacies, and stores that sell essentials. During this time, people are also turning to online retailers to get their essentials delivered to their door.
Once people can no longer get their essentials offline, users are going to continue to turn to the internet to stock up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer, wipes, and thermometers. According to Safari SEO Company Adelaide, this trend also includes a search for “near me” searches with an increased demand for what searchers are deeming to be useful to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Health & Wellness Trends
Given the pandemic is a virus, people are turning to health and wellness websites in search of Coronavirus information, symptoms, and home remedies. According to search data, there also seems to be a surge of queries for natural remedies like “antibacterial essential oils”, “antiviral foods” and “antiviral herbs”.
As a result of the COVID-19, more people are looking to informative and fresh information on how they can protect themselves, help themselves, and keep themselves busy with health and wellness trends while in self-isolation or social distancing.
3. Travel-based Websites Are Taking A Hit
Unsurprisingly with the travel bans being placed on countries, travel-based searches have been all over the place. You’d think the travel restrictions and self-isolation recommendations would influence major traffic hits to travel websites; however, it seems to be a bit more intricate than that.
People seem to be looking for “cheap flights” amidst the cancellations, under the impression airlines would be offering low priced travel deals. People are also looking for information on attaining refunds, cancellations, and how to reschedule travel plans. Understandably, cruise-related and hotel queries seem to be trending down.
Final Thoughts
Search gives us SEOs an insight into human behavior during the Coronavirus pandemic. When there is scarcity, people use the internet to find information about what they want. While the time ahead might seem daunting, SEO is an important industry that will give insight and help businesses in times of need.
