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The world is currently in a state of confusion, panic, bewilderment, and uncertainty.

With the situation changing by the hour, it can leave you feeling lost and wondering what is going to come next.

But, we are a strong group, and we will get through this.

It might not look the same once the new normal is here but companies that are able to weather this downturn and strategically plan will come out much stronger and will be poised for quicker recovery.

To start thinking about strategic planning post-COVID-19, here are some current opportunities that you can start working on now for improved SEO.

1. Stay at the Forefront of Google Trends

People are home, which means people are searching online.

Monitor Google Trends for new questions or topics that people are asking about your industry during this time.

If you can stay on top of this data and really start to recognize trends relevant to your business, you can begin creating content around those topics.

When sales pick back up again, you’ll be ready.

Your content will be out there, hopefully turning into the resource people needed; thus, improving your SEO and bringing more traffic to your website.

2. Monitor Google Search Console & Keyword Rankings

It is important to monitor GSC or third-party tools for keyword changes more closely than you normally do.

In times where there is great demand or demand has completely shifted, you often see shifts in search interest and user intent on individual queries.

If you aren’t monitoring this closely enough you will miss the opportunity to change your approach.

3. Build Up Your Content Bank

Consumer behavior is shifting, and this pandemic will only cause consumers to search and behave differently than before.

Like everyone else, you have the time, so get to writing.

Start by prioritizing top/mid-funnel content.

While this content might not convert in the short term, get consumers into the funnel to present your products/services for future needs.

By having a stockpile of great content ready to go and out there ahead of time will give you a leg-up on the competition.

4. Start Thinking About Holiday & Q4 Initiatives Now

We don’t know how long we will all be in this environment.

I’ve heard 2 more weeks and I’ve heard 12 more weeks.

Either way, we are still looking at several months beyond that before the economic outlook improves.

Knowing that Q1 and Q2 numbers might be lower than initially forecasted, start planning now for how you can make that up in the back half of the year.

If you are an ecommerce store, start thinking through Black Friday and Christmas plans.

5. Hire Top SEO Talent 

The sad truth about COVID-19 is that businesses are closing their doors.

Top SEO talent who were loyal to their company may find themselves without a home.

If you’re hiring, start recruiting now.

It will go a long way to show that you are in a strong position, which will attract top talent.

In some cases, your company may actually be a target for those looking for opportunities, so make sure you’re active on LinkedIn and keep your eyes peeled.

Even if you aren’t hiring right now, this is a great opportunity to make connections, start conversations, and hopefully benefit in the near future.

6. Embrace New Content Strategies

Although we could have never predicted this, the opportunities that are presented during times like this force us to change for the better.

With people spending significantly more time streaming and watching YouTube right now, start developing more video content to take advantage of this.

Take a look at previously developed content that resonated via traffic and repurpose that content in a video format.

7. Embrace the Data

Similarly to the first point, not only will you have more data to work with when it comes to Google Trends because people are searching more frequently, but you may actually see an increase in traffic to your site (this, of course, depends on your industry).

While this traffic may not turn into sales, or even leads, an increase in searches and people to your website can still offer some great insights.

• Which of your top pages seem to be getting the most traction?
• Has this changed from the norm?

Now is the time to consider running a heat map or other data collection methods and really do a deep dive into your website.

8. Think Beyond Content & Use This Time Wisely

More of a “catch-all” for marketers is simply using your time wisely.

While content is likely the first SEO task that comes to mind, now is the time to focus on SEO as a whole.

• Ensure your page speed is where it needs to be.
• Update your website with fresh photos.
• Check your URL structure.
• Create a user-experience exercise.
• Ensure your content is easy to find.
• And so much more.

Many of these tasks may also require a bit of outsourcing, which is just another well to help fellow marketers during these uncertain times.

This may also be a great time for e-learning.

There are numerous outlets that are graciously giving away free access to help SEOs and the like improve their knowledge.

For example, Moz Academy is now offering all their courses for free.

It’s chock full of courses for marketers to help you gain new skills you can put to use the minute your business picks back up again.

Ahrefs is offering their Blogging for Business course free of charge along with many others.

The Takeaway

Plain and simple, you shouldn’t stop your SEO efforts just because of current events.

There are always opportunities out there, you just have to know where to look.

Your data is going to look a bit different now, for better or for worse.

But this swing can be very telling and help ensure that you’re on a path to success for the long-term.

We hope everyone recovers from the devastating effects of COVID-19 quickly.

Stay safe out there!