The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on everyone and this includes small businesses. As public health officials continue to scramble to get control of a virus that has already led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, numerous small businesses are starting to reopen for the first time in months. As many business owners are trying to figure out how to deal with not only the lost revenue but also brand new government regulations, they might be wondering how to build a business in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. There are a few tips to keep in mind.
First, business owners need to know that the digital sphere is going to be the place where they can find leads, make sales, and grow their revenue. Therefore, it is important to take steps to establish a strong online presence. This is where managers need to strike a balance between search engine optimization and the user experience. Business owners have to make sure that their website is attractive both to search engines, when it comes to keywords and phrases, as well as visitors, who expect to see a responsive, intuitive website.
One of the steps that business owners can take involves backlinks. Search engines look for websites that are authorities in the field and the more high-quality backlinks a website has, the bigger its position of authority. This can go a long way toward improving a small business’s ranking on major search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. When business owners publish quality content, backlinks become more attractive and the visibility of small businesses will improve.
Furthermore, small businesses need to make sure they have a strong local presence as well. While some business owners might think they cannot compete against major corporations, they can on a local level. This is where local SEO can help. While direct mail marketing campaigns can still be effective, business owners need to take steps to increase their visibility for local searches as well. This means establishing a strong profile on Google My Business, ensuring consistent NAP information on online directories (name, address, and phone number), and cultivating reviews from happy customers. This can help companies increase the size of their local footprint, boost their visibility, and make an impression on the local area.
These are just a few of the most important steps that small business owners can take to build a business during the COVID-19 pandemic. This can help small businesses make up for revenue that might have been lost during the shelter in place time period.
