Search giant Google has recently published data on recent trends in search, and has revealed the top five ways in which search behaviour has altered during the coronavirus pandemic.
The data has been collated to assist marketers in being helpful to their customers during this difficult time. No business is exempt from the shift in behaviour or effects that the pandemic is having, with customer behaviour changing regularly.
Google has summarised the data by listing five shifts in search behaviour – adjusting to changes in routine, assembling critical information, taking care of themselves and others, discovering new connections, and praising everyday heroes.
Adjusting to changes in routine
Online habits are changing as schedules and routines are adjusted to meet to demands of the government’s lockdown and isolation protocol. Google notes that spikes in search traffic for terms such as ‘do it yourself’ and ‘how to’, as people have to make do without services they would normally use. Businesses should keep customers up to date with how people can cope without their services while in lockdown and provide solutions to these adjustments.
Assembling critical information
Customers have a need for new and up-to-date content in order to help them adapt to recent changes in their environments and routines. Retail businesses are moving to online delivery methods, schools are closing and many businesses are now operating from employees’ homes. These businesses need to provide their customers with clear and specific information about what they need to do to adapt.
Taking care of themselves and others
As this is a global health pandemic, people are making extra efforts to take care of both their physical needs and psychological wellbeing. There has been spiking interest on activities to relieve boredom and anxiety. Activities can be real-life and virtual.
How can your business help people get through lockdown? Offering puzzles and quizzes, virtual tours, exercise routines and games can help people stay home and keep occupied. If your business can’t offer something like this, then altering your regular platforms to become more accessible online can help.
Discovering new connections
As the public is social distancing and keeping themselves to themselves, people are nurturing their existing relationships with friends and family both in person and from afar, as well as potentially establishing new online connections. This can be through shared experiences such as taking an online course or simply by playing video games.
Businesses can capitalise on this by looking for ways to connect their customers, whether this is locally or globally. Businesses should consider how to enhance shared experiences at this time.
Praising everyday heroes
People are acting in a more mindful manner, and are showing their appreciation to the ordinary people performing extraordinary roles during this crisis. This includes NHS workers, delivery people and other key workers still doing their jobs whilst risking their health. As a result, Google notes a spike in search traffic for terms such as ‘thank essential workers’. Businesses can consider who their everyday heroes are and find ways to support and celebrate their contributions.
How a business acts in a time of crisis such as this can be reflected on once the situation returns to normal. Success in tricky times can correlate to success in normal circumstances.
If you need help with your businesses with its online presence and offerings, get in touch with Engage Web.
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