Uncertainty over store openings and services pushed customers to hunt for information online like never before in 2020. We focus on the hardware shop industry, utilising PinMeTo data to demonstrate the need of good listing management during Covid - and after.
When People are Uncertain, They Search
Because there was so much ambiguity about site opening hours and operational changes, people wanted to confirm that establishments were open before making the effort of going there, resulting in significant increases in search engine traffic.
The graph below depicts the appearances in 2020 Google Discovery search results for 1009 Scandinavian hardware shop locations in the PinMeTo database:
We don't know why these people were looking for hardware businesses, but it's possible that newly homebound folks were attempting to set up their home offices, or that they now had the time at home to complete hardware jobs that they'd been putting off.
Because these locations were handled using PinMeTo's Listings, their managers were able to respond swiftly to changing rules, making it easier to keep the information accurate - which helped maximise their visibility in search engine results.
Covid Speeded up the Adoption of Digital, but It’s Here to Stay
Brands who embrace the digital change by prioritising the development and maintenance of their online presence will do better during and after Covid.
While many people adjusted their internet behaviour during Covid, the modifications are unlikely to disappear once the pandemic is over. People who are used to turning online to find rapid, precise information about brands will want to keep doing so. The brands that can create that experience will gain from the change.
“Covid has changed consumer behavior. The businesses that are thriving during Covid are the ones that have adapted… Those changes in behavior are going to stay.” – Greg Gifford, local SEO expert, on PinMeTo’s Let’s Talk Local podcast
Reviewed: August 8, 2023
