Where is the nearest click and collection? What time does our local store close in light of the latest COVID-19 restrictions? Where can I order the toy car he wanted for Christmas?

Our contribution is that Google is your first port of call to answer all these questions.

If so, you are not alone. In fact, Google processes an estimated 5.8 billion user searches a day. And while there are other search engines like Bing and Yahoo, it is by far the most popular.

So with so many potential customers - let's be honest, there are definitely a few thousand of those 5.8 billion looking for your specific products or services - companies simply can't stop advertising on Google. Moreover, restrictions on physical stores are being lifted around the world to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Nate Burke, CEO and founder of Diginius, a PPC store that specializes in digital marketing, explains how you can get the most out of Google advertising.

The first round of closures in spring and early summer saw many companies with physical output almost completely shut down. Digitization was the only way for many to survive.

It saw restaurants offering online ordering services, more retailers setting up shop, and professional services holding long distance video calls.
Despite some easing of restrictions, many have focused on digitalisation. For example, video conferencing, such as Microsoft Teams, which grew 894% between February and June 2020, is now the office's new best friend. For example, restaurants have improved their minimum contact desk service by allowing customers to order and pay for food on their phones by scanning a QR code or downloading an app.

But now that locking restrictions are being reintroduced in the UK and many other parts of the world, companies looking to maximize their sales and revenue before the Christmas period and before the start of the new year cannot ignore the advertising opportunities on the website. Google.

PPC

PPC advertising is perhaps the most obvious option. This is the best way to ensure that your brand is put in front of an audience and can help boost traffic and sales leads.

Paid search identifies buyers immediately. People who have entered a specific keyword will already click on it in purchase mode, even if the journey is in the research phase, which is so powerful compared to the rest of the marketing mix.

This is because seekers are looking for comfort. We've been waiting for the first list on the search engine results page (SERP) to answer our query. If that doesn't happen, we'll change our search rather than browse the pages and results pages.
That's why getting your brand to this crucial first page is crucial to Google's success, which is why paid advertising is beneficial. This can not only promise a guaranteed place here if the price is right for you, but can potentially also offer you position number one.

In addition to SERPs, you can create ads for the display network using visual aids in the form of graphics and videos to attract sales leads in the Google Shopping network, which is especially useful for stores looking to increase sales.

However, in order for your ads to show to people who add value to your business, PPC activities must be strategically mapped and effectively managed. Account setup, keywords, and bidding strategies need to be considered, monitored, and then adjusted to ensure your performance and return on investment.

This requires dedicated staff, time and budget - for advertising costs as well as management practices, whether for training, pay or outsourcing the task to the agency.

Despite the capital required to get started, there are many ways to get results that make it worthwhile. For example, remarketing helps you minimize lost leads and maximize your budget by targeting potential customers who are already interested in your product or service.

Automation strategies are another. Bids and ad copies can be changed automatically, depending on things like the time, location, and specific query wording of the user. This reduces the chance of clicks from users who have no intention of making or submitting a query, resulting in less budget waste. Another common way to make better use of search ads is to copy your campaigns to Microsoft Ads, which usually has less competition, cheaper clicks, and a better return on investment, albeit with lower search volume.
LOCAL STRATEGY

One of the biggest benefits of the Internet is the ability to connect businesses and customers, regardless of their physical distance. And if the lock is enforced, the online offer offers the opportunity to reach an even wider customer base than a store or physical facility limited by location.

However, the Internet is a big, old place. It offers more competition than many companies are used to in the physical field, and is therefore easy to get lost, especially if you are in the early stages of setting up a web business.

So whether you're a retailer that offers clicks and collecting, or you run your business normally, albeit remotely, keeping things local is your best bet online.

In fact, Google uses a relevance, distance, and highlight model to determine search results. Those that are most relevant, closest to the searcher, and most prominent or popular are likely to be higher on the results pages.

To maximize your chances of reaching the rankings of people searching for your products and services in your local area, you should make the most of tools like Google My Business and Reviews.

In addition to providing potential customers with vital business information, such as your address, contact information, and COVID-customized business hours, you can also build trust in them by presenting a company that appears to be well-established and organized. This is particularly important as these consumer sentiment has diminished as a result of the pandemic.

So far, companies have done well in adapting their processes to the changing needs of customers, both in a short period of time and in incredibly difficult circumstances.

With the coronavirus crisis far from over and many facing a web-based future, the only thing we can be sure of here is that companies and retailers must act now to seize the opportunities. By using platforms such as Google and Microsoft, business owners simply do not make the worst out of the bad situation, but rather put their brand at the forefront of their chosen field, with a significant advantage when markets are reopened in their newly digital-oriented form.