Google has just released its second core algorithm update of the year, but the first since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Google releases many algorithm changes a year, but these are minor fixes, whereas the core algorithm update is, “a core update is a tweak or change to the main search algorithm itself.” (Search Engine Journal)
When Google rolls out the core algorithm updates they generally take about one to two weeks for the update to fully rule out.
With the pandemic, people are changing the way they are searching. They are searching more about what’s happening in their area, instead of traveling and tourist destinations. Google stated that many searches were about sheltering and resources for COVID-19 in their area. (Twitter: Google SearchLiason).
Google does not release what is included in its updates, but it is always advised to continue to focus on quality content for SEO purposes. Those that have original content, resources, and research will rank better.
Please reach out if you have any questions or need help with SEO:
On May 4th, 2020 Gov. Tom Wolf (PA) announced the guidelines for businesses that will be re-opening in Phase Yellow on May 8th. See our post here about what counties will be opening and what Gov. Wolf said in that press conference.
The information we used for this post is from Gov. Wolf’s website and their seven-page document for guidelines in Phase Yellow.
Under Phase Yellow, any company and employee who is able to telework should remain able to telework. If a business should need to operate in-person, they must follow the following guidelines;
-Disinfect frequently touched areas and continue cleaning the building and areas regularly.
-Have a plan implemented in case an employee or someone who had contact with any area of the business is positive or probable for COVID-19. This plan should include; decontaminating and securing the affected area, identify employees who were in contact with the person who might have COVID-19, take employees temperatures upon entering and if someones is over 100.4 they should be sent home, encourage and inform any employee who is sick or has symptoms to stay home, advising sick employees to follow CDC guidelines, and suggesting to employers to have a liberal sick time policy.
-Prevent large groups of people to enter or leave at the same time. It is recommended to achieve this to implement staggering work times.
-Limit the number of people in break rooms or other common areas where people tend to congregate.
-If a meeting is needed with 10 or more people, then it is suggested to hold these virtual. If the meeting is 10 or less then make sure there is enough space for everyone to be six feet apart.
-Ensure that everyone has access to soap and water, disinfectant, and hand sanitizer.
-Provide masks and be sure that all of the employees are wearing their masks at all times.
-Make sure the business has enough employees to operate successfully and safely.
-Discourage people from entering the business if it is not necessary.
-Constantly and consistently communicate with employees so they are aware of these guidelines and are able to keep themselves safe.
If your business is within a building or another defined area, then they should follow the guidelines suggested above and the following:
-When possible, conduct business by appointments only.
-If this is not feasible to have appointments, then limit occupancy to 50% of the total occupancy limit.
-Adjust business hours to allow for extra time for cleaning.
-Install barriers at registers to physically separate employees with the general public.
-Suggest and encourage pick-up or delivery options to your customers.
-Designate a specific time for vulnerable populations.
-Require everyone on the premises to wear masks. “However, individuals who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition (including children under the age of 2 years per CDC guidance) may enter the premises and are not required to provide documentation of such medical condition.” (https://www.governor.pa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200504-COVID-19-Business-Guidance.pdf)
-If there are multiple registers, limit use to every other register to keep safe distance and rotate every hour to allow time to clean the previous registers.
-Schedule breaks for employees to wash their hands. This is encouraged to do at least every hour.
-Have an employee assigned to wiping down carts and baskets before customers use them.
Businesses who are serving the public or operating in-person must inform everyone of these guidelines. Businesses also have to print and sign the ‘COVID-19 Safety Procedures for Businesses’ flyer and post it. They can be found here.
On May 1st, 2020 Governor Tom Wolf (PA) held a press conference to address which 24 counties will be moving from the red phase to the yellow phase on May 8th.
The counties that will be re-opening May 8th are; Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren.
Secretary Levine stated that these counties have the proper contact tracing measures in place for anyone who falls ill. Secretary Levine and Governor Wolf are also urging everyone with symptoms to get tested.
More information will be given on May 4th in a press conference as to what guidance these businesses should follow when re-opening. Certain businesses, such as gyms and hair and nail salons, will remain closed due to the nature of their operations. For more on this, please see Governor Wolf’s information: https://www.governor.pa.gov/process-to-reopen-pennsylvania/
Governor Wolf mentioned that other counties and regions are being looked at for the next opening, but no further information was given as to when that would be or what counties they are.
For more information about phase yellow and the other phases, please see our post here.
All of us at True Fit Marketing have been trying our best to keep up with the changes happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are creating these blogs as resources of information and also post on our Facebook page.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions or more information to share.
Marketing through a Crisis – Where to update your business information
As we gear up for reopening our businesses to the new “normal” and then eventually to our “normal-normal” — we took notes on how quickly the information changed from March to today. Some businesses had to shut down completely, others have adjusted their businesses slightly to continue, and others have completely reinvented their business to offer a whole new suite of services. These services may have been ones that were never thought of before as possibilities or we didn’t have the time to make them happen! Now we are forced to move outside of our normal comfort zones to be creative in new business solutions.
Now we balance working from home to working in a virtual environment with others (which can include both coworkers and clients/customers), to also keeping kids at home if you have them, all while still trying to run your business.
Keeping up with the changes of COVID-19 information, current, new and adjusted services you offer, and making sure that all of your customers know exactly what is going on with your business can be a daunting task.
Although you want to keep your information as updated as you can every place you market your business, this is nearly impossible at the rate of which information is changing.
Here are 3 starting places to keep your business information updated:
1. Your social media.
Your social media can act as a landing page for your business and right now there has been an up to 40% increase of social media activity. Keeping your social media updated is really important to your current and potentially new customers.
Facebook has created an updated setting under Edit Page Info, near your hours called Temporary Service Changes. Here you can change your services to No Changes, Temporarily Closed or Open with Service Changes.
Another important update is not only your posts, but your banner image in Facebook. Banner image changes rank well in Facebook, but they are also the first thing that people see when they come to your page. This is the case whether they are recommended by someone in a group, or they did a search for some help with a particular issue. This is your Facebook landing page, and it needs to be as updated as possible.
The reason for social media updates is not only for your customers to know, but also for Facebook and other social media to understand that you have adjusted what your business is offering, so that they can continue to rank you the correct way. Facebook and other social media like updates and it can show that your business is actively changing and growing to help your customers. Facebook wants to show updated information and the information that your customers want to see – so it is a win-win!
2. Google My Business.
Your Google My Business listing can be an amazing tool for SEO, or search engine
optimization. Google has some power there… but it has also given businesses a platform to update their information.
As soon as you enter your Google My Business dashboard, the first block that is looking at you is “Stay connected during COVID-19” and it asks you to make sure your hours are updated and that you create a COVID-19 update post.
After making sure that all of your information is correct (not just your hours), you can click on the posts tab and it will take you to a page with different post options. Although it is always good to post on your GMB listing at least once a week, it is important to post under the COVID-19 updates. Why? Just being active on your listing is a good idea, but when Google releases updated information grabs like this, there is a good chance that this particular information will be ranked better than others.
3. Your Website.
Although this seems like a no brainer, it is easy to get caught up in all the places you are used to updating your information like your social media. This is also likely a place that you have to reach out to your web designer to change for you – generally making it a little bit harder than updating yourself.
We have seen many different ways to keep your website updated but Singing River Healthplex in Mississippi, is doing a great job of updating more than their homepage.
They have a pop-up on their homepage.
They have highlighted their online classes and added to their homepage.
Under Class Schedule, they have links to Facebook, YouTube, their Online Classes.
On many of their pages, they relate back to their Facebook page for the most up to date information letting people know where they can find the most updated information.
You should really consider updating every place you are marketing your business, but these 3 places will at least be a good start as you work through your list.
To conclude. We are all in this together and are adjusting the best we can to our own circumstances, but always remember to be genuine and kind because there are a lot of things out of our control. Remember to always welcome questions from your customers. This is a very confusing time for them as well as you. Greet questions with a positive attitude and be ready to be helpful. People really do want to support small businesses during this time and are also worried about you and your business!
#marketingthatfitsnaturally
Follow us on Facebook for the most up to date information.
If you or a business you know needs help marketing on a limited budget until we get through this crazy time or needs a reopening plan that is flexible to the constant changes, please feel free to reach out.
The following information is from Governor Wolf’s website that we have summarized as a guide for re-opening businesses in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Wolf, announced on Wednesday, April 22nd, his plans and phases for re-opening Pennsylvania, which is tentatively slated for May 8th. However, Gov. Wolf’s plans are by region and data, so the whole state will not be re-opening on May 8th.
Gov. Wolf and his team have been monitoring a public dashboard that tracks and shows the hospital’s capacities in terms of beds and ventilators. You can find the dashboard here: Hospital Preparedness Dashboard
Gov. Wolf and his team are also determining the availability of testing, population density, and healthcare resources to determine when the proper time is to re-open certain regions.
Phases of Re-Opening Pennsylvania
Gov. Wolf’s phases are color-coded. The colors are red, yellow, and green. Currently, we are in the Red Phase where there are stay-at-home orders, non-essential businesses are closed, and large gatherings are prohibited.
Phase Yellow
The next phase, Yellow Phase, will lift some of the restrictions from the red phase, while some of them will stay in place. However, even though some of the businesses can re-open, some will still remain closed during the Yellow Phase, like gyms and casinos, which is slightly different from the phases that President Trump and the White House put out.
In Phase Yellow, telework is supposed to continue where it is able to, a business that need in-person operations can open while following building and safety orders and child care can open while following certain orders. Large gatherings over 25 people are restricted, in-person retail is allowed, but it is strongly recommended that curbside and delivery options are still used, restaurants and bars are still limited to take-out and delivery, and indoor recreation and health and wellness areas such as gyms and spas and entertainment such as casinos, will remain closed.
Phase Green
The third phase, Green Phase, will allow all businesses to be opened, but they still must follow the CDC and PA Department of Health Guidelines. There will be no more social restrictions, but individuals must still follow the CDC and PA Department of Health Guidelines.
If you’re looking for phases from the White House, please see our blog post here about President Trump’s Phases of Re-Opening.
As we know from this pandemic, things change almost every minute. We will do our best to keep this updated with the latest information that we can find. We will also post updates to our Facebook page.
