Now more than ever, you need potential customers to know how to reach you! When everything possible is moving online, users expect to receive updated information. Your web presence during Coronavirus reflects how your company as a whole is responding.
The places a user is likely to check for service changes and updates are the company website, social media accounts, or a Google search.
In times of crisis, communication is key. Here are some simple steps that a business owner can take to show customers that they are there, and if a business is closed, it’s important to let customers know that too!
Updating Your Website
In order to announce new opening hours, delays or other updates, there is no need to write new copy, create a new page, or a huge obtrusive banner overlay. One of the most elegant solutions available is a simple bar at the top with your announcement, along with a button if you wish.
Here is an example on the Hearing Solutions website. The announcement that clinics are closed sits on top of the header, out of the way of everything else.
It’s easy to set up something just like this with a plugin called Top Bar.
You install it like any other plugin. Go to Plugins > Add New, perform a search, and when you find it – click Install. Once it loads, click Activate. The settings for this tool have their own listing in the WordPress Dashboard over on the left. There aren’t a whole lot of options and they are fairly self-explanatory. Get started by setting the bar to “Active”, choose the position, edit your message, the colors, and you’re basically done.
Updating Your Business Listing on Google
Your business listing on Google is probably some of the most important internet real estate that a business could have. And you can get it totally for free, so if you haven’t set this up already, check out our blog post on claiming this space.
Assuming that you have a listing, updating it with your new hours or location is easy. Once you’ve logged in to the Google Account associated with the business listing, there is a link to Update Business Hours or to post a COVID-19 Update right up front. Once you’re there, make sure that your website and phone number are up to date too.
Updating Your Hours on Facebook
Editing your business’s hours and noting temporary changes is also a breeze on Facebook. Since it’s widely used as a search engine (really!) you’ll want to make sure that your information is up to date here too. The admin of your business page needs to go to Settings and then click the Page Info tab over on the left. Scroll down to edit the hours that you are open, and just below that you can even note “Temporary Changes”. Here you can choose services changes due to COVID-19 such as “Delivery Only”.
Managing Expectations Isn’t Always Easy
During a crisis, when regulations and staffing changes can happen at a moment’s notice, a business may not even know what to expect internally. But failing to reach out to the customer who still wants to be cared for is a mistake. Let them know when, where and how you expect to be available so that you can continue to run your business, even if it isn’t business as usual. Updating your web presence during Coronavirus: Your website, Google business listing, and company Facebook page can be done in a matter of business but leave a lasting impression on users looking for information.