What Readers Want During COVID-19: Content Ideas for Every Niche

With billions of people virtually locked in their homes, the COVID crisis has triggered massive changes in the global economy. Whole industries have been suspended, such as accommodation and travel. Others are struggling to adapt to populations with more spare time, but potentially very different priorities.

It's a stressful time for almost everyone, including marketers. And that's why we thought we'd look at the current search trends, and use them to come up with content ideas that are worth your attention during the global lockdown.

Topics for travel marketers to work with

There's no escaping the effects of COVID on the travel sector - an area that greatcontent knows well. Even so, some topics provide potential for content creators, so there's no reason to be inactive.

Despite the shutdown, travel insurance saw a spike as vacations were cancelled and flights grounded. So, it could be a good time to introduce readers to ways to safeguard their trips or apply for compensation.

The crisis has also opened up new possibilities that wouldn't normally be available. For instance, when else have drone pilots been able to capture tourist hotspots like Florence or Venice without the crowds? This footage could be incorporated into virtual tours, giving a taster of what to expect when travel resumes.

Widely shared images of wildlife appearing in tourist cities could also feed into content around sustainable travel (something which is bound to pick up in the post-crisis period as climate change re-enters the picture).

Life under lockdown has created opportunities

Other trending topics relate to the lifestyle changes that people have experienced due to lockdowns, and may well serve as anchors for content that attracts attention. For example, homeschooling has obviously seen a huge uptick in traffic. Educational content ideas are sure to strike a chord, even if it has a business slant.

Online courses have been embraced across the world. So, if you have an area of expertise and the time to convert that expertise into chunks of instruction, there could be gains to be made.

Then there's the huge challenge of working from home (something greatcontent has tried to emphasize in our own blog). Readers want actionable tips about ergonomics, which apps to use, how to manage time, office decorations, quick games to play in between tasks, snack ideas - anything that can make working from home more productive. There's a lot to be getting on with there, and it relates to almost any sector.

Finally, it's important to note that many people are experiencing acute financial and professional insecurity due to COVID, and this is reflected in search trends as well. If you can help out with financial advice, ideas for training, sharpening up CVs, or just providing reassurance, it may well find a ready audience.

Attract traffic by making entertainment part of your content

Working from home isn't the only lockdown-related issue that's driving web searches and trending topics. Naturally, the millions (or billions) of people confined to their homes by COVID also need to be entertained.

There have never been so many people searching for ways to divert themselves and fill empty time. And this could potentially be a goldmine for savvy creators.

Obvious topics include making recommendations about Netflix shows that connect with your niche, or suggesting video games for customers to play. But you could go further, creating online challenges, running quizzes, and branding this content to boost your audience.

People are also continuing to shop - and SEO is more important than ever because almost all of this commerce is occurring online. So, companies that haven't streamlined their online ordering services should take the time to do so. And, the general public are still romancing each other via elaborate "home dates" or online relationships. So dating, dining, dancing - all of these things still have a prominent place in search statistics.

Use search trends to build an audience during lockdown

This is no time to slow down the pace and scope of content creation operations. Far from it. With so many people on their smartphones or computers, it's a time to connect with the masses and show as many people as possible how well you can communicate, and how essential your services or goods really are.

Hopefully, this run-down of trending topics offers some pointers for content ideas. But if you need any more guidance about what to focus on and how to commission the perfect texts, get in touch with the greatcontent team. We'll help to find a solution with maximum reach during this tough period.

Text: Sam Urquhart
Image: unsplash.com