By Greg Jarboe. Originally published March 24, 2020.

Even in the search industry, which prides itself on agility and adaptability, the escalating menace of the novel coronavirus pandemic is something very different.

Collectively, we are pretty adept at devising new strategies and tactics when Google rolls out a major algorithmic update.

So, we are fairly well prepared to respond quickly and effectively to the coronavirus pandemic – as long as we recognize that COVID-19 isn’t an algorithm change.

In fact, it is already having a bigger impact on user intent and behavior because the combination of a global pandemic and worldwide recession is changing our organic search results more than the Panda and Penguin updates did put together.

And, while many of our colleagues in digital marketing are bunkered up and hunkered down during this double-barreled threat, this particular crisis represents a unique opportunity for SEOs to help craft their company’s or clients’ coronavirus response.

If we’re bold enough to seize it.

For example, it takes courage to conduct a new round of keyword research and propose creating a new FAQ page that answers questions that people are now asking, such as:

• Will coronavirus cause a recession?
• Will coronavirus affect the housing market?
• Can coronavirus live on clothes?
• Can coronavirus be transmitted through food?
• When will coronavirus pandemic end?
• How will coronavirus change the world?
• How will COVID-19 affect the economy?

Why is this fraught with risk? Because your company or clients may not have answered these questions.

And, you will need to be brave to urge your colleagues in content marketing to create and optimize several new blog posts that tackle a new set of topics that aren’t in the editorial calendar that was created in late 2019.

Why? Because it’s easier to stick to the plan.

But, step back a moment and you’ll see that these steps would have been a great response in the era of “10 blue links.” That era officially ended in May 2007.