Let's get our hands dirty with a little Summer SEO, shall we?
The Problem: This time of year can be tricky for those in food sales (ecomm, retail, wholesale, distribution, etc...). Sales tend to dip come summer with customers either vacationing or spending more time in the great outdoors...all in all... not spending much moola in our spaces (online or brick/mortar).
The Solution: Just because we're not seeing much of our customers (or their dollars) does not mean they're not hungry. The hungry customer is our favorite customer...because we create things that curb that hunger. We just need to get smarter about being present for our customers when that hunger hits. And that, my friends, is what I do best and will share with you today.
The 'Why didn't I think of that before' Trends: These are the low hanging fruit of SEO. The food topics or themes that EVERYONE searches for over the summer and the easiest to pick and dev.
Always hit the few holidays summer has to offer... 'Father's Day Dinner Ideas', '10 Best Memorial Day Grilling Recipes', 'Deliciously Easy Cocktails for Labor Day', 'July 4th Summer BBQ Tips', etc...Everyone's product(s) can fit into these packages. Just make sure that you deliver on your content. And PLEASE be sure that your recipes, tips and 'best of's' are scrumptious, there's nothing worse than fall flat untested mush...and the customers will know.
Summer Key Word Bingo... These are the most searched food (and one beverage) words of summer; Peach, Corn, Tomato, Cucumber (especially pickles), Zucchini, Pesto, Jam and Martini. Use them wisely, diversely and deliciously.
The obvious Summer standbys...I am going to put these in here just so we're all together on this; Grilling, BBQ, Smoking, Foil Pack (still going strong), Farm (this can be farm fresh, farmer's market, farm raised, etc...), Outdoor Cooking, Beach (beach lunch, easy beach meals, etc...) and Vacation (what to eat when... or what to cook while...).
The 'OOOOH these are fun' Trends: Summer food is fun food. These are the fun, brand spanking new trends hitting the hungry web surfers this summer.
Sours v. Sweets... Sour flavors are getting a starring role this summer and slightly beating out their sweet counterparts in terms of searches. Think sour beers, cocktails, pickles, vinegars and ferments (ferment trend is still rocking and rolling). Many of today's hottest culinary regions rely heavily on this perky taste bud; South East Asia and the Middle East, just to name a couple.
Backpacking Grub...Yes, the foodies are going hiking, camping, glamping or generally 'roughing it'. Even though they're purposefully off the grid, customers are still looking for good eats. Even camping supply companies like REI are capturing this trend featuring outdoor cooking videos. This is a great way to show of the versatility of your product while flexing those creativity muscles.
Hawaii 5.0... Polynesian flavors in general are having a comeback. Tiki themes (some of the current best bars in the country are taking over tiki, like Chicago's Lost Lake), luau, huli-huli (spit grilled chicken), pineapple pies and coconut EVERYTHING!
If you're looking for some assistance with your summer SEO or developing catchy, sticky and overall delicious food content...let's connect.