How can I support my local cafe during Covid-19?
Many small businesses are continuing to make rigorous, and potentially crippling, adjustments to the way they operate to protect the communities they serve and the teams they employ.
In most cases the result of this means restricting or even ceasing to trade while the overheads continue. Small businesses unfortunately now face a perilous and uncertain future.
While you might not to be able to visit with the same frequency you’re still able to show your support through this period. Here are four easy ways that you can keep your local going!
Follow For Updates
Cafes, just like the rest of us, are responding daily to new information, announcements and restrictions.
Sign up to your favourite coffee shop's email list or follow them on social media for updates on how their service is changing and by what means, if any, they’re able to continue serving the public.
Like search engines, social media uses algorithms and search signals to inform what people see. Liking, commenting, posting and sharing are gold dust for a small cafe trying to be heard on the web.
Buy To Go
If you can, support your local cafes that are still open by popping in to show them some love - buy a cup of coffee to go, or a bag. Please note that many cafes are card-only now and only serving in takeaway (single-use) cups.
Most cafes sell their beans and and teas to drink at home too and some are even selling bulk or making up larger quantities on request to keep you going at home.
Order Home Delivery
More cafes and restaurants are staying open by joining food delivery services like Deliveroo, UberEats and Just Eat. Look up which coffee shops are delivering in your local area and order a barista-made coffee pastry or even lunch to your door!
Write A Review
Reviews show consumers and search engines that a business is to be trusted and trust is the foundation of how search engine algorithms choose what gets displayed and what doesn’t. Reviews are one of the top 'search signals' used by Google to help people find answers on the web especially for local businesses.
Long story short - if you want future customers to be able to discover your local cafe/ restaurant once they re-open then leave a review!
