We all saw how the COVID-19 pandemic caused the screeching halt of major industries across the world in 2020. And the aftereffects of this have reverberated into 2021. But COVID-19 also caused a huge spike in usage and popularity for a few industries across the globe.
Before COVID-19, many Americans and everyone else across the globe were all going about business as usual without worry. But when everything shut down, people had to scramble and use innovative tools in order to keep functioning in society.
As a result, many on-demand services saw a huge spike in usage. And along with these, so did a few of the services that were in their stages of infancy.
While some people found solace on social media sites like Tiktok, the ways we entertain ourselves, shop, and communicate all were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we’ll explore a few industries that came out on top in a truly difficult time.
Streaming Services
With the shutdown came a host of regulations and mandates. And as a result, the entertainment industry put the brakes on movie production as well as the theater industry shutting down for what seemed like an eternity.
In order to keep businesses running, many production companies and theaters began partnering with streaming services to offer early and in-theater releases. And this drove sales of streaming devices and streaming app membership sales through the roof, as well as increasing the content available on both free and premium streaming sites.
Not only did this offer customers something new, but it also gave everyone who was sent home or who had to suffer in quarantine something to occupy their time with. And most everyone will remember that during the initial shutdown, entertainment of any kind was hard to come by.
As of 2021, this trend is still growing, and streaming services have reported huge increases in profit due to this side-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On-Demand Services
As COVID-19 shut down a ton of services worldwide, many people still needed to get to the grocery store, get to work, and feed themselves. As a result, on-demand services such as Doordash and Grubhub, along with Uber and Lyft began to see a huge influx in usage.
Additionally, with millions of people out of work, many turned to on-demand services as a way to supplement their income during the shutdown by becoming Doordash or Uber drivers.
In fact, many people were in fear of leaving the house and especially fearful of going out to eat and risking possible exposure. This made home food-delivery services especially critical to the needs of millions of consumers.
Today, as of 2021, on-demand services such as Doordash and the like have continued to report above-average earnings, resulting in an increased need for drivers across the country.
Virtual Tools
Prior to the pandemic, you might have heard of apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. But not many businesses were utilizing these tools unless it was for specific conditions.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses found themselves having to operate remotely. And this caused a huge rise in the popularity of virtual tools.
Remote employment as of 2021 is on the rise, and the pandemic has had a lot to do with this. For example, many people have found it cheaper to work remotely due to not having to spend money on fuel, expensive lunches, childcare, and the like.
Additionally, the real estate industry also benefited greatly from the use of virtual tools as these enabled a prospective buyer to remotely view a property without risking exposure to the virus.
All in all, COVID-19 reshaped the way everyone works, socializes, entertains him or herself, and lives across the globe. And most people agree that by adapting to the pandemic, we’ve ushered in a new way of life, a “new normal” that we all have to adjust ourselves to, just like the phrase that was largely popularized during 2020.
