The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many online businesses – from travel and shopping to social media and gaming – to struggle for existence. In the face of the digital dark age, some companies have found a way to thrive; providing essential goods and services during the pandemic while also saving millions of dollars along the way.

An example is Zoom, the productivity app that provides web conferencing, video chat, and more. In 2020 alone, Zoom became the most downloaded app in the Google Play Store, and the company reportedly generated over $3 billion in revenue in 2020.

Zoom is just one of the many businesses that have found success during the pandemic. Business Insider’s CEO, Compuer Insider, recently noted that “technology and consumer software have proven to be the industries that are most affected by the pandemic.” He went on to add that 2020 was “probably the biggest year yet for software-based IPOs.”

The demand for software during the pandemic was so great that in some cases, companies went public without having a single product to offer. Take We Happy Life, for example. The company raised $16 million in March 2020, less than two months after its IPO.

We Happy Life was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in New York City. The company creates apps that help users keep track of their health and fitness goals and make managing their diet and exercise routine easier. Just a few days before its IPO, the company introduced its first product: We Diet.

Unlike many other online businesses that struggled mightily during the pandemic, We Happy Life’s stock price initially rose by 86% in the weeks after its IPO. The company now has over 200,000 monthly active users and generates over $1 million in monthly revenue.

We Happy Life isn’t the only tech company to successfully navigate the pandemic and transition to a new normal. Many companies pivoted to provide essential goods and services during the pandemic, and some even thrived.

Delivery-only Services

Many e-commerce and delivery-only services – including Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba – saw their customer bases increase by offering safe and responsible shopping choices during the pandemic. Amazon, for example, increased its Prime Day sales by 41% in the month after the pandemic began in comparison to the month before.

The online marketplace saw a surge in demand for packages that could be delivered by boat, airplane, or drone. The demand for same-day delivery surged by 67% in the month after the pandemic, and over the past year, online shoppers have shifted their focus to more immediate and convenient delivery options.

Travel And Tourism

Travel and tourism saw some of the greatest gains when the economy shifted to the digital sphere. According to data from the Global Hotel and Restaurant (GHOR) market reporting company, travel and tourism grew by 12% in the year after the pandemic.

Hotels used their online channels – including websites, blogs, and social media – to communicate and attract customers during the pandemic. Many hotels saw an increase in traffic when they adopted a content marketing approach and used online tools to engage with customers and potential visitors.

Even during the pandemic, consumers want to travel. According to a study from the Global Hotel and Restaurant market reporting company, 68% of people in a given week plan to travel somewhere. What’s more, during the pandemic, people want to travel to places that are far away, and they want to travel more frequently. In the study, those planning to travel noted that they wished to travel during ‘quiet hours’, suggesting that businesses should not rely on occupancy rates alone to determine the success of a marketing campaign.

The demand for travel and tourism is clear. According to the Global Hotel and Restaurant market reporting company, over the next year, the travel and tourism industry is expected to grow by 12%.

Healthcare And Life Science

Healthcare and life science also saw great success during the pandemic, largely due to the increased adoption of remote working. According to figures from the Global Market Research Industry (GMI), over 1.7 million jobs were taken online during the pandemic, and that trend is only expected to increase.

Many healthcare and life science companies, such as Medtronic, Perk Labs, and Pheno Therapeutics, saw a large increase in demand for their products as the number of people working remotely increased. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also experienced an increase in demand for testing and other health-related products during the pandemic.

The demand for healthcare and life science is clear. According to the Global Market Research Industry, over the next year, the healthcare and life science industry is expected to grow by 12%.

Consumer Electronics

Finally, let’s not forget about consumer electronics, which have always been a source of revenue for BizEaze. During the pandemic, companies such as Sonos, JCI Wireless, and Mohu successfully transitioned to providing essential services and products while also maintaining revenue.

From tablets to speakers, cameras to projectors, and home theaters to WiFi connections, consumers across the globe have turned to these products to help them manage the pandemic and stay connected.

Consumer electronics saw tremendous growth during the pandemic, with sales up by 28% in 2020. The industry is expected to grow by 12% in the next year.

The popularity of these products is clear. According to Statista, last year, 116.8 million American consumers spent $274 billion on consumer electronics, with 83.3 million customers buying primarily online in the last six months.

How To Use This Data

These examples should give you plenty to think about as you develop a marketing strategy for your company in the coming months. The travel and tourism industry is expanding, as are healthcare and life science, so if you’re working on a travel-related product or service, now might be a good time to think about developing a strategy.

However, these are just a few examples of how the pandemic changed the way we will see businesses in the future. Many industries saw great success in transforming to serve the essential needs of their customers. What is your industry doing to pivot and thrive during the pandemic?