There isn’t an industry the Coronavirus pandemic hasn’t affected, including digital marketing. Due to conferences being canceled and employees working remotely, online streaming platforms like Zoom are being used more. There are supply chain issues for products from China, affecting e-commerce. There are a lot more people Googling health topics. To make up for the loss of revenue, many companies are re-assessing their ad spending and media budgets.

COVID-19 is definitely affecting the digital industry.

Streaming and Videochat Services

Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Slack are more in demand than ever in an attempt for employees to still work collaboratively and for conferences to continue as scheduled virtually. This will presumably lead to several changes: 1) these software platforms will get better as more users find performance issues 2) companies that have never used these platforms before will continue to use them after the Coronavirus is no longer a pandemic. More people will continue to work remotely than ever before as many employees will find that it fits their life and work style better, and many companies who didn’t allow remote work previously will be more comfortable with the idea now.

The same can be said for churches, who are also using these platforms to stream their services and will likely keep them for the future.

Online Searches

There have been less “travel” searches for hotels and flights, which affects SEO and paid ads. Because of low sales, these industries are reassessing their marketing budgets. They are likely to see lower-ad spending as well, which is exactly what experts recommend they don’t do. While it’s tempting to defer marketing spending right now, digital marketing is what will help affected industries maintain demand and be able to get back on their feet once COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic.

Websites and Social Media

Businesses, specifically in the restaurant industry, are realizing why an efficient website that’s able to handle an influx of online orders is necessary. Restaurants around the nation have been forced to close their dining rooms, and for many, the solution has been to offer take-out services. This has forced smaller restaurants to re-examine their websites and online ordering ability. A robust social media presence is also proving to be handy during this time, as many small businesses and restaurants are using social media platforms to communicate new hours and operation updates regarding COVID-19. Many website companies and digital marketing agencies are stepping in to help, and it’s expected that the relationships they’ll build during this pandemic will pay off.