3 Of The Fastest Growing Online Industries This Year

This year has been something of a challenge for us. Ever since January of 2020, the world has bombarded with every kind of threat, from wildfires that consumed Australia to the whispers of a war with North Korea to murder hornets to the life-changing COVID-19 pandemic. The human race has been challenged more this year than at any time in the previous decade, but certain businesses are still booming, despite the adversity.

These three industries are dominating online landscapes currently, and show great promise for future growth. We’ll look at what they are, how they’re growing, and what makes them so special.

1. Tobaccoless Chew

It’s no secret that tobacco products are dangerous and the tobacco companies have spent billions and worked hard over several decades to dilute the information about their products. While they certainly can’t come outright and say that tobacco doesn’t cause cancer/lung disease/a plethora of other health complications, they still aim to convince the public that smoking isn’t that bad.

 Unfortunately for them, the digital age has made information more accessible than ever, and there’s really no way to hide it anymore; cigarettes are deadly. Studies are conducted almost yearly on how smoking especially causes massive damage to vital organs, brain function, circulation, and much more. It’s even been found that smoking has a direct link to certain mental health complications.

The risk is especially high for children and those with compromised respiratory systems. Not to mention, COVID-19 can actually have a more profound effect on smokers; leading to much greater complications from the virus should a smoker catch it.

Surprisingly, millions of people do still smoke in the US and across the globe. Smoking is as much a cultural norm in some places as it is a subconscious act. Smokers everywhere have been yearning for something that looks, feels, and tastes like tobacco, minus the deadly chemicals, heavy metals, and toxins found in commercial tobacco products.

Cue the rise of tobaccoless chew. Companies like Black Buffalo have crafted such amazing tobaccoless products that not even seasoned tobacco users can tell the difference. The industry is picking up, as well, growing rapidly online this year and looking to continue to expand well into the future.

2. CBD Products

CBD stands for Cannabidiol, a Cannabinoid which is extracted from industrial hemp. Hemp is a strain of Cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC, making it a distant cousin of marijuana. The two are not the same, however, and certainly don’t share the same legal status.

As of 2018, hemp is legal to grow and cultivate in all 50 states. It was finally removed from the list of controlled substances with the passing of The Agricultural Improvement Act, or “Farm Bill” for short. Overnight, an industry that had been largely existing on the fringes of the law was suddenly taking off, and the demand for CBD products has only skyrocketed since then.

Many of the best CBD providers exist solely online, trimming overhead costs and offering a much higher-quality product to their customers. CBD can be made into a number of products, from edible gummies, treats, and baked goods to CBD oils and tinctures to topicals, soaps, and beyond. The versatility is what makes it such a sellable item, but it’s the compound’s health benefits that are its true selling points.

CBD is used for everything from combatting seizures to managing pain and inflammation to managing anxiety symptoms. The compound is biologically compatible with our own bodies, as we all have an Endocannabinoid system that accepts cannabinoids. We even make our own “endocannabinoids”.

The industry is predicted to be worth somewhere around $20 billion by the year 2024, but that remains to be seen. What is clear is that CBD isn’t going anywhere, and it’s already a billion-dollar industry.

3. Online Training

With the onset of COVID-19 in much of the world, we were forced indoors for extended periods of time. It’s no surprise that during this quarantine, online training classes grew tenfold. COVID has completely changed education, with many schools being forced to adopt online-only classes until the pandemic has subsided.

Online training was popular before COVID, but it’s now a necessity. Sites like Udemy, Khan Academy, Udacity, and more are booming in the wake of COVID-19. It’s likely that future education programs will adopt some form of online schooling as the standard in their curriculum, if not for convenience and safety, then for its cost-saving benefits.

As we move further into 2020, we’re seeing many school systems opting to stay closed to in-person classes in order to protect students. It’s safe to say that the future of online training and education is secure, at least for now. Whether or not we’ll conquer COVID-19 this year still remains to be seen.