The virus that changed the way we Internet.

A new analysis of internet usage in the United States from SimilarWeb and Apptopia, two online data providers, reveals that the behaviors shifted, sometimes starkly, as the virus spread and pushed people to the devices for work, play and connecting.

• Facebook, Netflix and YouTube have all seen user numbers on their phone apps stagnate or fall off, as their websites have grown.
• As people want to see one another — its has given a big boost to apps that used to linger in relative obscurity, like Google’s video chatting application, Duo, and Houseparty; and led to a renewed interest in Nextdoor, the social media site focused on connecting local neighborhoods.
• As the offices and schools of America have all moved into the basements and living rooms — meetings are happening on Zoom, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams.
• Amid the uncertainty about how bad the outbreak could get, Americans appear to want few things more than the latest news; and the biggest beneficiaries from the situation are local news sites, with huge jumps in traffic as people try to learn how the pandemic is affecting their hometowns.
• With all major-league games called off, the use of ESPN’s website has fallen sharply since late January; at the same time, several video game sites have had surges in traffic, as have sites that let you watch other people play.

We are looking to connect and entertain ourselves, but are turning away from our phones

Note: Averages are calculated with traffic numbers from each date and the six days preceding it in order to smooth out weekly variations (recreational internet use, for example, often spikes on the weekends). Percent change is from the average on Jan. 21 to the average on March 24. Daily app traffic is measured in sessions — the number of times the app is opened — and one user can have multiple sessions in a day. · Sources: SimilarWeb, Apptopia

With nearly all public gatherings called off, Americans are seeking out entertainment on streaming services like Netflix and YouTube, and looking to connect with one another on social media outlets like Facebook.

In the past few years, users of these services were increasingly moving to their smartphones, creating an industrywide focus on mobile. Now that we are spending our days at home, with computers close at hand, Americans appear to be remembering how unpleasant it can be to squint at those little phone screens.

Facebook, Netflix and YouTube have all seen user numbers on their phone apps stagnate or fall off as their websites have grown, the data from SimilarWeb and Apptopia indicates. SimilarWeb and Apptopia both draw their traffic numbers from several independent sources to create data that can be compared across the internet.

With the rise of social distancing, we are seeking out new ways to connect, mostly through video chat

Percent change is from the average on Jan. 21 to the average on March 24. App daily traffic is measured in “daily sessions.” · Sources: SimilarWeb, Apptopia

While traditional social media sites have been growing, it seems that we want to do more than just connect through messaging and text — we want to see one another. This has given a big boost to apps that used to linger in relative obscurity, like Google’s video chatting application, Duo, and Houseparty, which allows groups of friends to join a single video chat and play games together.

We have also grown much more interested in our immediate environment, and how it is changing and responding to the virus and the quarantine measures. This has led to a renewed interest in Nextdoor, the social media site focused on connecting local neighborhoods.

We have suddenly become reliant on services that allow us to work and learn from home

App popularity according to iOS App Store rankings on March 16–18. · Source: Apptopia

The offices and schools of America have all moved into our basements and living rooms. Nothing is having a more profound impact on online activity than this change. School assignments are being handed out on Google Classroom. Meetings are happening on Zoom, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams. The rush to these services, however, has brought new scrutiny on privacy practices.

Video games have been gaining while sports have lost out

Percent change is from the average on Jan. 21 to the average on March 24. One user can have multiple sessions in a day. · Sources: SimilarWeb, Apptopia

With all major-league games called off, there hasn’t been much sports to consume beyond marble racing and an occasional Belarusian soccer match. Use of ESPN’s website has fallen sharply since late January, according to SimilarWeb.

At the same time, several video game sites have had surges in traffic, as have sites that let you watch other people play. Twitch, the leading site for streaming game play, has had traffic shoot up 20 percent.

TikTok, the mobile app filled with short clips of pranks and lip-syncing, was taking off before the coronavirus outbreak and it has continued its steady ascent ever since. It can be nice to see that at least some things remain unchanged by the crisis.

New industries emerging, traditional industries crushed: The rules of the game just got reshuffled.

The people who will adapt the fastest will win the game for the next few years.

Learn more about how to adapt during the environmental changes of the Adaptive Economy in my latest video here:

Stay safe, stay positive, become adaptive.