SimilarWeb, the world’s leading traffic intelligence company, on Feb. 17, 2021, unveiled the Digital 100 Insights Report. The report underlines the most effective digital strategies of 2020 and the potential impact for the year ahead. The major highlight of the report is SimilarWeb’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing digital brands: The Digital 100 – comprising of the top ten fastest-growing brands across ten industry categories.
Or Offer, CEO and Founder at SimilarWeb, stated that over the last twelve months they saw digital becoming the key point of engagement for them, which included virtual meetings, online streaming of their favorite shows, and buying cars at the click of a button. He further added that the competition to be a digital leader was always difficult, but after a year like 2020, all eyes are on this race. As the greatest measure of the digital world, SimilarWeb is excited to spotlight this year’s winners and to track their success in the months to come.
In each of the ten categories from Beauty to Pet Supplies, the brands that clocked in at #1, by percentage growth include, Apparel – BelleWholesale (+1274%), Pet Supplies – The Farmer’s Dog (+384%), Beauty – Youth to the People (+843%), Right-leaning News – OAN (+148%), Left-leaning News – The Intercept (+56%), Travel Experiences – Getaway (+209%), FinTech – Chime (+3980%), Personal Care – Tom’s of Maine (+582%), Home & Garden – Outer (+873%), and Electronics – Upsie (+618%). In addition to ranking the Digital 100, the Insights Report breaks down the key digital trends of 2020.
Greg Malen, VP of Shopper Intelligence, SimilarWeb, stated that consumers had to adapt to a new ‘locked in’ lifestyle in 2020 that required them to take up new hobbies, work-from-home wardrobes, and even furry friends. He further added that the brands which developed the most over the past year concentrated on a robust acquisition strategy that capitalized on the fact that nearly all transactions were digital.
The other key trends from the Insights Report include Media Polarization. News Websites like The New York Times and CNN experienced an unprecedented level of traffic in 2020 during the pandemic, with 68% and 40% increases in traffic YOY, respectively. Outlets frequently mentioned by former president Trump such as OAN, Newsmax, and The Gateway Pundit, experienced triple-digit growth YOY, also the right-leaning newcomers started expanding their audiences.
The other trends also incorporated the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) movement, fueled by the uncertain economic times and the surge in online shopping. In 2020, the number of websites offering BNPL options increased by 55%. The biggest beneficiary of the BNPL trend in the U.S. is Google Pay, which has encountered a 180% increase in the number of website installs.
Due to social distancing norms, overcrowded tourist destinations such as Las Vegas, Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles became less appealing and ended the year with the steepest declines in Q4 bookings (-54% on average). Destinations such as Savannah, Atlanta, Houston, and Denver that offer nice weather or a plethora of outdoor activities rebounded faster with average 1% growth in Q4 bookings.
About SimilarWeb
Being the most trusted platform for understanding online behavior, millions of people use SimilarWeb’s insights to strengthen their knowledge of the digital world. SimilarWeb empowers people including curious individuals to the enterprise business leader to make smarter decisions by understanding why things happen across the digital ecosystem.
To know more, visit: https://www.similarweb.com
