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If the USA economy turned down big time -- I'm talking VERY MAJOR long term recession or even a depression -- and stayed that way for more than two or three years, what would the likely effects be upon on-line marketing and folks making their living via their on-line efforts?
What areas would likely prove most resilient to any drop in income and profitability?
What areas would most likely keep the income coming in?
What are the most likely changes in what you do on-line business and income wise?
What skills would prove most valuable in such an environment for someone who wanted to keep on earning their living via working on-line?
How would it change the face of the internet and on-line commerce landscape?
What would the effect be on those generating income via affiliate marketing? How about PPC?
What about the market for those making their incomes offering professional web and e-marketing services like PPC bid management, SEO/SEM and other work related to companies' web sites and those companies' on-line efforts?
Thanks a bunch for sharing. I really appreciate your point of view.
FWIW, I certainly hope a major economic downturn doesn't happen -- but think it wise to consider what the effects would be for on those earning their incomes on-line.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts,
Louis
If the USA economy turned down big time
The US economy would not turn down on its own. There would have to be a downturn in the entire world economy (as in eg 1929).
Secondly, it would depend on which parts of the economy were depressed. Economic dperession is not something that happens evenly. You can have parts of a country depressed and parts booming. This happened in Britain during the 1930s (Scotland, Wales and nothern England were depressed as bad as anything you found in the USA or Germany, the south-east of England did, in general, very well).
But generally a depression causes the economy to become more capital intensive. The most likely consequence for IT is therefore that the sector would benefit. Which is not to say that all IT workers would benefit, since IT itself might become more capital-intensive, employing fewer workers.
If you're in a situation where you're living hand to mouth, the only important physical things for long term survival remain:
1-any kind of clean and healthful food
2-drinkable water
3-any kind of shelter
4-warmth
5-physical security against injury or assault from outside forces
6-maintenance and remedy of health/injury/sickness
7-maintaining sanitation of all kinds
Everything else on top of that is pure fluff. Entertainment, sports, technology, internet, politics, fashion clothing, transportation - everything is vapid fluff. Nothing else is secure. Not even money, being a man-made object.
And given a strong enough economic wind, all fluff must be blown off and away.
So if things were to collapse, say like in 1929 or WW II Blitzing of London, the only real things worth giving a darn about would be those 7 concerns. Nothing else.
