Over the last several months, the American and World economies have entered periods of significant downturn. The scale of these problems, as well as their duration, is still largely unknown. One thing is obvious, though- at least in the near future, money is going to be tight for just about everyone, offline and on.

The Web is feeling this crunch, especially those businesses either based or extended onto the Web. Venture capital is hard to come by, because there simply isn’t the amount of expendable cash there once was. Advertising is down, because it’s both unproven and expendable for most corporations. Companies are dying, there are fewer start-ups than before, and in many ways the industry is suffering.

Here’s what I think, though: I think that ultimately, the biggest effect of this economic downturn is going to be to create innovation, and create the next step toward the world truly becoming Web-based.

I read a fascinating article at ReadWriteWeb that talked about a similar issue, and it’s a great read. What really got me thinking, though, was a comment. In response to the question, “What’s Next?” one user wrote:

Howabout a world in which a fraction of this stuff even gets used by the mass market?

I think that’s a critical point, and that’s what the Web is going to become over the next months and years. The next revolution, in my opinion, won’t be Twitter or Facebook. It’s going to be a movement of things you already do, that are currently part of your life, toward the Web.

It’s already starting. You can order your groceries online and have them delivered to your door. Soon, you’ll be able to order everything from toilet paper to soap. You read news online, watch TV online, and play games online. There’s even been a revolution in education on the web, with tons of online education degrees resources available to anyone.

In the next few years, this will explode. As more and more people become comfortable with a computer, not to mention spend more time in front of it, things that used to happen offline will now move online. Your TV, your XBox, your books, your communication- all these things and more will continue the move online.

Similarly, things like education and health care are going to begin to move online. You’ll be able to take classes or get medical advice as easily as you’ll be able to watch a video. These things are part of your life, like it or not, and the Web offers the chance to make them faster, more connected, more efficient, and cheaper.

These are the applications VC investors should be looking for- ways to move your life, needs and routines online, from the interesting to the mundane. They’ll be made simpler to do, more fun to do, and will make the computer the single portal to every aspect of your life.

That’s just me. What do you make of the economy, and how it will affect the Web going forward?