Consumer Addiction To Social Media Is a Plus For Your Wellness Practice

Study proves that social media is a more effective marketing tool for your practice.

Chicago University’s Booth Business School announced on Monday that social media is even more addictive than both alcohol and cigarettes.

Although these results may be surprising, they are actually good news from a marketing perspective. Health practitioners who are embracing social media marketing will have greater frequency and retention from consumers than those who utilize a more traditional approach.

The study was conducted with a test group of 205 people aged 18 to 85. Over the course of the weeklong study, the test subjects were asked to identify the desires they were experiencing and the strength of those desires.

The need to engage on social media was the second highest on the list of  “self-control failure rates,” coming in just behind 'sleep and leisure' but ahead of both tobacco and alcohol.

“Desires for media may be comparatively harder to resist because of their high availability and also because it feels like it does not 'cost much' to engage in these activities,” said lead researcher William Hofmann. He went on to note that the long-term monetary and health effects of both alcohol and tobacco might add to a person's will power against indulgence.

So, while social media is certainly addictive, it is far from damaging. According to Hofmann, the only negative effect of social media is that it might “...steal a lot of people's time.”

Do you think that people’s addiction to social media is a good thing? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Need help harnessing the powers of social media to market your practice? Stay updated with more tips by following us on Twitter @FGNsocialmedia

FeelGoodNow Contributor: Frazer Lockhart

Few people have ever actually seen Frazer's face because it is usually buried behind a camera. When he isn't filming for FeelGoodNow, he is usually working on his own documentaries (although he does make it a point to take regular hiking and skiing breaks). He has an insatiable case of wanderlust and an incredible capacity for lattés. 


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