Analysis Of 195M Instagram Posts Shows Massive Growth Of Interest In CBD, Especially In Beauty Markets

Comparative analytics platform Social Standards released its “2019 CBD Report,” which reveals how consumers talk and think about CBD with analysis of the core traits they associate with.

The report draws upon data from 195 million public Instagram posts from the U.S. to provide a detailed look at how CBD has grown in the beauty, alcohol, food and beverage, and personal care markets. Along with looking at CBD’s consumer retention—that is, month-over-month conversations mentioning CBD—the report identifies four key traits consumers associate with CBD.

'CBD is no longer niche'

"Our data shows that CBD isn’t entirely a new thing—consumers have been talking about it on social media for years. In recent months we’ve seen conversation volume start to plateau, suggesting that CBD is no longer niche and is becoming mainstream," said Devon Bergman, CEO & Co-Founder of Social Standards.

"That said, CBD is a major opportunity for brands once regulatory concerns are resolved. Consumers are overwhelmingly looking for natural ways to address issues like anxiety and chronic pain and believe that CBD has real therapeutic potential."

Interest In CBD Is Growing

As showcased throughout the charts, Bergman noted: 

• In the beauty space, consumers are particularly interested in CBD for skincare as they’re looking for sustainable and clean products that treat inflammation and other skin issues.
• In personal care, consumers are especially interested in CBD for pain relief, particularly in regard to post-workout muscle recovery.
• In food and beverage, consumers are again looking for natural healing, but they’re especially concerned about the quality of what they’re putting into their bodies. Brands that can position their CBD products as organic or premium are likely to win in this space.

Consumer Interest In Cannabis Products

Further, incredibly high consumer loyalty—repeated conversations about CBD—suggest consumers aren’t just trying out a fad, they really believe in the results they’re seeing from CBD.

U.S. Consumer Conversion Volume For CBD

Further, incredibly high consumer loyalty—repeated conversations about CBD—suggest that consumers aren’t just trying out a fad, they really believe in the results they’re seeing from CBD.

Images from Social Standards.