Research | Statistics with sources
Last updated: Published by Wellness Marketing Reports
Censored wellness marketing by the numbers
The strongest number in censored wellness marketing is this: 78% of companies interviewed by Wellness Marketing Reports name digital censorship as their number one growth inhibitor.
The Censored Wellness Playbook, published by Wellness Marketing Reports, collects every statistic used on this site in one place. Interview findings and case study results are the business's own figures. Market data comes from published sources, each linked and quoted with its full range and conditions.
What does the research say about censored wellness marketing?
The research says ads underperform for censored brands, while partnerships, education and podcasts carry much of the growth. These findings come from the 2025 Wellness Marketing Reports white paper, Turning Stigma into Strategy: Marketing Lessons from 63 Entrepreneurs in Sexual Wellness and Women's Health.
| Finding | Figure | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Censorship as top barrier | 78% | Companies naming digital censorship their number one growth inhibitor |
| Ad returns under censorship | Below 1.0 ROAS | Common outcome of traditional digital ads under medical censorship |
| Partnerships as core channel | 40% (25 of 63) | Companies running strategic partnerships as a core marketing channel |
| Education as top method | 30% | Companies citing educational content and trust building as most effective |
| Podcasts as key channel | 14 companies | Companies using podcasts as a key channel |
Case study results reported by Wellness Marketing Reports
- 63.4% year over year revenue growth for a sexual health device brand in the first full year of the partnership, up from 28.3% the year before, a 2.24X acceleration.
- 2.3% to 12.2% abandonment recovery rate in two months during a Klaviyo overhaul, 266% above the Klaviyo industry average of 3.33% for abandoned cart flows.
- 127% above the industry average open rate of 21%, across 41 campaigns weighted by recipients.
- Multiple five figure contractssigned within two months for a women's health services company.
Published wellness market statistics
- $2 trillion global wellness market; more than $500 billion in annual US spend, growing at 4 to 5 percent each year. McKinsey, Future of Wellness 2025
- 84 percent of US consumers say wellness is a top or important priority; 79 percent in the UK; 94 percent in China. McKinsey
- Fastest growing sectors range from wellness real estate (19.5% annually) to mental wellness (12.4%) to traditional and complementary medicine (10.8%). Skai, 2026 CPG preview
- Health and wellness marketers allocate 70 to 75% of budgets to commerce media. Skai
- The UK wellness industry reached £26.8 billion by 2024, with 67% of consumers researching wellness products extensively before purchasing. Hummingbird
- 78% of UK wellness buyers say brand authenticity significantly influences purchasing decisions, and 64% will stop buying from brands they perceive as dishonest or overly promotional. Hummingbird
Channel and social statistics
- 70.4% of social media users who search for health information follow or engage with health influencers (eMarketer, cited by Web Tonic).
- Instagram Reels in health campaigns achieve 22% higher engagement than static posts, with a 3.4% interaction rate across wellness content (Gitnux, cited by Web Tonic).
- Fitness and wellness brands see a 2.5% social conversion rate on average, with fitness apps reaching 3.2% and Instagram Reels ads hitting 3.5% for fitness brands (Zipdo, cited by Web Tonic).
- Over 42% of survey respondents said they now buy health and wellness products online during the early coronavirus period. Glossy
- 32.9% of internet users aged 16+ discover new brands, products and services via search engines. HubSpot
See how these numbers shape the channel choices in the censored wellness marketing guide.
Common questions
- What is the Turning Stigma into Strategy white paper?
- It is Wellness Marketing Reports’ 2025 white paper, subtitled Marketing Lessons from 63 Entrepreneurs in Sexual Wellness and Women’s Health. It draws on in depth interviews with 63 industry leaders about what grows a censored brand and what quietly drains its budget. Copies can be requested on wellnessmarketingreports.com.
- What does ROAS below 1.0 mean?
- Return on ad spend below 1.0 means a brand earns back less in revenue than it spent on the ads. For example, spending $1,000 and earning $800 in attributed sales is a ROAS of 0.8. Wellness Marketing Reports names this as the common outcome of traditional digital ads for medically censored brands.
- What are the 11 wellness sectors?
- The Global Wellness Institute groups the wellness economy into eleven sectors: personal care and beauty; healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss; physical activity; wellness tourism; traditional and complementary medicine; public health, prevention and personalized medicine; wellness real estate; mental wellness; spa economy; workplace wellness; and thermal and mineral springs. Skai reports mental wellness growing 12.4% annually.
- Why does educational content work for censored brands?
- Education builds trust in categories where buyers research carefully. In Wellness Marketing Reports’ interviews, 30% of companies cited educational content and trust building as the most effective way to reach customers. Hummingbird reports that 67% of UK consumers research wellness products extensively before purchasing.
- Who publishes this website?
- Wellness Marketing Reports publishes this website. It is one of a small number of sites the business runs to share practical channel playbooks for censored wellness brands. Figures from its own research and case studies are presented as the business’s own reported results, not as an independent audit.
How we chose
Statistics were included only if they help explain censored wellness marketing and come from a named source. Interview and case study figures are Wellness Marketing Reports' own reported results, not an independent study. Third party figures are quoted with their full ranges and conditions. Wellness Marketing Reports wrote this page and publishes this site.