In 2022, Wyoming led the pack with the highest share of self employment among its 436,564 full-time and part-time jobs, topping the charts according to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
Just like regular jobs, self-employment includes both full-time and part-time gigs, not just individual workers.
Sparking a Surge in Self-Employment
As one might infer, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a drastic jump in self-employment rates.
Whether it was the fear of job insecurity or the desire to be at home with loved ones, the US saw a huge jump in entrepreneurship. “From 2019 to 2022, self-employment in the state grew 32.2 percent.” (Fedore, 2024) Despite common misconception that Wyoming has little to offer when it comes to grocery, retail, and activity, Wyomingites know the hidden gems of flourishing local communities and small businesses. Certain Wyoming counties are seeing a higher percentage in small business and self-employment rates, most likely due to the lack of options for big companies and chain stores. Simply put; people look at Wyoming from the outside in on the map and see ‘nothing to do and nowhere to shop’; however, it only takes a little looking around to find outstanding entrepreneurship and local community.
But while the pandemic increased self-employment rates, it also heavily increased social media usage rates. “… recent large-scale survey revealed a sharp increase (about 20%) in worldwide social media usage compared to before the pandemic (Cho et al.). Wyoming may be blowing by the rest of the nation in self-employment rates, but they are lacking in a huge factor that plays into the success of small business: social media marketing. States such as Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington are ranking the most social-media obsessed states in 2024. However, in general, America is home to over 300 million social media users (Gladieux).
Wyoming small business owners may believe that their tight-knit community and word-of-mouth is all they need for longevity, but the harsh reality is that, in 2024, social media is a vital need for success. Many towns in Wyoming are hot spots for tourists or melting pots due to college campuses. When tourists or young college students are looking for a spot to eat, shop, or hangout, they are hopping on Google and various social media platforms to point them in the best direction. What will make one local business stand out in the crowd with small businesses popping up left and right?
Social media, SEO, web design, and digital ads may be written off by a business owner for being too confusing or unnecessary; all the while, their competitors are bringing in double the traffic for being open-minded to these ideas and adapting to this growing tool that is digital marketing.
Here at Social Spark we know not only how confusing and overwhelming digital marketing can get, but we also know there is lack of resources and help for it in Wyoming. That is why we honed in the best digital media design and marketing strategies to offer small businesses so that owners no longer have to spend all their time and brain space worrying about it.
Interested in getting help with your business’s online strategy?
Cho, Hichang, et al. “The Bright and Dark Sides of Social Media Use during COVID-19 Lockdown: Contrasting Social Media Effects through Social Liability vs. Social Support.” Computers in Human Behavior, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10123536/#:~:text=Likewise%2C%20a%20recent%20large%2Dscale,et%20al.%2C%202022).
Fedore, Kolby. “Wyoming Leads the Country in Self-Employment.” K2 Radio, 30 Jan. 2024, k2radio.com/wyoming-leads-the-country-in-self-employment/.
Gladieux, Della. “Georgia Ranks in Top 10 States Most Social Media Obsessed.” Valdosta Today, 8 Mar. 2024, valdostatoday.com/news-2/region/2024/03/georgia-ranks-in-top-10-states-most-social-media-obsessed/#:~:text=Release:%20*%20Oregon%20has%20shown%20the%20most,the%20top%20five%20most%20social%20media%2Dobsessed%20states.