Beauty Brands: 3 Recommendations to Better Utilize Social Media

The rise of social media has given way to an entirely new type of beauty entrepreneur: the social media savvy influencer. As a brand placed in this changing marketspace, it can be overwhelming and confusing to figure out how to stand out and be authentic on social. As a journalism and marketing student specializing in beauty content, I’ve identified two articles about the beauty industry and social media that will help build your online brand.

The first article, The Biggest Trends In The Beauty Industry, comes from Forbes of all places. Contributor Richard Kestenbaum identifies the various circumstances that have made the beauty industry so very lucrative in recent years. Indeed, he finds that half of the growth in beauty is actually done online. Kestenbaum explains that three circumstances holding up the beauty industry are as follows: consumers are on a journey of exploration, meaning that they enjoy trying new products and finding new brands; young, smaller brands continue to support a surge in creativity and bring their own ideas about what it means to be beautiful to the market place; and, creativity continues to surge because major beauty companies are constantly acquiring smaller companies at incredibly high values. Kestenbaum continues, outlining four major trends that young, fast-growing companies are taking advantage of on social. The first is products that result in immediate improvement or an instant fix; the second is using heavy makeup or surgery (or perhaps Photoshop) to create a porcelain, perfectly smooth looking canvas; the third is natural skincare; and the final is customization and personalization. Ultimately, brands that utilize these trends are continuing to dominate the online market.

Photo by Drunk Elephant

In her article for Allure, More Than Just Hashtags: How Social Media Is Changing the Beauty Industry, contributor Siraad Dirshe reports on the social media savvy and their ability to infiltrate the beauty industry. Most importantly, she recognizes their call for more diversity and inclusion in the industry. She outlines how hashtags, like #BlackGirlMagic, are creating communities of once marginalized voices in the beauty community. Not only has social media helped quantify the number of women who want products made specifically with them in mind, but it has also become a place where beauty brands can see what their costumers want and how they are feeling about the current climate of the beauty industry. Used correctly, social media proves to be a powerful tool for beauty companies.

                 

Based on these articles and my own knowledge of both marketing and the beauty industry, I’ve created a list of three action items that beauty companies should use when creating social media marketing campaigns.

·             Work with Influencers: Interacting with the social media savvy influencers, whether it be through comments, sponsorships, or collaborations, brings your brand to a whole new set of fans.

·             Create Authentic, Engaging Marketing: When creating marketing campaigns, think about the ways in which the product can connect to the audience and create a narrative around it in which customers can get involved—no one wants to be talked at.

·             Do Your Research: Follow emerging hashtags and accounts in the beauty industry; they are more attuned to the wants and needs of the consumers than you might think.

The beauty industry must continue to leverage social media in order to succeed.

Danielle Cohen is an undergraduate student at Northwestern University majoring in journalism, minoring in theatre studies, and pursuing a certificate in integrated marketing communications. She specializes in lifestyle, beauty, and fashion journalism. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.