Beauty brands have embraced digital marketing with astounding success.
The beauty industry is well-suited to the visual nature of online and mobile content, and beauty products (and their use) are perfect for image-oriented social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
Many of the lessons that beauty brands have learned in their successful embrace of digital marketing apply to brands in other categories as well. Here are seven top marketing lessons we can all learn from top beauty brands.
1. Create Mobile-Friendly Content for Consumers to Browse During Downtime
Glossier has done an excellent job of providing short, engaging bits of content that are ready for brand enthusiasts throughout the day – not just when they’re ready to make a purchase. Frequent social media posts and short videos are perfect for those brief periods of downtime during the day, such as coffee breaks, standing in line at the post office, or waiting for the train.
2. Offer “Behind-the-Scenes” Content
Another tactic Glossier has had success with is insider and behind-the-scenes content. For example, quick, professionally produced videos that feature an ordinary woman discussing her everyday beauty routines from her own bathroom were a hit. Not only did they provide viewers with real-world tips, but they also demonstrated that real consumers, rather than models or celebrities, are what the brand is all about.
3. Create Short Videos with the Message Right up Front
Nobody wants to watch videos that require waiting through the first several minutes before getting to the “real” information. L’Oréal realized this and created brief, mobile-friendly videos that don’t bury the lede. People who just want the relevant information can get it in the first few seconds, while those who want more detail can continue watching.
4. Adapt Content Across All Channels
While it’s not a good idea to copy and paste content from one platform to another, there is a strong case to be made for adapting content to work across all channels. It’s easy to embed a short video in a social media post, but that shouldn’t be the entirety of a brand’s social media presence. Social media strategy should spell out where platform content should come from and how it should be adapted.
5. Pre-Emptively Address Common Consumer Objections
Particularly with expensive brands, consumers will have objections to trying something new. Some of the tactics that beauty brands use to overcome these objections include:
- Offering a money-back guarantee (displayed prominently)
- Listing ingredients and perhaps listing things that are not in the product (such as formaldehyde)
- Offering free samples with purchase of other products
- Putting consumer research results in online content
6. Respond to Both Negative and Positive Feedback
This is important in every industry. Engaging with consumers makes a difference, and how a brand handles feedback says a lot. Naturally, you want to thank consumers who leave glowing reviews. But don’t ignore negative reviews. Respond with courtesy and professionalism and offer to continue the discussion one on one to get to the bottom of the issue. Handling negativity with grace speaks volumes.
7. Make Use of User-Generated Content
Beauty brands are a great fit for user-generated content (UGC). Asking product users to reply to social media posts with their own photos of a product can be fun, as can online contests. UGC and contests can work well for countless industries, including foods and beverages, fashion, home décor, and even hardware and tools. UGC can be a terrific way to keep the online conversation thriving.
Beauty brands have certain advantages when it comes to online content because the products are so visually oriented. But that doesn’t mean other industries can’t learn from their success. Beauty brands have made tremendous strides by including consumers in the conversation at every step and engaging with them continually. How many of these techniques could you adapt to your brand? Hangar12 is at the forefront of CPG marketing strategy and more. Subscribe to our blog to stay up-to-date with our latest insights.
Topics marketing