By Emily Rose Campbell, Account Director and Emilie Chan, Account Manager, Labelium
Whether you’re an established beauty brand looking for the latest digital marketing insights, or an indie brand who’s just getting started (congrats!), we want to provide you with an overview of what we’ve observed across the digital space. Working with countless cosmetics brands on many digital channels, we have a pulse on the industry. From the initial disruption in the industry in March 2020 to the “new normal,” we’ve seen a huge shift towards skincare, consumers looking for brands they can genuinely connect with, and a non-linear customer journey. We hope the following tips help you leverage the right digital products and platforms in your digital marketing strategy to help make your marketing investment as efficient and impactful as possible.
Be Present On The SERP
With limited interpersonal interactions, 46% of US consumers are turning to their phones for product discovery (Facebook, 2020). On Google, 79% of beauty searches are of general queries (non-branded), a 31% increase YoY within the beauty & skincare space (Google, 2020). This means that users are more likely to search for the “best night serum” instead of for a specific brand’s serum. We urge you to increase your visibility on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Consumers are actively searching to discover new brands, more than ever before, with 78% of searches made on mobile (Google, 2020). Whether it’s with search ads, or through shopping ads that dominate the top of all mobile search screens, it’s strategic to be seen.
Diversify Your Marketing Platforms
Perhaps this concept isn’t news for some of you. It is, however, radically relevant today. The new Apple iOS14 update has shaken digital marketing to its core, protecting user privacy (great!) but in turn, limiting our tracking and therefore attribution capabilities across all platforms. 53% of makeup shoppers use the Facebook suite of platforms to discover new brands and products (Facebook IQ, 2021). Facebook will remain an important platform to advertise on, but we will be limited to a 7-day attribution window (vs. 28 days previously) and restrict the number of interactions tracked. Knowing this, diversify your presence across multiple digital platforms to create relevant and engaging touch-points across the internet. It’s going to be important to introduce your brand to new customers in new places— they want to meet your brand, whichever platform(s) you decide to make the introduction on.
While Tik Tok reached astronomical usage during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pinterest has also grown significantly, reaching an all-time high of 400M users as of Q3 2020 (Pinterest, 2020). A platform where consumers actively engage with content could be a great place to make your introduction to the beauty & skincare routines of consumers.
Foster Connection With Authentic Storytelling
Many consumers today are looking for brands that are making a difference. A survey conducted by Facebook (2020) reported that 65% of consumers take into account a brand’s response to the pandemic during brand consideration. Affordability, brand authenticity, and alignment with their personal values have also moved up in rank when making purchase decisions (Facebook 2020). Playing up your brand’s core values (such as being cruelty-free, sustainable, locally owned and operated, or using clean ingredients) is a great way to form a genuine connection with consumers. Brownie points are given for brands that leave a positive impact unto the world, so go forth and share your brand purpose, story, and value.
Showcase Product Versatility
Many routines went out the window in March 2020, with the exception of skincare routines, fuelled by the seemingly endless time spent at home. Much of the growth in the beauty space in 2020 and spilling into 2021 has been fueled by skincare. As the fastest growing sub-category accounting for 110% growth YoY (Google 2020), “skinmalism” arose. This refers to a skin-centric beauty routine and a focus on natural, “everyday makeup.” Within Pinterest alone, there has been a 180% increase in users YoY participating in this movement (Cosmetics Business, 2020). Even if your brand doesn’t sell skincare, showcase your products’ versatility and multi-use potential by positioning them within the rising beauty movements. For example, blushes are not just for completing a full-faced look, but can be positioned as a product to enhance the natural look of your skin.
Be Mindful Of The Extended Consideration Phase
64% of beauty purchases are planned & researched. Image: Facebook, 2020
Consumers are feeling less urgency to transact due to the drastic change in lifestyle. The consideration phase has been stretched out with the majority of transactions taking place over multiple touchpoints, which may span the course of multiple weeks.
Once you’ve made an initial connection (eg. the first click through to your site), stay top-of-mind and retain the user. Whether retention be through email capture or adding them into a retargeting audience pool, continue to interact with these users across multiple platforms. Ensure that you provide a seamless omnichannel experience with cohesive messaging, seamless site experiences, quick mobile load times (check Google’s core web vitals update), relevant product pushes, and frictionless check-outs. These are crucial in capturing transactions within the increasingly saturated beauty market.
ABOUT EMILIE CHAN
Emilie Chan is a Digital Strategist & Account Manager who specializes in data-driven omnichannel marketing strategies for beauty and apparel brands of all sizes. Passionate about consumer behavior and branding, she has worked with various beauty brands including: Benefit Cosmetics, Guerlain, and MAESA.
ABOUT EMILY ROSE CAMPBELL
Emily is a Digital Marketing Specialist skilled in both paid search & social. She has extensive experience in building multi-channel digital strategies to meet the diverse goals and needs of companies of all sizes. She has worked with a variety of beauty brands, such as MAKE UP FOR EVER, Dior Beauty, Guerlain, as well as smaller Korean beauty brands.
In case you missed it, check out Emilie and Emily’s previous article about maximizing your digital investment.
ABOUT LABELIUM
Labelium is a global, full-stack, digital performance agency with expertise in SEM/SEO, Digital Media, and Amazon Advertising. We develop tailored e-commerce growth strategies, customizable dashboards, and reporting while offering trainings and education for in-house teams.
Categorized in: Trends/Insights