Top 5 Marketing Strategies for Beauty and Cosmetics Brands
Have any questions?
Just contact us below, our
team is always ready to help.
The beauty and cosmetics industry has experienced remarkable growth on a global scale, presenting significant marketing opportunities. With a value of $532 billion in 2019, it may appear daunting for emerging and less established brands to enter such a saturated market. However, the beauty industry holds immense potential for growth, and there are no limits to marketing strategies in this field.
Before the pandemic, traditional brick-and-mortar stores like Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart's Beauty Boutique dominated beauty sales, accounting for 85% of in-person beauty product purchases.
Fortunately, the shift in consumer shopping habits, notably the surge in online shopping and the rise of e-commerce businesses during the pandemic has provided newer and smaller brands with the chance to expand their operations and compete with established counterparts through digital marketing.
Cosmetic and beauty brands play a significant role in the thriving e-commerce industry, which has witnessed various beauty and wellness trends.
In 2021, it was revealed that 87% of beauty shoppers now spend the same or even more online compared to their pre-COVID-19 in-person purchases. Moreover, 57% of consumers reported that over one-fourth of their beauty product purchases in 2020 were made from brands they had never previously bought from.
top 5 marketing strategies for beauty and cosmetic brands
Bold x Collective recognizes the significance of marketing strategies in the beauty industry. In this blog, their team of creative and performance experts has curated a comprehensive list of five effective marketing strategies specifically tailored for your beauty and cosmetics brand.
1. build a community
Thankfully, the beauty industry boasts a significant market with a large demographic interested in its products. However, this also translates to intense competition, requiring brands to exert extra effort in differentiating themselves from their counterparts.
To foster brand growth and enhance customer loyalty, it is crucial to establish a vibrant community across various channels. This objective can be achieved through several effective approaches, including:
Conduct frequent Q&A sessions, whether on Instagram stories or in the comments of a post, to make your brand a helpful beauty guide for consumers. While this is frequently done through social media, another example would be Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community on its website. Sephora beauty insiders are real employees, in real-time, who are readily available to chat and help any customers shopping through their e-commerce site.
Create fun and engaging content for your social media. Rather than constantly displaying and promoting your products with graphics and images, consider incorporating your products into more lifestyle-related content. This includes showing the product(s) in its proper use through a skincare or makeup routine or even a tutorial on how to create or do something unique with your product. Since Instagram is centred around beautiful and aesthetically pleasing content, beauty companies tend to have a large community on this platform. Now just make sure your content is also entertaining.
Incentivize your one-time customers to become repeat customers. There are many different forms to incentivize customers, but two common tactics include: offering a discount or sample to customers who sign up for your newsletter, where you can further strengthen your relationship with consumers. Email marketing is crucial for this, and some of Bold x Collective’s favorite tools are Klaviyo and Privy. In addition to email marketing, creating a points system that rewards customers for their purchases with a free product after reaching a certain number of points is also a fantastic incentive
2. create a flowing omnichannel experience
Thriving beauty brands engage with multiple distribution channels, encompassing a range of platforms, such as:
Ecommerce site
Blogging
Email newsletters
Social media platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest
Paid promotions & advertisements
To effectively enhance brand awareness and drive traffic, it's essential to leverage various forms of digital marketing and implement cross-promotion strategies. Avoid relying solely on a single platform; as the adage goes, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Instead, maintain an active presence across multiple platforms and integrate your marketing channels seamlessly to provide a cohesive experience for your audience.
Every company website should feature an option to subscribe to the newsletter, and your newsletters should include prominent buttons that direct subscribers to your other channels. Additionally, your website should prominently display your blogs in the header, allowing site visitors to access and explore your brand's social media platforms easily.
Similarly, ensure that each social media platform associated with your brand includes a direct link to your website in its bio. This way, every channel serves as a gateway to your other channels, facilitating smooth navigation for customers and enabling them to engage with your brand across various platforms effortlessly.
3. user-generated content and reviews
Irrespective of your brand's scale or prominence, word-of-mouth marketing continues to be one of the most influential approaches to boost brand recognition and drive sales. The best part is that it comes at no cost. Any user-generated videos, images, reviews, and other content featuring your products can be shared on your brand's social platforms and showcased on your website.
Authentic content created by customers carries significant weight in establishing trust among your target audience. Unlike content produced by your brand, user-generated content is perceived as genuine rather than a sales tactic. This authenticity resonates with customers and reinforces their confidence in your brand and products.
4. collaborate with beauty influencers
Influencer marketing is rapidly expanding, and its impact on the beauty and cosmetics industry cannot be overlooked.
Beauty influencers play a significant role in setting trends and influencing consumer purchasing decisions. One of the most effective marketing strategies for beauty brands is to collaborate with the right influencers who can directly communicate with their target audience.
By partnering with influencers who align with your brand and cater to your specific demographic, you can enhance brand awareness and reach audiences more likely to be interested in and purchase your products.
Contrary to popular belief, achieving an effective influencer marketing strategy is not limited to larger businesses with substantial budgets for high-profile influencers. Micro-influencers, who typically have fewer than 50k followers, offer a cost-effective option for partnerships. Many micro-influencers are even willing to collaborate for free, provided they receive the products. Their focus on niche communities and strong engagement often leads to a high return on investment (ROI).
When selecting models and influencers to represent your brand, it's crucial to prioritize diversity and inclusion, particularly in the beauty industry. Featuring individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, body shapes, and gender identities helps showcase your brand's commitment to inclusivity.
An outstanding example of a brand that prioritizes diversity and has achieved remarkable success is Fenty Beauty. They emphasize inclusivity by featuring people from various cultures and appearances, providing an exceptional consumer experience.
5. promotions and giveaways on instagram
At times, it can be challenging to convince consumers to make their first purchase from your brand, especially in a saturated market.
However, offering occasional special promotional discounts can provide the extra incentive needed for hesitant consumers to finally make the purchase they had their eyes on.
Giveaways are also an effective method for increasing exposure and engagement. By setting specific rules for participation, such as liking the post, following the brand, tagging a friend in the comments, and sharing the giveaway on their Instagram story, you can generate excitement and participation.
These requirements contribute to heightened engagement with your brand, leading to a boost from the Instagram algorithm. Moreover, they help increase brand awareness by attracting new viewers to your brand's profile.
Ultimately, the objective is to build a community around your brand!
conclusion
The beauty and cosmetics industry is undeniably vast, with numerous competitors, but it also presents abundant opportunities. If you're a beauty brand seeking guidance, the marketing team at Bold x Collective is here to assist you.
With a focus on digital marketing and a wealth of industry experience, Bold x Collective recognizes the significance of expanding your brand's digital presence. Additionally, you can explore our brand new directories for fashion and retail marketing agencies in Canada if you're in search of one.