Gen Z has grown up with social media as part of their daily lives, making them a “tough crowd” when trying to sell beauty products via social media.
“They probably know more about the platform than most marketing directors and are quick to get angry if they make a mistake.”Joe Huston, head of marketing at Goat, a London-based social media marketing agency that has worked with major beauty brands such as Nivea, says:
“With TikTok, the feedback loop has become even more immediate and frightening. This may be scary, but never before have brands been able to collect so much customer feedback and sentiment in an instant. , it’s also a great opportunity.”
Another problem many beauty and personal care brands are currently facing is that there are too many platforms to choose from. Knowing where your ideal customers are interacting digitally can be difficult, and limited time and budget can make it impossible to be everywhere.
And finally, the current deadly enemy for global marketers is the “declining influence” trend, which has over 400 million views on TikTok. This includes influencers sharing “overhyped” products that they don't recommend purchasing.
Despite these challenges, Houston said it's becoming increasingly important for beauty brands and marketing agencies to demonstrate the effectiveness of TikTok as a revenue channel.
“Brand marketers need to look at TikTok more holistically and figure out how to create great, trend-driven content with the potential to go viral, which also translates into tangible revenue. ” she explained.
So, to better understand beauty brands' powerful social marketing strategies on TikTok, Huston spent some time analyzing the situation and providing top tips based on her research and expertise in social strategies for top brands. shared.
Put your star products in the spotlight on TikTok
Houston said most beauty brands have one or two standout products that customers love the most.. “For Estée Lauder it's Double Wear Foundation, for Augustine Bader it's Rich Cream, and for Glow Recipe it's Watermelon Glow Dew Drops.” she explained.
“Sure, we want our customers to be interested in other products and new products, but we use stars as regular gaps to drive engagement. Don't have a star product yet? ? Choose one and 'try copying it until it works.'” she said.
Don't be ashamed of who you are
According to Hughston, if you're a luxury brand, you should lean into this and give all your videos a luxury feel. Similarly, for legacy her brand, you can take inspiration from brands like Estée Lauder to show how the company has evolved and been loved by multiple generations of women. “Let's take the TikTok community on a journey.”she advised.
Putting creators and influencers at the forefront
Huston noted that brands with strong social media strategies tend to work with a variety of influencers on TikTok. “Rather than just having influencers post on their own channels, you'll be repurposing content through branded channels and paid advertising.” She shared.
“It's also a great idea to have a trusted influencer 'take over' your TikTok channel for a period of time, giving them creative freedom and letting them share their own style of content.”
Please know that it doesn't have to be funny
While TikTok is known for being humor-based, Houston advises against trying to force humor unless it's already part of the brand.
“People like YSL Beauty do their own thing without always incorporating interesting sounds and challenges from trends. ” she said. “TikTok is now more than just humor. Beauty brands can find success through content that is informative, memorable, beautiful, and educational.”
Align your TikTok channel to your brand vision
Finally, Houston noted that he often sees brands doing completely different things on TikTok compared to what they're doing on other brands. “Every marketing channel needs to be treated individually, but it also needs to be meaningful to the consumer.” she advises.
“Brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Estrid, and Florence by Mills do a great job of bringing their overarching brand personalities – glamor, fearlessness, and self-love – to their TikTok marketing. We're just doing it in a way that's unique to TikTok.” she concluded.
