Are Beauty Influencers As Influential As We Think?
Avid beauty buffs often say that the beauty influencer has had its ‘golden age’ since industry spats, beauty influencer scandals (such as those protagonised by Tati Westbrook and James Charles), and the influence of the pandemic have affected consumer trust. However, statistics indicate that influencers still move major numbers in terms of sales, thanks in no small part to the increasing popularity of social media apps like Instagram. Indeed, Instagram has an impressive number of active users. In Australia, some 37.2% of the population is on the ‘gram, and on the whole, over one billion people worldwide use the app every month, browsing for an average of 53 minutes per day. Why are beauty influencers standing the test of time, despite their occasionally gossip-worthy behaviour?
Younger Generations Trust Influencers More
Beauty and skincare products can be considered a type of investment in current times, with many products selling for $100 or more. With so many brands creating similar items (think highlighters, primers, and setting sprays), influencers help consumers narrow down their choices and give them the chance to see how products perform. Data obtained from the Digital Marketing Institute, for instance, has shown that 70% of teens trust influencers more than celebrity endorsers, while 49% take influencer reviews into account when shopping for products. Since they specialize in areas such as makeup and skincare, influencers develop a specialized knowledge that many celebrities (including actors and models) may lack, since they dedicate their lives to another profession altogether.
Aspirational Goals
Many successful influencers manage to reach audiences through aspirational marketing. Many (think Jeffree Star, Huda Kattan, or Jackie Aina) have had to work their way up, facing challenges and obstacles and achieving success without having it easy. Beauty influencers give their followers the type of success they can aspire to. They also inspire followers to lead a full life filled with travel and adventures.
Take Charly, the daughter of famous beauty brand creator, Dr Barbara Sturm. Charly Sturm’s travel beauty secrets are often shared on her Instagram page. Not only do they include iconic items from her mum’s line (think cleansers, Vitamin C serums, and Sun Drops), but they also feature beautiful imagery that inspires travel to Mediterranean lands where blue skies and summery weather beckon stressed city slickers.
Tried and Tested
Some of the biggest beauty influencer accounts in the world (including Jeffree Star, NikkieTutorials, and Yuya) go to great lengths to provide objective reviews that take time to produce and upload. These reviews cover items such as “24-hour foundations,” with influencers wearing products all day to provide viewers with objective results as to whether or not these claims are backed. As such, they provide a highly valuable and free service that can help followers make wise choices.
Influencer marketing is still very much a reality in current times. With over one billion Instagram users across the globe, it is logical that users should still turn to specialist beauty influencers to discover new products and get a good idea of their quality and value. While the beauty world has had to up its game by becoming less “toxic” and more family-friendly, influencers have learned their lessons fast and are now focusing on what they do best: reviewing products.
This article is a guest post written by Jennifer Winter
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