User-generated content and a fresh strategy for beauty and salons
Whilst other trades and categories are now having to re-evaluate influencer marketing and what that means
for them, utilising and creating content and visuals featuring real clients and customers has been de-facto for
salons, spas and beauty and wellness brands since the dawn of any visual platform.
There is certainly a thing or two they can learn from the beauty industry, but how can the influencer marketing
leaders keep ahead of the curve and see a better ROI and more efficiency from their strategy?
UGC is less about an obsession with the ‘creators’ themselves and more about the consumer, as their
behaviour across all industry and sectors has changed irreversibly. Going beyond just taking ‘before and after’
content to share on your brand socials, it is time to recognise that the consumer themselves and their ‘word of
mouth’ has created conversation on your behalf beyond Instagram and TikTok.
We know that brand sponsored content from high profile social media users no longer carries authentic weight
with your shoppers or potential clients or customers. That ‘influence’ is decreasing hugely in search of a more
trustworthy way to engage and build loyalty. The other effect that UGC has on the beauty industry is the fact
that it is becoming increasingly more democratised. Not just via ‘celebrity’ customers and clients, but also the
eponymous brand owners, and ‘expert’ hair stylists and makeup artists themselves. With more and more
consumers creating their own content, increasingly seen as ‘more trustworthy’ by viewers and shoppers, a
reliance on your own, in house, ‘big name’ is something to move away from, whilst considering a more
strategic approach to embracing UGC within an internal strategy. If you can’t beat them, join them - and it’s
perfectly possible to do whilst creating a positive uptick in genuine ROI.
User-generated content incorporated officially into marketing initiatives leads to more trustworthy
engagement with consumers and increases the likelihood of purchase. Shoppers want to see products and
services on, in the hands of, and being used by ‘people like them’ before making purchasing decisions. By
embracing this internally, you get to keep an element of control. Producing or sharing your own glossy visual
content is a must - Current consumer and client loyalty, curiosity from potential new clients or ‘upsell’
opportunities are coming via their own searches, and they are increasingly looking for the outside review or
imagery created by the ‘average Joanna’ and shared on their own platforms - wherever that may be. They are
wondering ‘ what does it *really* look and feel like?’ and wondering what the real experience is like beyond
the sponsored or gifted.
If a consumer is going to the effort of showcasing your brand or service on their platforms themselves, usually
as a paying customer, then recognition from the brand or business you are talking about doubles down on
their own loyalty and trust for the brand. Everyone likes to be recognised, and this, again, is something the
beauty and salon industry do very well already, granted - it is time to look beyond the ‘preferred’ influencers
or clients and embrace everyone who is going to the trouble of sharing and creating. It is both customer
service and retention alongside marketing and doubles down on utilising UGC as a way to increase referrals
and brand visibility.
Utilising user-generated content into internal strategy provides new and existing customers fresh confidence -
more important than ever in the current economic climate. Enticing consumers to participate with you in your
campaign planning and communications means that you are not only improving the all important ‘relatability’
factor, but can gain valuable insight into user or customer experience - feeding into further strategy planning
and potential ROI.
Expertise certainly has appeal, but resonating content is now more about inspiration and results. Viewers want
to be shown what to use and how to use a product to get the results they are looking for. Wanting to see more
content from everyday consumers just like themselves shows an interest in ‘achievability’ versus ‘aspirational’
looks they know they may never achieve.
User-generated content embraced in this way also serves to combat one of the main criticisms of the beauty
and salon industry - unrealistic beauty standards or affordability, or even the slew of clearly ‘gifted’
treatments. Consumers are looking for real practices and real feedback. Social Media is working back on itself
here and consumers have become more sophisticated in who they are truly influenced by. Inauthentic content
can be smelt a mile away.
From a retail point of view younger shoppers must be ignored at your peril - they are setting the tone for the
future of the industry as a whole and their experiences now, and how they create and consume content must
be recognised. There are currently no bigger standard bearers for ‘natural’ beauty and diversity in
representation and ignoring this only leads to a marginalisation of future consumers and brand advocates.
When you truly embrace user-generated content ‘in house’ and encourage your own ‘creator economy’ for
your business beyond a reliance on a ‘big name’ you will need clear planning and guidelines, you may be
putting your marketing into the customers hands, but you will still retain leadership and management.
Affiliate links are an obvious way to measure and increase sales, but campaign planning can be creative and
pertain to particular products or services - formulating your own ‘challenges’ via the ever popular Instagram
reels or TikTok are one way to kick things off.
TikTok drives search and therefore sales exponentially at the moment. YouTube is the second biggest search
engine in the world. It’s time to take a fresh look at your content strategy beyond basic ‘social media visibility’
and looking toward your wider customer base and the potential new clients. All of your customers are your
influencers, and it’s important to work with them, make them feel appreciated and engaged - the value will be
returned!
By:Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, TishTash Founder and CEO
Whilst other trades and categories are now having to re-evaluate influencer marketing and what that means
for them, utilising and creating content and visuals featuring real clients and customers has been de-facto for
salons, spas and beauty and wellness brands since the dawn of any visual platform.
There is certainly a thing or two they can learn from the beauty industry, but how can the influencer marketing
leaders keep ahead of the curve and see a better ROI and more efficiency from their strategy?
UGC is less about an obsession with the ‘creators’ themselves and more about the consumer, as their
behaviour across all industry and sectors has changed irreversibly. Going beyond just taking ‘before and after’
content to share on your brand socials, it is time to recognise that the consumer themselves and their ‘word of
mouth’ has created conversation on your behalf beyond Instagram and TikTok.
We know that brand sponsored content from high profile social media users no longer carries authentic weight
with your shoppers or potential clients or customers. That ‘influence’ is decreasing hugely in search of a more
trustworthy way to engage and build loyalty. The other effect that UGC has on the beauty industry is the fact
that it is becoming increasingly more democratised. Not just via ‘celebrity’ customers and clients, but also the
eponymous brand owners, and ‘expert’ hair stylists and makeup artists themselves. With more and more
consumers creating their own content, increasingly seen as ‘more trustworthy’ by viewers and shoppers, a
reliance on your own, in house, ‘big name’ is something to move away from, whilst considering a more
strategic approach to embracing UGC within an internal strategy. If you can’t beat them, join them - and it’s
perfectly possible to do whilst creating a positive uptick in genuine ROI.
User-generated content incorporated officially into marketing initiatives leads to more trustworthy
engagement with consumers and increases the likelihood of purchase. Shoppers want to see products and
services on, in the hands of, and being used by ‘people like them’ before making purchasing decisions. By
embracing this internally, you get to keep an element of control. Producing or sharing your own glossy visual
content is a must - Current consumer and client loyalty, curiosity from potential new clients or ‘upsell’
opportunities are coming via their own searches, and they are increasingly looking for the outside review or
imagery created by the ‘average Joanna’ and shared on their own platforms - wherever that may be. They are
wondering ‘ what does it *really* look and feel like?’ and wondering what the real experience is like beyond
the sponsored or gifted.
If a consumer is going to the effort of showcasing your brand or service on their platforms themselves, usually
as a paying customer, then recognition from the brand or business you are talking about doubles down on
their own loyalty and trust for the brand. Everyone likes to be recognised, and this, again, is something the
beauty and salon industry do very well already, granted - it is time to look beyond the ‘preferred’ influencers
or clients and embrace everyone who is going to the trouble of sharing and creating. It is both customer
service and retention alongside marketing and doubles down on utilising UGC as a way to increase referrals
and brand visibility.
Utilising user-generated content into internal strategy provides new and existing customers fresh confidence -
more important than ever in the current economic climate. Enticing consumers to participate with you in your
campaign planning and communications means that you are not only improving the all important ‘relatability’
factor, but can gain valuable insight into user or customer experience - feeding into further strategy planning
and potential ROI.
Expertise certainly has appeal, but resonating content is now more about inspiration and results. Viewers want
to be shown what to use and how to use a product to get the results they are looking for. Wanting to see more
content from everyday consumers just like themselves shows an interest in ‘achievability’ versus ‘aspirational’
looks they know they may never achieve.
User-generated content embraced in this way also serves to combat one of the main criticisms of the beauty
and salon industry - unrealistic beauty standards or affordability, or even the slew of clearly ‘gifted’
treatments. Consumers are looking for real practices and real feedback. Social Media is working back on itself
here and consumers have become more sophisticated in who they are truly influenced by. Inauthentic content
can be smelt a mile away.
From a retail point of view younger shoppers must be ignored at your peril - they are setting the tone for the
future of the industry as a whole and their experiences now, and how they create and consume content must
be recognised. There are currently no bigger standard bearers for ‘natural’ beauty and diversity in
representation and ignoring this only leads to a marginalisation of future consumers and brand advocates.
When you truly embrace user-generated content ‘in house’ and encourage your own ‘creator economy’ for
your business beyond a reliance on a ‘big name’ you will need clear planning and guidelines, you may be
putting your marketing into the customers hands, but you will still retain leadership and management.
Affiliate links are an obvious way to measure and increase sales, but campaign planning can be creative and
pertain to particular products or services - formulating your own ‘challenges’ via the ever popular Instagram
reels or TikTok are one way to kick things off.
TikTok drives search and therefore sales exponentially at the moment. YouTube is the second biggest search
engine in the world. It’s time to take a fresh look at your content strategy beyond basic ‘social media visibility’
and looking toward your wider customer base and the potential new clients. All of your customers are your
influencers, and it’s important to work with them, make them feel appreciated and engaged - the value will be
returned!