How relevant is Twitter to Beauty?

Beauty brands and eye-catching visuals are always seen together, but that doesn’t discount Twitter’s relevance. Is it counterintuitive to seek engagement on Twitter?

Twitter’s 2020 stats1 for beauty show:

• 37.6 million Tweets referred to makeup
• 8.1 million Tweets talked about hair
• 6.4 million Tweets discussed skincare
• 1.8 million Tweets involved nails

In short, users are already active on #BeautyTwitter. In fact, Sprinklr and Twitter partnered up to develop The beauty in Twitter, a report where Sprinklr analysed a whopping 7 million global Tweets. A few patterns emerged:

• #BeautyTwitter is for everyone. 94% of the beauty community consisted of everyday fans and nano to micro-influencers. The open nature of this space means anyone could reach influencers or brands.
• #BeautyTwitter is real. The pandemic might not have seen reduced purchases, but user behaviour shifted. A 23% uptick in conversations on embracing one’s natural looks indicates users increasingly sought authenticity rather than perfection.
• #BeautyTwitter is diverse and inclusive. Patterns showed influencers leaned towards brands that reflected them and their ideals.

These insights show that #BeautyInfluencers and everyday #BeautyFans prefer unpolished dialogue. Key takeaways to leverage Twitter’s casual approach to conversation include:

• Relatable content that sparks engagement
• Staying culturally relevant with the brand’s fanbase
• Using open-ended questions for feedback
• Building on-going relationships with Creators involved in cultural movements

For brands looking to build traction, we’ve rounded up a (non-exhaustive) list of further tactics you could use to complement the above.

• Educational-first content.
  Twitter drove 50% of skincare start-up Topicals’ sales. Their success comes from going deep on discourse and engaging their consumers with educational, skin-related content.
• Add to the conversation and don’t be afraid to engage one-on-one.
  LA makeup brand Colourpop took the playful approach to Twitter, engaging one-on-one and personalising the individual user experience. Their audience-first approach made them the most engaged with brand on Twitter in October 2020.
• Photos garner 5x more audience engagement on #BeautyTwitter.
  Due to Twitter’s word-first platform, photos are few and far between. Take advantage of this and supplement great copy with eye-catching visuals.
• Skip ultra-curated content.
  Though photos attract more engagement, the ideal visual doesn’t overpower consistent, relatable content. Don’t miss out on engaging with your audience for the sake of perfection.
• Include strategic hashtags.
  Use hashtags to supplement brand and product recognition, events, campaigns, and trending topics to boost potential virality.
• Strong copy & brand voice.
  When your writing is in the spotlight, a brand voice that clearly differentiates you complements your engagement efforts.

Bonus: Try repurposing Tweets across social platforms. The injection of casual, witty content onto curated platforms sparks interest and humour. You attract attention and you get more content, win-win.

Twitter is more relevant than ever. By listening and catering to their #BeautyTwitter audiences, brands can establish a memorable presence and build lasting relationships with their consumers. It’s a social strategy worth testing whether as a newbie or a pro.

Looking to up your social media presence? Get in touch with us.

References:

1. Sprinklr: New Twitter Sprinklr Research Shows How Beauty Brands are Building Community
2. Twitter Marketing: The Beauty in Twitter
3. Modern Retail: Why Skin-care Startup Topicals Uses Twitter as a Growth Engine
4. Zoomph: Why the Top Cosmetics Brands are still on Twitter