What used to be dubbed as a sing-along app, TikTok is now making dramatic waves in the beauty industry.
While consumers worldwide continue to face a relentless pandemic, the demand for content consumption is on the rise. This growing need has several social media platforms come up with more features to cater to brands of varying industries.
Now, TikTok has become an important platform for big and small businesses to create buzz and build community in today’s increasingly saturated digital market. This article explores the TikTok Marketing strategies for the beauty industry and the many benefits of using TikTok for beauty brands.
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Getting to Know TikTok
TikTok is a mobile app in the video-sharing social network service, which lets it users create, share, and watch short-form videos, usually 15-60 seconds long, on virtually any topic.
Since its establishment in 2018, reports say TikTok is the most downloaded mobile app in the world. By the third quarter of 2020, there has been a total number of 190 million global downloads. In the same year in Europe alone, the app enjoys a following of over 100 million active users. To date, TikTok has a massive total of 800 million subscribers, with the app available in 141 countries and 39 languages.
Like other social media apps, such as Instagram, there is no pressure to create your content. Users are free to endlessly scroll away to view content from dancing, cooking, memes, and most remarkably, makeup and skincare.
TikTok as Gen Z’s Skincare Authority
While most of generation Z stay cooped up in their homes during the lockdown, they have very little going for them this year apart from homework and social media. Many brands see the business potential behind this and seek ways to target Gen Z with beauty content marketing, leading to an increase in content creation for the beauty industry.
More and more of these young consumers heed the best skincare tips on TikTok because they are short and sweet (i.e., focusing on one topic at a time) and highly entertaining to watch (i.e., upbeat music and cool dance moves). The experts and influencers also present themselves as equally credible and engaging their followers with the most transparent and authentic content.
TikTok User Statistics
It is not just generation Z you can target. In fact, according to TikTok’s statistics, there are more millennial members using the app. Surprisingly, there are more users who are between 24 to 34 years old than those who are 16-24 years old, particularly in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. (However, the app is banned in India, so for beauty businesses seeking to tap into this market, it is better to use an alternative platform).
As of June 2020, the beauty and skincare category has garnered a total of 21.8 billion views on TikTok. This figure tells marketers that even as entertainment and dance videos take the cake for the app’s young followers, they are also willing to consume a broader range of topics, provided they are interesting enough to watch.
Compared to Instagram and Twitter, a sample study done by Influencer Marketing Hub says that TikTok has the highest follower engagement rates. The online research project was conducted across 100,000 user profiles. Meanwhile, according to the app’s statistics, their users remain loyal and active, with 9 out of 10 users accessing the app multiple times per day.
In line with the high viewership and engagement come industry insights on possible viral skincare trends in 2021. With the app’s use of hashtags, marketers can see what their consumers are on the lookout for. For example, the #makeuphacks hashtag is one of this year’s most famous beauty topics garnering over two billion views, and the #selfcare hashtag with over 2.9 billion views.
If you look at some of the skincare experts to follow on TikTok in 2021, you will see how they blend educational or informative messaging with entertainment value.
TikTok for Beauty Brands
The data and engagement serve as some of the key benefits of using TikTok for beauty brands. With better reach and good influence, not only will your business gain a huge following, but it will also open you up for sales leads and brand recognition.
Take a look at Deciem’s The Ordinary. This brand recently achieved a 426% spike in their sales when their product (i.e., their AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution) found its way into the hands of some of the app’s acne-positive teens. The brand’s hashtag #theordinary has over 50 million views and counting, with their peeling solution being part of the app’s top 15 posts.
Another success story is that of Urban Skin RX, a skincare line for women of color. One day, they were surprised to find the brand’s sales five times higher than any normal day with their Instagram following rising to 400,000 followers. After some digging, they found out that a TikTok micro-influencer posted about their Even Tone Cleansing Bar, which garnered five million views in the first 24 hours with the hashtags #UrbanSkinRx and #UrbanRx. The brand did not even have a TikTok account then, but they certainly reaped the benefits.
Let us not forget about the drugstore skincare brand, Cerave. Its popularity skyrocketed after being featured in several TikTok videos that went viral. Their product sales saw a growth of 51.8% year-to-date to nearly EUR 381 million.
In the end, more consumers are after content that is quick, easy, fun, and relatable.
Top Dermatologists on TikTok
If you are a dermatologist seeking to expand your reach and influence in the digital sphere, then take down notes from these experts who are gaining so much traction by the day.
And here are a few of the most famous skincare professionals to follow on TikTok in 2021:
1. Dr. Shah (@dermdoctor)
Boasting over 2.4 million followers on TikTok, Dr. Shah addresses common skin conditions and features quick reaction videos and skincare tips. His informative and entertaining videos make it easy to see why he is one of the top dermatologists on TikTok.
2. Mamina Turegano, MD (@dr.mamina)
Dr. Mamina Turegano is a triple board-certified dermatologist, internist, and dermatopathologist. She has over 480,000 followers and is well-known for her feature of her mum talking about traditional anti-aging skincare tips.
3. Dr. Zion (@dr.zionko)
With over 400,000 subscribers following her fun and animated videos, Dr. Zion makes skincare entertaining with her quirky reactions and dance moves. One of her TikTok quirks is wearing eye pads on most of her videos.
4. Dr. Joyce (@teawithmd)
A Stanford NYU-trained dermatologist with a soft and sweet voice, Dr. Joyce entertains and educates her 270,000 followers with her dancing and sometimes graphic reactions and skincare tips.
5. Dr. Chris Tomassian (@dr.tomassian)
Dr. Tomassian is one dermatologist who has danced his way into digital stardom with over 627,000 followers. He is often dancing while presenting some of the best skincare tips on TikTok you will ever see.
Top TikTok Beauty Influencers
For brands and businesses who wish to collaborate with influencers or study tips and tricks on content creation for the beauty industry, you can learn how to create trendy and viral skincare videos from these top TikTok beauty influencers:
Hyram (@skincarebyhyram)
Here is a beauty influencer who is not afraid to tell you about the ins and outs and ups and downs of skincare products and the industry. If you love wit and sarcasm, join his massive 6.7 million followers to date. He is also one of the top TikTok beauty influencers responsible for Cerave products selling out in the US. Thanks to him, Asia has caught on the trend, too.
James Welsh (@james_s_welsh)
As a certified skincare myth buster, James Welsh tests out trending products to prove their efficacy. He also shares skincare tips and tricks to his 58,000 followers and is a fan of K-Beauty products.
yayayayoung (@yayayayoung)
This Asian beauty influencer has amassed a loyal following of 1.3 million and counting thanks to his downright hilarious take on skincare. He is often seen wearing face masks and donning the silliest facial expressions. His signature style is ending the videos with his “merry skincare” slogan and a slap!
Liah Yoo (@liahyoo)
As the CEO and product developer of skinfluencers’ favorite brand Krave Beauty, Liah Yoo is one credible beauty influencer that features safe and nurturing skincare products, focusing on those over 30 years old. She currently has over 135,000 followers.
Amy Chang (@bondenavant)
This skin and hair care-obsessed mom loves sharing her beauty favorites with her 816,000 followers. She keeps her posts simple yet real. Many young moms and health enthusiasts find her easy to relate to.
In Conclusion
TikTok presents several opportunities and benefits for beauty brands and businesses. By creating engaging content on their app, they open themselves up for broader brand awareness, trust and credibility, and a ton of sales.
Let your business and products shine through by riding the TikTok wave, just like the best beauty experts and influencers, who are already creating a positive impact on this social media platform.
If you are a beauty brand or business looking for ways to expand your reach and influence, do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We can provide you with up-to-date industry insights that will help you and your business grow to unimaginable heights.
Header Image Source: Photo by Franck on Unsplash
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