Have you ever swallowed hours of free time watching makeup videos on YouTube? If so, you probably have a passion for cosmetics. Unfortunately, passion doesn't always translate into skill. For those of the cosmetics lovers who are not particularly talented on the artistic side, the dream of success as a makeup artist can seem too far away. But don't frustrate makeup lovers – there may still be a place in the beauty industry for you.
In recent years, the cosmetics industry has become more private and independently owned, with small retailers defining unique areas for their products on social networks and online communities. With the consumer culture becoming more sophisticated about the chemicals in products and the large industry unable to adapt to the expanding and diverse market – there has never been a better time to try to own your own cosmetics brand.
But where to start? If you've been stuck on this guide, you've probably come to the right place.
Why Sell Cosmetics Online?
The cosmetics industry is an expanding industry. A wide range of product categories – from skincare, makeup, and perfumes, to personal care products, hair products, and deodorants – have all recorded significant growth in the past year. In fact, the numbers of the cosmetics industry have risen steadily over the past decade and expect to rise by another 5% by next year. Skincare, in particular, has become a lucrative sector in recent years – accounting for 36% of global market growth.
In addition to this, the cosmetics industry offers a lot of room for growth into specialized product categories. This means that although there are many large players, the size of the market and its diversity make it more efficient for small retailers to cut pita bread from the cake. If this is your first business venture, makeup is a great industry to start your entrepreneurial journey in.
Setting up your own cosmetics line on social media
Makeup and cosmetics are fields that are suitable for visual advertising, so if you want to start marketing on social media, it is better to choose a social network like Instagram or Pinterest. Also pay attention to your target audience when you choose the right social network. Pinterest users tend to be older than Instagram users, so choose an age-appropriate social network. You can try building a following on both networks, but we don't recommend this unless you have multiple employees. Managing two social accounts is a lot of work, and if you don't have a lot of time, it may be more efficient to focus on one network.
Before you do that, take some time to research your field so that you get an understanding of what kind of posts your target audience might be interested in. Start by selecting and exploring a particular field. A particular domain is a recognizable group of users on social media, who share an online secondary culture. Some fields have a special voice and language, so you'll want to make sure you're researching your chosen field thoroughly.
Research users and tags on social media where you think your target audience can bond. Typically, communities and groups use tags in their posts so that your target audience can identify certain categories and communities. Often, finding good niches to sell requires finding customers who aren't well represented by the existing brands. New areas are constantly emerging. If you're not sure which field to sell to, follow the rising trends in the beauty and cosmetics industry to awaken your creativity.
Once you've finished researching online communities for your domain, you'll get a description of the voice, content, and interests that will be more interesting to your target audience. Keep in mind that no one wants to follow an account that only posted ads. Think about what kind of content your target audience can get involved in (like, comment, and share). Don't underestimate the importance of your content. Users can track and unfollow with the click of a button, so you need to give them a reason to keep following you.
Try to be amazed by other Instagram accounts that are similar to the field you're referring to. Take a look at how successful brands are already evaluating users to get a good idea of what your Instagram feed needs to look like to grow. Building a brand on social media can take time, but if done correctly it will be worth the large amount of sales and engagement you will be able to achieve.
Be wary of taking shortcuts that mean buying followers or hiring bots. These tools can provide you with a high follower list quickly, but fake follower shortcuts compromise the detection of spam mechanisms on social media and usually don't provide any engagement or value. Success on social media is about building real relationships with real people – something that bots aren't very good at. Building trust takes time, but it's needed for a brand's popularity on social media to translate into sales.
Marketing a beauty brand on Instagram through influencers
When you start building your social media presence, consider collaborating with influencers, critics, or influencers in the field of cosmetics and beauty. This can help you reach a wider target audience and gain exposure for your brand. Also, it can provide positive reviews and feedback on your products from users who have already earned the trust of their audience.
Make sure to interact with your followers and respond to their comments, to build a community that is connected and appreciates your brand. This will help promote brand trust and illustrate your support and relationship with customers. Also, give prompt and professional support in case of questions or problems with your products.
Building a successful cosmetics brand on social media is a long and challenging process. However, with persistence and using the right techniques, you can create an impressive presence, get a connected audience, and increase your sales. Remember to focus on building real connections.
Instagram offers a lot of options for content about makeup and cosmetics. Since Instagram is a visual medium where you can post photos and short videos, it's easy to imagine a community of beauticians appreciating content like makeup tutorials, makeovers, and photos of interesting makeup designs.
The big advantage of makeup is that there are a ton of influencers in the cosmetics field on Instagram that you can recruit to help build a community for your brand. Instagram influencers are high-traffic users who have built a level of trust with their audience. When a user builds such a level of trust with the audience, it adds value to the endorsement of their products. If users get a recommendation from an influencer, it's like getting advice from an expert or trusted friend.
Influencers will often ask for payment for promoting products on their channel, but it's usually worth the amount of traffic it will bring to your account. Also, keep in mind that just because an influencer has a lot of followers, it doesn't necessarily mean that their followers will follow you as well. A smaller account with a more engaged community will provide more value to your followers than a larger account with unengaged followers.
In addition to promoting products through influencers, it is also possible to create collaborations with influencers in the field of cosmetics. This can include integrated projects, competitions, or events where both the influencer and your brand are presented in an integrated way. This can help expand your brand's visibility and create strong relationships with influencers and their audience.
Before you start working with influencers, do some research on them and make sure they align with your brand's aesthetics and values. Choose influencers who can reach your target audience and who can present your products compellingly and credibly.
When working with influencers, remember to track the performance of your campaigns to make sure you're getting a good return on your investment. Pay attention to metrics such as the engagement levels of your followers, the comments and shares of your promoted posts, and of course, the sales generated as a result of the promotion. This will help you understand which influencers and which campaigns work best for your brand and make improvements later on.
To maintain strong relationships with influencers, work transparently and constructively with them. Plan campaigns in advance and with combined consent, and give them the freedom to express themselves in a unique and genuine way. This will help ensure that the promotion looks natural and interesting to their followers.
Finally, use the feedback you get from your audience and influencers to improve your products and marketing. If you're attentive to the needs and requests of your prospects, it can help you tailor your products and campaigns accordingly and increase the chances of long-term success.
In conclusion, collaborating with influencers on Instagram can be a powerful way to promote your hippie brand. In order to succeed in this, it is important to choose the right influencers, build strong relationships with them, and promote your products in a persuasive and reliable manner. Integrated work with influencers can result in an increase in your brand's followers, engagement, and sales, while maintaining a close relationship with your target audience and tailoring your products and services to their needs and requests.
One way to achieve collaborations with influencers is to create a personal connection with them, to offer cooperation that will be good for both them and you. Keep in mind that many influencers are looking for real connections and collaborations that can help them grow and develop as well.
In addition, it is important to invest in planning and creating quality content that can be used by influencers during the campaign. This way, you can make sure that your content is appropriate for the personality of the influencer, your target audience, and the products and services you offer.
Just as important, it's important to be patient and not expect immediate results from sharing with influencers. Keep in mind that every influencer and their target audience are different, and it may take time to promote your brand in a strong and sustainable way. Keep trying new and creative ways to collaborate with influencers, and learn from the gaps and successes of each campaign in order to improve your methods later on.
It's also important to keep track of engagement with influencers and check the measurable results of each collaboration. Metrics like views, likes, comments, and shares can provide information on how much the influencer spent your product and how much sales it generated. If you learn that a particular collaboration didn't lead to the desired results, review the metrics and group feedback to find out where you can improve and adjust the collaboration later.
Regarding the budget, set a budget in advance for influencer collaborations and divide it according to the size and level of influence of each influencer. You may want to consider investing more in influencers with a large, engaged target audience, but often small influencers with a committed audience can provide better value.
Search for Cosmetics Suppliers for Direct Delivery of Products
When it comes to beauty products, you have a few options regarding where you will purchase your products from. You can make cosmetics at home if you have the necessary equipment and knowledge – but if you want to focus most of your time on marketing, it may be best for you to get the product delivered directly.
Direct shipping is a business model where the products are shipped directly from your supplier to the customer after they have ordered the product. This transfers the responsibility for maintaining and storing inventory to a third party and makes the task of brand marketing easier for you. Since your products are only shipped after they have been purchased, you will have better profit margins. Direct shipping is useful if you're new to business ownership, as shipping items this way is also low-cost and low-risk.
Business Model
On the AliExpress website, there are many and varied cosmetic products, so you are likely to find products suitable for any market segment. Products such as lip pods and eye shadows, which are usually sold between $20-30 at the top stores, can be purchased on AliExpress for a fraction of the price (between $1 and $5). In addition, since the direct shipping method allows the products to be sent only after a sale has been made, it reduces the risk that the costs will outweigh the profits. Such products, which allow for large profit margins, give you flexibility for promotions and price reductions.
Given the growth we've seen (and is expected to continue) in the beauty industry, it's a great bargaining point for first-time entrepreneurs. Direct delivery of cosmetics is low in risk and cost, and the makeup industry makes it relatively easy to create a special market segment.
Start your own cosmetics and beauty brand!
With industry growth, low-risk drop-shipping options, and easy-to-find niches – the makeup and cosmetics industry is great for first-time entrepreneurs.