In today’s competitive beauty industry, it’s not enough to just have a great product. With so many choices available, consumers need more than just a product—they need a personalized, trustworthy experience that speaks to their individual needs. Beauty funnels are an excellent way to bridge the gap between discovery, engagement, and purchase. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at how beauty brands can leverage influencer engagement and personalization to boost conversions and improve customer loyalty.
1. Shoppable Influencer Funnels: Building Trust and Capturing Attention
The Challenge: Today’s beauty consumers are savvy, with an overload of information at their fingertips. To cut through the noise, you need content that resonates with them—content that doesn’t just feel like an ad but offers a genuine connection.
Solution: Shoppable Influencer Funnels are a powerful tool for building trust and making shopping seamless. These funnels use influencer content, such as “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) videos, to create relatable, authentic product showcases. The concept behind these funnels is simple: use influencers to demonstrate how the product fits into their daily lives, then provide an easy way for viewers to purchase the same items.
For example, let’s say a beauty brand like Fenty Beauty collaborates with a well-known makeup artist on a GRWM video. The influencer applies a Fenty foundation, concealer, and lip gloss while discussing why they love the products. At the end of the video, the influencer’s followers can click on a link in the video’s description, which takes them to a co-branded shopping page. This page shows the exact products the influencer used, with an option to purchase them directly. The entire process from discovery to purchase is effortless, creating a frictionless experience for the consumer.
Real-World Example:
Charlotte Tilbury, a globally recognized beauty brand, frequently partners with influencers to create content that showcases their products. One of the brand’s famous shoppable funnels includes a tutorial with influencer Huda Kattan demonstrating how to achieve a flawless makeup look using Charlotte Tilbury products. The video links directly to a landing page with all the featured products, allowing viewers to make purchases immediately.
By leveraging influencers who align with the brand’s image, beauty brands can amplify their reach, build trust, and increase sales through these personalized, co-branded funnels.
2. Shade/Variant Finder Funnels: Simplifying Decision-Making
The Challenge: Beauty products, especially foundations, concealers, and lipsticks, come in a wide range of shades and variants. Choosing the right shade or product can be intimidating for many consumers, especially those who are shopping online without the ability to try the products in person. Misleading shades or wrong color choices can result in unhappy customers and high return rates.
Solution: Shade/Variant Finder Funnels help to simplify decision-making and ensure that customers select the right product. By using virtual tools and personalized recommendations, brands can make the shopping experience more interactive and intuitive.
For example, Fenty Beauty’s Shade Finder Tool has been a game-changer in helping customers find their perfect shade. When a customer visits the Fenty Beauty website, they can use a shade finder tool that asks for details like their undertones, skin tone, and previous shade choices in other brands. This allows the brand to suggest the closest Fenty shade, giving consumers a much higher chance of making the right choice. This is particularly helpful for customers who are unsure about their shade or who are purchasing online without the opportunity to test the product in-store.
Additionally, Augmented Reality (AR) tools, like the one used by L’Oréal, let users try on shades virtually. This tool allows customers to upload photos of themselves and “try on” different lipstick or eyeshadow shades via their mobile app or website.
Real-World Example:
Sephora, one of the largest beauty retailers in the world, has a highly effective shade-finder tool that recommends foundation shades based on the customer’s profile. Customers can enter their current foundation brand and shade, and the tool will suggest the closest match from Sephora’s vast catalog. This tool reduces decision fatigue, increases confidence in the purchase, and drives conversions.
Upsell Opportunity:
These tools also create opportunities to suggest complementary products like primers, concealers, or setting powders, ensuring the customer has everything they need for a flawless look.
3. Educational Advertorial Funnel: Addressing Customer Concerns
The Challenge: Beauty consumers are becoming more educated and discerning about the products they use. They want to understand not only how a product works but also the science behind it, its ingredients, and how it fits into their skincare routine. Simply offering a product isn’t enough; customers need to feel confident in their choices.
Solution: An Educational Advertorial Funnel educates consumers while promoting the product. These funnels blend informative content with promotional material, addressing common concerns and offering solutions to specific beauty problems. The goal is to provide value through education, making the consumer feel more confident in their purchase decision.
For instance, a skincare brand like CeraVe could create an advertorial funnel focusing on the benefits of their moisturizing products for sensitive skin. The funnel might include a blog post or video that discusses the science behind skin barrier repair, the role of ceramides in skincare, and why CeraVe’s products are ideal for sensitive skin. Along with this, real-life testimonials from customers who have used the product and clinical data supporting the brand’s efficacy are included to build trust.
Real-World Example:
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare uses educational advertorials to educate consumers about the effectiveness of their Vitamin C serums. The brand’s funnel may include blog posts or videos that explain how Vitamin C can brighten skin, improve elasticity, and protect against environmental damage. The funnel could then link to product pages where consumers can read customer reviews, purchase the product, and learn more about its ingredients.
These advertorial funnels not only address customer concerns but also highlight the product’s benefits in a way that is both informative and persuasive, easing doubts and ultimately increasing conversions.
4. Personalization: The Heart of Every Funnel
The Challenge: Consumers today expect a shopping experience that speaks to their individual needs and preferences. Generic marketing is no longer enough. To succeed, brands must personalize their approach to each customer’s unique preferences.
Solution: Personalization is a core component of every beauty funnel. By leveraging customer data, beauty brands can create more relevant, tailored experiences that increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
For example, Glossier excels in personalization by sending tailored product recommendations based on the customer’s previous purchases or browsing history. When a customer visits Glossier’s website, they are greeted with personalized product suggestions that align with their beauty preferences, whether they’re into skincare or makeup. This data-driven approach ensures that customers see products they’re more likely to purchase, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Real-World Example:
Ipsy, a beauty subscription service, uses personalized funnels by asking users to fill out a quiz when they first sign up. Based on this quiz, Ipsy curates beauty boxes that match the customer’s skin tone, makeup preferences, and lifestyle. These personalized beauty boxes are then marketed with targeted emails that feature the exact products the customer is likely to enjoy, enhancing both the user experience and the chance of a sale.
Conclusion: Elevating the Beauty Shopping Experience
The beauty industry has changed dramatically, with consumers demanding more personalized, authentic experiences. By using shoppable influencer funnels, shade/variant finder tools, and educational advertorials, beauty brands can offer a more interactive, engaging, and confidence-boosting shopping experience. The future of beauty marketing isn’t just about products—it’s about creating journeys that cater to the individual, address their needs, and guide them through a seamless, personalized purchase process. When done right, beauty funnels transform the shopping experience into a trusted, informative, and enjoyable journey.
Leave a Reply