Influencer Marketing and the Beauty Industry: How to Recruit the Best Candidates

The beauty industry is poised to grow from $420B in 2018 to $716.3B by 2025, according to Upfluence. Among thousands of products, the quest for brand differentiation is never-ending, meaning that highly skilled digital marketing executives are in hot demand, especially those with a strong strategic approach to influencer marketing.

How is Influencer Marketing Used in Beauty and Cosmetics

Influencer marketing is deeply interwoven into beauty marketing in 2022. It consists of social media users or “influencers” with large followings on social platforms using those platforms to educate and enlighten consumers about brands and products in the cosmetics, skin care and perfume business.

Though it feels “of the moment,” influencer marketing incorporates an old and time-tested marketing strategy: that is, “word of mouth” marketing. Recommendations from our friends and family are worth their weight in gold when it comes to beauty and cosmetics, and “influencer marketing” is just a spin on that, in which people take recommendations from social media personalities that they like and respect.

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How Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are Used by Beauty Influencers

Studies have shown that Instagram and Youtube are two of the biggest platforms for beauty. YouTube, from it’s inception, made sense for beauty personalities as they could mold the format to serve many aims including how-to tutorials and reviews. Rachel Claire Levin, Jeffree Star, Nikkie, Huda Beauty are all major influencers who contribute hours of content (and eyeballs for cosmetic marketers) to the YouTube platform.

Instagram is used in a similar way to YouTube, and has many of the same types of content such as tips and how-to videos. Like with YouTube, beauty influencers take advantage of the platform and broadcast live to their followers. Top accounts on Instagram include Shayla Mitchell, Thuy Le, Nabela Noor and Kiitan Akinniranye.

TikTok is currently a smaller play for beauty marketers, but it has an important role to play among Gen Z and younger consumers. Influencers like skincarebyhyram have made viral sensations out of brands like L’Oréal-owned CeraVe.

Influencer marketing in beauty/cosmetics is a global business

Only a quarter of global beauty consumers reside in the United States. Half of beauty buyers are in the Asia Pacific region, while Europe, Latin and South America representing unique markets with unique needs. Beauty companies nowadays need to be cognizant of marketing to global consumers, and influencer marketing must follow suit, with influencers selected to attract certain key demographic groups.

The Way Influencer Marketing Has Changed Hiring in Marketing Organizations

Executive marketing hires now need to possess strong digital skills along with an understanding of channels like print and television advertising. In fact, television spots featuring beauty brands now often intertwine agency-created messaging with influencer content. We see companies now looking for digitally literate candidates who are comfortable creating campaigns featuring influencer marketing.

Key Questions for Executive Candidates Overseeing Digital Marketing

In interview sessions, we recommend that companies keep things open-ended and use a framework rather than a rigid set of questions. That said, you’ll want to use a special set of considerations within the beauty industry, and be sure to pinpoint your digital marketing candidates level of literacy with influencer marketing, including the following:

• What types of influencer marketing campaigns have you overseen and what were the results?
• Where do you see influencer marketing going in the future?
• Which influencers do you feel are most relevant to this brand’s goals?
• What competitor influencer marketing campaigns do you think are successful and why?

Help with Making Marketing Hires in the Beauty Industry

ACCUR Recruiting Services has an extensive background placing digitally savvy marketing executive candidates in top beauty and cosmetic brands in New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and elsewhere across the world. Contact us for more information.