Social Channels of Influence in the Cosmetic Market [REPORT]
October 4, 2013
NetBase announced a retail report revealing the social platforms that influence women’s buying decisions in cosmetics. Based on a joint study with Edison Research of 1,005 women across the United States with profiles on at least one social network, NetBase uncovered that there are specific segments of women, by demographics and behaviors, that are more likely to consult social media when making cosmetics purchases.
Women talk about cosmetics brands and beauty products on social networks and NetBase found that discussions do influence purchase decisions and the power of blogs and message boards, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram vary by the friends, favorite celebrities, ages and ethnicities of female consumers.
Key Survey Findings
Social Media Matters Significantly for Two Key Consumer Segments
“Fashionistas” (28% of respondents) are women who strongly agree with the statement, “Fashion and beauty are extremely important to me.” Thirty-seven percent of fashionistas look to fashion blogs and message boards for inspiration, which makes these social channels almost as widely cited as fashion magazine websites (at 43%).
“Social shoppers” (15% of respondents) are women who strongly agree with the statement, “The brands and products my friends use influence my own purchase decisions.” When purchasing cosmetics, more of these women (43%) look to Facebook than to fashion magazine websites (41%) for inspiration.
Celebrities Influence the Cosmetic Purchases of Facebook and Fashion Blog Users
“Celebrity followers” (12% of respondents) are female social media users who agree strongly with the statement, “You are more likely to use brands or products associated with celebrities you like.” These women index high for influence across all social channels.
44% of celebrity followers look to Facebook and to fashion blogs and message boards for inspiration when purchasing cosmetics, while only 29% look to Pinterest.
Facebook Influence Is Not Equal Among Age Groups
The percentage of female social media users who consult social media before purchasing cosmetics shows a steep drop-off by age—with one exception. Facebook is a source of inspiration for more women in the 25–34 year age group (27%) than for younger women in the 18–24 year age group (22%). One-fifth of women in the 35–44 year age group also seek inspiration there.
African-American and Hispanic Women are More Influenced on Social than Caucasian Counterparts
19% of African-Americans and 25% of Hispanics look to fashion blogs and message boards for cosmetics inspiration, compared to 14% of Caucasians.
17% of African-Americans and 20% of Hispanics look to Facebook for cosmetics inspiration, compared to 5% of Caucasians.
10% of African-Americans and 15% of Hispanics look to Instagram for cosmetics inspiration, compared to 14% of Caucasians.
On the other hand, just 6% of African-Americans look to Pinterest for cosmetics inspiration, compared to 11% of Caucasians and 21% of Hispanics.
“This report confirms the necessity of accurate social data for the cosmetics industry to fully understand their consumers’ preferences and behaviors,” said Gretchen Hoffman, VP of Marketing for NetBase. “A well-crafted social strategy that takes into account the nuances in social media usage among consumers can really help cosmetics brands move the needle.”
To download report CLICK HERE.
