Material* on cosmetics can be found everywhere. Ad strategy plays a crucial role in having users choose your product/service out of the many available. This article discusses why it’s important to target hardcore cosmetic fans and 7 tips on banner ads.
*In this article, “material” refers to apps and services pertaining to cosmetics, collectively.
The core target for ads on cosmetics material
Although demand for men’s cosmetics has risen, and purchase/use of cosmetics material spans a wide range of ages and genders, the majority of the demand comes from women. However, simply targeting women in banner ads and publishing them will not produce adequate results. Who, then, should be the main target? If a client company asks, I would respond by saying that it would be best to target hardcore cosmetics fans and create banners that are eye-catching. These hardcore fans are the group of people who are closest to conversions.
Why you should target hardcore cosmetics enthusiasts
Hardcore cosmetics fans are sensitive to information on cosmetics and are highly literate. They are always on the lookout for cosmetics/skincare products that suit them and are always searching for information on makeup techniques. They are eager to try new products/services and use their own intuition when making a decision on whether to make a purchase. Therefore, if you can create a nice banner ad that makes them feel that the product/service is suitable for them, you can easily lead them to conversions.
7 tips on creating banners targeted towards cosmetics enthusiasts
If you’re a marketer, however, you may think to yourself, “I don’t understand the psychology or needs of hardcore cosmetics fans,” or “I don’t have time to do that kind of research.” This article covers 7 tips that’ll guide these hardcore cosmetics fans to conversions based on our track record of projects with cosmetics, makeup, hair, and nail projects.
Focusing on an appeal that conveys empathy
Tip 1: Include trends
Records show that appeals tied to seasons (demand/pain points specific to a particular season, and appealing points that put potential users in the mood) are easier to convert. Users develop a sense of empathy with the content of the ad, creating interest in the product or service and leading them to conversions. A lot of the pain points associated with cosmetics relate to seasons. Examples are customers wanting to glow up before beginning a new chapter of their lives, and users wanting makeup that doesn’t easily smudge in the hot seasons. Because of this, it’s easier for users to get an idea from seasons, which users will empathize with, increasing the probability of conversions.
Trends can be understood through the content produced by YouTubers producing cosmetic-related content. Hardcore cosmetics fans idolize these YouTubers. If a lot of these YouTubers are producing content based on the same theme, it means that that theme is attracting attention, so it’s a good idea to base your appeal off of that. Be sure to keep an eye out for the text on the thumbnail as well. The text found inside the video thumbnail usually contains appealing text meant to grab the viewers’ attention, so it may serve as reference when writing your copy.
*Points that should be conveyed to encourage the target of the ad to make a purchase or use a service.
Tip 2: Learn from the retail grounds
Pharmacies and general good stores are a treasure trove of copy you can use as reference. If you look at the pop-ups, you’ll see what kind of marketing works. If you can further find a common denominator across products that sell well, you’ll be able to see what factors are emphasized, enabling you to create new points of appeal.
Tip 3: Create demand by having users picture the products in action
Speaking from experience, I’ve found that appealing the benefits and scenes of actually using the products leads to more conversion than simply appealing the specifications of the product. In other words, the latter leads to more impulsive purchases. For example, if you have lipstick, appealing the fact that if compliments any makeup and can be used in the office is more effective than appealing its color and texture because it enables the viewer of the ad to picture themselves using the product. Doing that creates a situation (=new demand) in which users impulsively reach for the product, even though they weren’t really thinking about buying lipstick.
Creating key visuals for instant appeal
Tip 4: Be conscious of whether people will “like” the content
Choose key visuals by using the content of popular cosmetics accounts on Instagram/Twitter and pages from cosmetics/makeup magazines as benchmarks. Hardcore cosmetics fans are used to seeing content related to cosmetics/makeup, so they’ll ignore ads they feel are boring. In order to create eye-catching key visuals, check to see if the material blends in with the posts and pages they’re used to seeing. That way, you’ll be able to choose material that meets a certain standard.
Source: MAQUIA Official Instagram account
When publishing on social media, you can also use key visuals that resemble photos taken by ordinary users. Having the photos blend in with posts published by ordinary users, it makes the photo look less like an ad, which in turn will raise fewer red flags on the users’ end. This will allow you to lead potential customers to conversions without stressing them out.
Tip 5: It’s better to zoom in on areas of focus
If using visual elements from stock photos, instead of showing the face in its entirety, we recommend zooming in on the eyes, lips, chin, skin, hair, etc., depending on the area you wish to appeal.* Users idolize models with flawless facial features (if they like the models’ face), but they’re unable to resonate with such images. On top of that, if the face of the model isn’t one that the viewer likes, it’ll prevent users from becoming interested in the product/service regardless of the context of the copy. Thus, portraying the face in its entirety may backfire depending on the impression it gives viewers.
If you must publish the full face, be sure to follow top 4 by choosing material that blends in well so that it won’t feel awkward if placed in a cosmetic magazine and be conscious of the hair style and clothing.
*Check with the copyright holder, as some prohibit the altering of images.
Deciding on a tone/manner that’ll grab attention
Tip 6: Don’t be selective with the tone/manner of the brand/service
For banner ads, we especially recommend trying different variations for the tone and manner of the design. I’ve personally experienced projects in which challenging designs that go beyond the brand image resulted in many more conversions that design that were in-lined with the brand image. User attributes differ depending on the media, so see which ones work.
Tip 7: Go above and beyond to find benchmarks
When looking for benchmarks for your tone and manner, look beyond competitors and focus on creatives used in material from completely unrelated industries. If a particular ad catches your eye when you’re scrolling through social media, make it a habit to save it for future reference. There’s always a reason an ad catches your eye, whether it’s good presentation, nice colors, or catchy copy. Apply these techniques to improve the quality of your creatives and increase your conversion rates.
Summary
Keeping in mind the 7 tips and going after hardcore cosmetics fans with your ads will enable you to increase conversions efficiently. Keep updating your banners, appeals, key visuals, and tone/manner as trends in the cosmetics industry change easily. We hope you’ll use the tips introduced in this article for your banner ads.
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