Kate Kenner Archibald, Chief Marketing Officer, Dash Hudson
Born from the days of traditional advertising, when views and reach delivered results, virality has long been considered the gold standard of success on social media. In today’s landscape, however, going viral is no longer what’s driving business success.
The rise of video-based content eclipsing static displays has unveiled a new kind of social experience. As the appetite for video content has grown, the algorithms behind the world’s leading platforms have become more sophisticated. In this new dimension, users are no longer shown content simply based on who they follow but rather on what type of content they most enjoy.
Why beauty is embracing short-form video on social
Audiences are turning away from traditional streaming platforms and tuning into mobile-first, fullscreen video that is highly curated and delivered right into the palm of their hand. The average user now spends a reported 73 hours per month on social channels, with 83% of those hours being spent on entertainment-centric platforms, such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok. This shift has transcended the world of social media into the era of social entertainment, where consumers are hungry for content, and anyone who provides substantial entertainment value can gain significant reach organically.
Rising time and attention on these channels has unlocked a new territory for brands to attract and convert customers — and while almost all industries have gone digital, beauty is the vertical many consider to be leading the pack.
With the creative and authentic spin that beauty brands are putting on owned and creator-led content, consumers have been tuning in and getting inspired. Beauty enthusiasts are flocking to both digital storefronts and brick-and-mortar locations in record numbers, with industry sales experiencing an upward trend despite a globally downturned economic environment.
How entertaining content unlocks TikTok’s marketing potential
In an increasingly competitive social domain, simply going viral is no longer enough to drive outsized results, meaning that marketers must now fully revolutionize their approach to digital.
In a recent proprietary study, Dash Hudson uncovered that brands experience a significant decrease in user engagement after the first 250,000 views of a TikTok. This discovery signifies that a brand’s most optimal audience — those who are interested enough in a product or service to actually complete a loop, click a link or share the video — is captured within the cohort of the first 250,000 viewers. This proves that virality is no longer the most vital benchmark for bottom-line business success.
Further, a recent study that Dash Hudson conducted in partnership with NielsenIQ revealed that entertainment is what brands must strive for to drive optimal results. Through this research, the omnichannel shopper data of beauty brands was examined to understand entertainment’s impact on sales. It was found that those who invested in entertainment as a critical component of their social marketing strategy on TikTok saw increased sales growth. Additionally, beauty brands that scored five points or higher with Dash Hudson’s patented Entertainment Score grew on average 51%, compared to brands scoring below five only growing 17%. There is a 34 percentage point growth gap between entertainment-based content and a traditional marketing approach.
While virality at its core can help boost brands by providing greater awareness, the pathway to success on social media lies in entertainment. As marketing departments worldwide face shrinking budgets against an uncertain economic environment, those who evolve their social strategy by tapping into their creative prowess are those most likely to rise to the top.
Sponsored by: Dash Hudson
