Brand engagement continues to be intertwined with social media, according to a recent study from L2. Instagram for beauty brands in particular is proving the key method for communicating with consumers.
“Both fashion and beauty index brands’ engagement rates remain much higher on Instagram than on Facebook and Twitter,” states the L2 study.
This may have encouraged brands to sit up and take note, with posting frequency having grown by 42 per cent in the past year. This means beauty brands are posting about seven times a week today, in comparison to the five times they were at this time last year.
Hair and beauty brands have also reappropriated traditional television spots and commercials for the app - awarding them the highest engagement rates of all brands on the platform. The study states: “In Q1 2015, they accounted for four of the top 10 Instagram videos in the category."
In the past year, this has helped to boost the followings of beauty brands, which grew by an average of 30 per cent in 2015. This is in comparison to fashion brands, which grew only 27 per cent. Between October 2013 and July 2015, beauty brand presence on Instagram also rose from 78 per cent to 95 per cent.
The study also revealed photos on Instagram garner 1.4 times as much engagement as videos. The brands that experienced low engagement were those that employed low-quality footage or text-heavy posts.
The study also found that if a brand doesn’t have a highly-engaged spokesperson, it’s probably best to not have an ambassador at all - with 63 per cent of lowest-engagement beauty and haircare content featuring lesser-known celebrities or everyday people. “This suggests that influencers might be overused, while brands’ fear of appearing overly commercial on the platform may be unwarranted,” explains the study.
Image: Instagram.com/wendy_online
