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Here at IDG, we love to support brands that are mastering the ever-changing social media game. ColourPop Cosmetics, a young makeup brand, has utilized social media and digital marketing in a way that has allowed them to expand their brand’s reach hundreds of times over in just five years. That’s why we’ve chosen ColourPop for this month’s Social Shoutout!
What is ColourPop?
ColourPop Cosmetics, also known as ColourPop, is a makeup company based in Los Angeles, California, that was founded in 2014. Their brand is known for offering high-quality products at an extremely affordable price, with most products ranging from $5 to $20. They’ve also gained quick popularity by offering products that are collaborations with social media celebrities and are consistently on-trend.
How did we discover ColourPop?
We, like virtually all other customers, learned about ColourPop from social media. ColourPop started as an e-commerce company, and they’ve relied exclusively on social media marketing to grow their business. Millennials are notorious for scorning traditional advertising methods, so ColourPop has successfully tapped into a lucrative Millennial/Gen X market by utilizing YouTubers, Instagram content, and digital word of mouth.
How well does ColourPop know their audience?
ColourPop has become very familiar with their audience and what they want. They have an extremely quick timeline from production to product release – much quicker than any other brand in the cosmetics industry – which allows them to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and give customers what they want. From cream products to color capsule collections, ColourPop knows what their audience wants, and they give it to them – fast.
What can you take from ColourPop?
With 1 million Twitter followers, 8 million Instagram followers, and 3 million unique site visitors every month, ColourPop has proven itself to be a social media powerhouse. It has used social media as its sole tool for raising brand awareness and building a company worth millions of dollars in just a few years. Here are some things we can learn from ColourPop Cosmetics’ social media tactics:
- Keep up with trends. There are trends present in any industry, and trends heavily influence customers’ purchasing decisions. Ensuring that your products are always relevant is one way to increase sales and earn loyal customers. ColourPop works tirelessly to turn out quality products that are always in line with the next big trend and customer demand. In order to maximize sales, it’s always ideal to release a product before your competitors or better than your competitors. ColourPop excels by doing both.
- Know the power of influencer marketing. If your target audience includes Millennials or Gen Z, you should place a lot of stock in the enormous power of influencer marketing. Whether it’s collaborating with celebrities or getting social media stars to push your products, an approval stamp from a consumers’ favorite YouTuber will almost always translate into a sales increase. ColourPop grew its brand and saw immense success purely through influencer marketing and social media strategy, and it’s not the only one to have done so.
- Engage with your customers. ColourPop’s Instagram profile is heavily filled with user-generated content. Although they do post official promotional photos to announce new releases, the vast majority of their content is photos of customers using their products. Posting photos that they’re tagged in or that feature their product encourages engagement across their platforms and earns them free exposure as people post photos in an attempt to earn a place on ColourPop’s feed. In order to increase your engagement and lighten the load on your social media content team, use photos created by your following. This will generate free promotion and increase your sales as well as your social engagement levels.
From an unknown indie brand to one of the most popular makeup companies among Millennials, ColourPop became a virtual overnight sensation using only the power of the Internet. From powerful influencer marketing to creative social content, ColourPop has paired quality products with expert social tactics to create an e-commerce success story unlike any other.
Stay tuned for another social shoutout next month! If there’s another brand with a killer social media game, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’d love to check them out!
