UGC Elements Most Valued by Beauty Shoppers
There are many components of user-generated content – from average star rating and volume – to recency and written commentary. Which elements do beauty shoppers pay attention to?
The average star rating is the most important element; 77% of beauty shoppers pay attention to this information when considering whether to buy a beauty item. Beauty shoppers also pay attention to review volume (75%), written commentary (74%), and recency (60%).
Review Consumption Habits Online and In-Store
This year, nearly all (99.5%) of beauty shoppers read reviews at least sometimes when shopping online; 63% do so always.
A large portion – 92% – read reviews at least sometimes when shopping for beauty products in a brick-and-mortar store. This is up significantly from 85% in 2022.
How do beauty shoppers prefer to access ratings and reviews when shopping in physical store locations? Most want to access this content via the brand or retailer site on their phone (66%) or via the mobile app (48%).
Q&A Consumption Habits
One of the benefits of in-store shopping is that consumers can ask questions and get advice from in-store associates. When shopping online, many turn to the questions and answers (Q&A) portion of the product page.
This year, 98% of consumers consult Q&A at least sometimes when shopping for beauty products online. Over a third (37%) always do so.
User-Generated Visual Content Consumption Habits
A beauty product that works well for one person may not work for another. For example, a haircare product that’s a great fit for a consumer with curly hair won’t meet the needs of another consumer with straight hair.
Seeing photos from other consumers with similar characteristics can help a shopper determine which products will (and won’t) meet their needs.
This year, 97% of consumers seek out photos and videos from other consumers at least sometimes when shopping online for beauty products. Over a third (37%) do so always.
Information Beauty Shoppers Want from UGC
It’s clear beauty shoppers are turning to user-generated content. Here’s a snapshot of the types of information they’re looking for when they consume UGC.
Ratings and Reviews are a Must-Have for Beauty Shoppers
Today, the vast majority of beauty shoppers consult reviews – whether they’re shopping online or in a brick-and-mortar store. And when they read those reviews, they consider many factors, including star rating, written commentary, volume and recency.
It’s critical to generate a steady stream of reviews for all of your products. That way, consumers can always find a high volume of fresh reviews for any product they’re considering.
And remember – while the average star rating is certainly important, 74% of consumers say they pay attention to the reviewer’s opinion on specific details relevant to the product. So, consider making the written commentary field of your write-a-review form mandatory.
Q&A is Key to Removing Purchase Barriers
In-store beauty shoppers have the opportunity to ask a sales associate their questions. Online shoppers don’t have that luxury. Instead, many are turning to the Q&A portion of the product page to browse questions that have already been asked – and submit their own.
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to add a Q&A section to your product pages. Make it easy for shoppers to search through existing content. And, be sure you provide timely responses to any questions submitted through Q&A.
Beauty Shoppers Depend on User-Generated Visual Content to Identify the Right Products for their Needs
Today, nearly all (97%) of beauty shoppers seek out user-generated visual content at least sometimes. Many do so far more often.
Being able to see how different products look on different people can help shoppers identify the right products for their needs.
If you’re not already, start collecting photos and videos as part of reviews – and curate this content from social media. Then, showcase these photos and videos in a visual gallery on your product pages. It’s a sure way to boost confidence – and conversion. A recent analysis found there was a 103.9% lift in conversion among site visitors who interacted with user-generated photos and videos.
