For many years already, the beauty industry has been positively thriving on YouTube – arguably more so than any other. Since the earliest days of the platform, both the creators and the brands themselves have been honing their approach to creating quality videos that have propelled both the consumer and the commercial side to new heights.
Of course, the beauty side of YouTube has long-since been prone to its fair share of drama, this is likely further indicative of the sheer scope of the YouTube-Beauty industry itself. Creators are gunning for top spots in an incredibly lucrative business, and brands understand that throwing their hats into the ring represents entering into an incredibly volatile competition.
Now, however, brands are homing in on a new platform – one that, until now, has traditionally reserved itself for an altogether different audience. The popular video game streaming site, Twitch, has begun to play host to a number of launches and announcements from some of the biggest names in the business – and, already, the rewards have been significant.
At first glance, however, the beauty industry seems a little incongruous among Twitch’s niche userbase. So, with that in mind, why change what isn’t broken? And, to that effect, how can an audience of gamers offer so much value to beauty brands? Read more about the new developments in the beauty and gaming worlds below.
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The Gaming Market is a Microcosm of the Global Consumer Market
In times long since gone by, it seemed as though the term ‘gamer’ could be applied to an incredibly specific cliché. Now, however, those same stereotypes no longer represent the incredibly diverse and substantial global gaming market.
For many years now, it needn’t be the case that you are locked into a dark bedroom, hunched over a brightly glowing screen. You could be getting a few levels completed on the morning commute, or practicing your skills at the online casinos such as casinoshortlist.org, or joining together with friends to play a modern, interactive twist on a classic board game. Gaming has grown into the successful industry it is today by virtue of the fact that it has found a way of appealing to almost every niche within the global market.
In essence, the gaming market boasts a substantial demographic for any of the industries making substantial waves online today. ‘The gamer’ does not take any one singular form – they exist, in many ways, as a microcosm of the entire consumer market. As a result, advertising does not have to stick to one niche in order to be successful; much like YouTube, Twitch can now cast out an incredibly wide net, rather than attempting to reel interest in via a singular approach.
What’s more, women now represent just over a third of Twitch’s creator base. This boost to representation on the site has ensured that both the market and the offerings are always growing, and that the site itself will continue to evolve alongside its userbase. The so-called ‘girl gamers’ are able to bring a new edge to the site, and ensuring that it does not stagnate. It also ensures that audiences are continuing to diversify, which, as exemplified by the interest from beauty brands, means that lucrative opportunities for different advertising ventures continue to grow.
Consider how profitable the Beauty Industry found YouTube to be. This was, in large part, due to the fact that YouTube featured a userbase that represented a cross section of the entire global consumer market. Companies could, in all likelihood, access their ideal market within this audience; and, as targeted ads grew more and more adept at seeking out their ideal viewer, this proved to be incredibly lucrative.
Twitch boasts the same diverse viewership, which means that all signs point to the platform being a success for the beauty industry – and many others – now, and into the future. The beauty industry has proven itself to be capable of anticipating significantly online movements and trends, which means that Twitch is likely to replicate that same success that brought YouTube to the forefront.
What Can We Expect to See in the Near (and Distant) Future?
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Thus far, the move into a traditionally blinkered space has proven to be incredibly beneficial. For instance, Em Cosmetics saw a dramatic boost to sales, which were not far off 250% higher as a result of a single live stream from top creator Michelle Phan. These numbers obviously prove themselves to be incredibly attractive to brands seeking to make an impact on viewers.
Much like in the very early days of YouTube, makeup and beauty brands across the globe will quickly be waking up to the incredible opportunities available on this new platform, and will quickly hone their approaches to ensuring that the most relevant portions of the market are reached.
For those who use the site for entertainment, this may well translate to an overall shift in creator-patterns. ‘Just chatting’ videos, or streams that do not revolve around active gameplay – something the site was always decided geared towards – are likely to continue growing, particularly among creators who may once have made their names on YouTube or other platforms.
Much like the early days of YouTube, we can expect the changes made by the beauty industry to be rapid, and to promise many new opportunities to new and existing creators across the globe. Not only will this growth prove highly profitable for the brands themselves, but it will also likely give rise to an entirely new profession for content creators looking for a new platform on which to reach their growing audiences.
As this happens, gaming will continue to grow in significance around the world, and ensure that the industry’s leaders are forever reshaping themselves to accommodate a diverse and changeable demographic of users.
Until then, we can enjoy finding our own niche within the site – and witnessing as more and more of the world’s leading industries utilise gaming as a medium with which to reach their audiences, and connect content creators with those who will get the very most out of it.
