Curious about what sort of potential content Creators for beauty brands could hold for your marketing? Social media ads amplify brand awareness, and “get ready with me” (GRWM) videos show consumers how to use the hottest skincare products—and that’s just for starters. 

LTK’s latest beauty webinar features key findings from two 2024 studies to give you the inside scoop on how to maximize Creator Marketing for your brand. Explore the highlights below—and even hear from a few of our most successful Creators!

Creator Marketing Trends Across the Beauty Industry

LTK partnered with Northwestern University for our 2024 Brand Decision Maker Study to understand just how big of an impact content Creators have on beauty brands. We analyzed input from 68 beauty brands—and even we underestimated the power of Creators.

Creator Marketing is a top investment for beauty growth

Connected TV (CTV) may have inched out Creators as the top marketing channel, but Creator Marketing isn’t far behind. Brand budgets are growing, with 58 percent more brands increasing their spend here over other sources. 

All departments use Creator budgets

It’s not just marketing teams turning to Creators either. Brands see 3½ departments involved on average—with media, marketing, social, and brand teams working with content Creators for their beauty brands the most.

Creator content is a driving force across media

Beauty brands use Creator content to drive efficiency. Repurposing content across platforms and tactics gives you more for your investment. Get more mileage out of your content through diverse strategies, such as:

• Content marketing: Email marketing, website content, and user-generated content are key, with LTK Creators driving better content performance than traditional brand shoots. 
• Sponsorships: Turn Creators into brand ambassadors or extensions of your brand to create highly targeted content.
• CTV: Creators are breaking out of the narrow walls of social, with consumers craving their content on big screens. LTK CTV reaches audiences through an omnichannel approach. 
• Affiliate marketing: Pair authentic content with actionable outcomes. LTK uses millions of data points to support full-funnel marketing decisions.

Social boosting is a necessity 

But where exactly are Creator Marketing dollars going? Social media is a time-tested classic for most Creators, so it’s no wonder 80 percent of brands spend 30 percent or more of their Creator budget on social boosting. Almost all brands that partner with Creators use their content in social media ads, with LTK Boost delivering 86 percent more campaign impressions.

Beauty tells a story

Beyond making a sale, what is your brand trying to do with its Creator Marketing? Advocacy should be near the top of the list, motivating customers to share the positive feelings they get when using your products. Your Creator partners lead by example, using their own storytelling content to form connections and community. 

Beautiful Voices Are Being Heard

Content Creators for beauty brands use their expertise and influence to reel audiences in. LTK’s 2024 Beauty Shopper Study of over 1,000 participants reveals how Creator content moves audiences. 

Gen Z loves storytelling for beauty content 

Storytelling is Gen Z’s top fave for Creator content—so much so that they seek out this kind of content twice as often as the general population. They tune in to learn new techniques, see products being used by people like them, and discover new brands and products.

Beauty video outperforms static content

Shoppers with the highest spending power distrust advertising, naturally gravitating toward content that fosters personal interaction over obvious ad placements. And video leads the way, earning 66 percent more views than static content.

An amazing 89 percent of LTK users watch Creator beauty videos, making our platform’s content more likely to get watched. And these views matter. Video posts drive engagement and double sales on LTK. Since we introduced Full-Screen Continuous Video and Daily Drops, the data shows impressive statistics:

• 5 minutes watched
• 73 percent increase in engagement 
• 72 percent increase in video views

The beauty community is trusted

Every community you join—from local running clubs to sororities—is about not only interest but also the relationships and trust you build. Creators are no different! LTK Creators foster emotional connections to drive engagement and advocacy: 

• GRWM searches grew 2x year over year (YoY) in 2024
• Beauty routine searches grew 25 percent YoY
• LTK users’ favorite content drives more than 400,000 impressions

NEW to LTK: Watch Creators near you

LTK is on a mission to better support Creator Marketing for beauty brands. App users can now filter who they interact with; new capabilities enable them to engage with Creators locally and around the world by interest.

Creator Panel Spotlight: Ana Wolfermann and Brenna Austin

We sat down with two rising Creators— Brenna Austin and Ana Wolfermann—to discuss building community and authenticity in the Creator economy.

Brenna, a seasoned Creator based in Austin, Texas, focuses on fashion, beauty, and home with an emphasis on attainable luxury. She thrives on LTK by strategically sharing shoppable content and posting daily to build connections.

Ana, a New Yorker who has graduated from college TikTok videos to content for young professionals, highlights everything from beauty routines to workout tips. She’s a conversation starter, producing content that feels personal and relatable for Gen Z and millennial women.

Despite their different approaches and content focuses, Brenna and Ana are on the same page about where Creator Marketing is headed.

Engagement through authenticity and value

Audiences just want Creators to “be real” with them—with Brenna and Ana pointing to the value of authenticity over perfection. Ana’s take? “When you talk directly to the person behind the screen, that's what performs the best.”  

Today’s audiences consume content for themselves—to live better.

Brenna chimed in, noting that sometimes living better is about looking good and saving a little time. “Whether it's throwing on a mascara or a lip stain—something that really accentuates your natural features—I think that's something my audience really likes to see.” 

One thing that’s easy to overlook? Creators aren’t just holding a megaphone—they’re cultivating two-way relationships.

Trendspotting and future vision

Study after study tells us that the Creator economy is booming, but no one would know that better than the Creators themselves. They have to stay on their toes as demand increases and trends shift. 

Brenna sees her audience embracing the minimalistic "no makeup" makeup trend because they just don’t have the time for a major makeup routine. Her eyes are glued to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to keep up with all the latest because “Trends will go viral overnight.”

Still, Ana notes that it’s not all about views and virality. “A lot of Creators that I'm interested in don't have a crazy amount of views on each video because they'll just share a normal story. They'll actually have value in that video. It actually takes time for you to listen to it. Instead of virality, more value is what I've seen people want to engage with.”

Vision for the Creator economy

Our Creators agree: The future of Creator Marketing centers on storytelling and real connections. Between the demand for brand transparency and building real-life experiences for followers to participate in, Creators are fostering memorable moments beyond the screen. As we move forward, content is moving from viral moments to community-driven engagement, and Creators are relatable voices.

Make Over Your Strategy: Incorporate Content Creators for Beauty Brands

Creators have disrupted the customer journey, using their voices not just on social media but also across every platform, from web to CTV. Harness their influence with a Creator strategy that drives results through engaging stories and build trust to foster long-term brand advocacy.

Ready to bring Creators into your beauty marketing strategy? LTK can help! Rewrite your playbook and get started today. And watch the full webinar on demand for more insights.