The Top 5 YouTube Video Formats Every Beauty Marketer Should Know
If you’re a beauty marketer, you surely know a bit about YouTube. But how well do you know the top 5 most important formats that beauty gurus include in their regular repertoire? Each one has its own methodology and opportunities for engagement with brands.
So here are the “Top 5 YouTube Video Formats Every Beauty Marketer Should Know”:
1) The Unboxing
An unboxing is usually when the video shows items that come in from an ecommerce purchase, sponsorship, or subscription box. It can also be sent to the YouTuber specifically for the purpose of doing a review. Find out more in “How To Win The Beauty Unboxing Phenomenon”. Example:
“Nyx Unboxing Haul Round 2♥” by Sarah Burgett:
2) The Haul
A haul is usually when a YouTuber reveals their beauty purchase at a physical retail store. Not to confuse you, but if the YouTuber purchases something online, that can also be called a haul, but it’s usually called an unboxing. Overall, a haul comes in a bag, an unboxing comes in a box. But really, both offer opportunities for contextual engagement between brands and influencers. Find out more on “How Sephora Is Taking On Birchbox On YouTube.” Example: “MAC & Sephora Haul” by Madison Kate:
3) Get Ready With Me:
This is the most personal of the standard beauty guru formats, and the most appreciated by fans. And there are infinite variations. Some of the most popular have to do with the morning routine, school, prom, date night, concerts, homecoming, and so on — so clearly this is a trend that tracks very well with millennials. But they can focus granularly on the brow routine, or even lifestyle techniques outside of beauty, encompassing the entire checklist of things women do when they get up in the morning, get ready for the prom, etc. These are the most likely beauty videos to include a soundtrack. Example: See M.A.C. and other brands in “Get Ready With Me: 19th Birthday Makeup Glam” by MakeUpByPang:
4) What’s In My Bag?
The relationship between YouTube beauty gurus and their fans is an intimate, personal one, based on trust and transparency. So it’s not surprising to see a YouTuber going step-by-step through each item in their handbag. There’s several popular types of videos in this genre, focusing on what’s in the YouTuber’s bag/makeup bag, backpack, travel bag, toiletry bag or workout bag.
5) The Makeup Challenge:
On TV, makeup is all about perfection. But on YouTube, it’s all about imperfection, going behind the makeup and doing it all step-by-step. It’s the only medium where fans celebrate their favorite influencers both with and without their makeup on.But it goes much further than that. Another popular format is to purposely make things go wrong with various types of challenges, as we outline in “Beauty Gone Wrong: Makeup Challenges Brands Don’t See”. Some of the best versions include:
- The “3-Minute Makeup Challenge Tag,” where the vlogger gets ready in a big hurry, then tags other beauty vloggers, challenging them to do the same thing.
- The “No Mirror Makeup Challenge,” where a vlogger does on-camera makeup application without being able to see themselves. The best part is when they finally do look in the mirror to see the results.
- The “Blindfolded Makeup Challenge,” where a friend puts the makeup on the vlogger while wearing a blindfold.
- The “My Boyfriend Does My Makeup Challenge,” because many men just don’t get it.
Example:
See NYX and other brands in:
“Blindfolded Makeup Challenge!” by krazyrayray
There are many other beauty vlogger formats, of course, like beauty swaps, makeup counter rants, holiday and special event videos, first looks, and more. Each presents an opportunity for authentic integration of brands — and not just with the top 1% most-viewed channels, but the thousands of other YouTubers with loyal audiences. Thanks to the Octoly platform, these YouTubers can be engaged with at scale.
Start a movement — connect with your YouTube influencers today. We can help.
