The beauty products sector in Poland is an exceptionally dynamic industry, but domestic customers are waiting for new cosmetic segments that are able to conquer the local market. Your brand needs a very specific strategy to win the hearts of local consumers, but when you win their favour, you won’t complain about a lack of interest for a long time. How to promote beauty products in social media and online? Here is a must-know set on the Polish market!
Table of Contents:
- The beauty market in Poland – the basics
- Client of the beauty industry in Poland – preferences and habits
- How to promote beauty products in Poland:
- promotion of beauty products in social media
- influencer marketing in the beauty industry
- media relations in the beauty industry
The beauty market in Poland – the basics
If you want to enter the beauty market in Poland, you should pay attention to the very specific features of the local industry. First of all, the domestic sector of cosmetic products is a very dynamic branch of the economy, which, according to the report “Cosmetics Europe”, generated 3.7 billion euros only in 2017! Recent years for the Polish beauty market have been really lucrative, having recorded an increase as high as 41 percent between 2008 and 2017. Such results also translate into the country’s position throughout Europe. Poland is the 6th largest market in terms of revenues from sales alone.
What positions drive the beauty market in Poland? First of all, toiletries and skin care products, which together accounted for 50% of the total share. The offer addressed to people who care about their hair condition (20%) as well as perfumes (15%) and make-up cosmetics (13%) is also holding up well. The last category is driven by the so-called selfie culture, i.e. a deeply entrenched trend of make-up expression on social media.
But what about the most popular price segments? Of course, mass brands are in the lead, but Polish customers are increasingly supporting premium products. It doesn’t look as though they will surpass the mainstream offer, but it is a clear signal to foreign producers that there is also a lot of space for them on the beauty market in Poland.
Client of the beauty industry in Poland – preferences and habits
The strength of the beauty industry in Poland lies not only in economic indicators, but above all in the cultural code of local customers. The canon of beauty in the Polish mentality somehow forces young Poles to use the most basic cosmetics even from the age of 12 (66% of all consumers wear make-up every day). The trend is also supported by parents of teenage customers who encourage their daughters to buy minimally invasive products. Shopping moods intensify with age, and the most active group of consumers are women in the 18-30 range. This does not mean, however, that older clients are leaving the beauty industry – quite the opposite.
According to L’Oréal research, as many as 40% of women over 50 believe that cosmetic companies do not notice their problems. AARP reports, in turn, indicate that 70 percent. of customers aged 40+ want products dedicated to menopausal women to appear on the market. Proposal? You should listen to the voices of very specific target groups. Another example is the trend of conscious use of cosmetics. In 2020, the hashtag #mindfulbeauty was used on Instagram over 46,000 times! Clients more and more often treat the use of beauty products as a ritual. Combining the value of cosmetics with breathing techniques or meditation is the path that the brands involved should follow in 2021, combining this trend with minimalism.
Consumers aged 20 to 29 especially are consistent in simplifying their care procedure (as many as 54% of respondents) – which does not mean that they do not want to combine it with the self-care movement. It is similar with the ecological theme, which supports 81 percent of customers. Let’s remember that in the Polish beauty market, the consumption of cosmetics per capita in 2017 amounted to EUR 96, which means an increase of over 23% compared to 2014. Other studies show that monthly, a statistical Polish woman spends PLN 100 (nearly EUR 22) on beauty products. It’s time to diversify the industry with your product! But how?
How to promote beauty products in Poland?
In order to promote beauty products in Poland, it is necessary to take into account both the market complexities and the collective purchasing preferences of Polish women. Mastering this knowledge opens a lot of doors for your brand, but remember – without a holistic communication strategy, you cannot count on reaching the customer effectively. Regardless of the target group, it is worth using the 3 most universal tools that will guarantee you a trust-based relationship with Polish consumers. Start your activities with social media.
Promotion of beauty products in social media
The most universal and often cost-free way of communicating with clients. If your brand does not yet have a page on at least Facebook and Instagram, create one! Remember to fill in all the fields – especially the description, contact details, history of your brand and add photos that stand out. These are, of course, the foundations of the basics, but they are the foundation of optimisation activities (which Google and social media algorithms value most). Then plan your content cycles and publish your posts regularly.
Promotion of beauty products in social media works well for both younger and older customers. Consumers over 35 will browse Facebook more often, so invest in promoting your posts as well. The platform’s algorithms will catch recipients interested in the product – thus you increase the chances of their buying. Also make sure you are present in dedicated groups. As much as 86 percent of women use social media to search for recommendations on products and services – this is an opportunity for you!
In the case of the youngest clients (up to 18 years of age), TikTok has great potential. In 2020, Polish participants on this platform amounted to a group of over 4 million users. But what about Instagram? According to the Digital Marketing Institute, in 2019 this platform had 6.8 million users in Poland alone. What does this mean for the cosmetics industry? Almost every third profile generating the greatest user engagement deals with the subject of beauty, and the average Instagram user refreshes their feed 32.5 times a day. On both platforms, you will increase your chances by engaging influencers.
Influencer marketing in the beauty industry
The involvement of influencers in promoting the beauty industry is an essential element of your strategy, because nowadays consumers more often reach for products associated with the name of a given star. According to the research of the Digital Marketing Institute, over 50 percent of women buy brands recommended by influencers. An even greater percentage is recorded in the case of younger target groups – 70 percent of teenagers trust internet celebrities more than “traditional” celebrities. In addition, content beauty is more often promoted by the social media algorithms themselves.
If you invest in influencer marketing, Instagram and Facebook will reward you with large ranges, because about 30 percent of profiles generating the greatest user involvement are just about the subject of beauty. In the case of social media, you need to be especially careful in selecting the group of influencers you want to cooperate with. We wrote more about the biggest stars of this niche here. A quick brief – the queen of beauty content (especially on YouTube and Instagram) is still Red Lipstick Monster. However, she is a very high-end creator, and her stakes can eat up a lot of your budget.
However, if you focus on lower costs, small and micro-influencers are an alternative. Most often, creators up to 5,000 followers decide to cooperate through bartering. Benefits? A very active and loyal group of recipients that identifies themselves with smaller influencers to a greater extent (most often they follow them from the start of a given channel or profile). Disadvantages? Obviously, less recognition. Big creators are reliable sources of quotes that you can use in press releases, and they are more often in the big media and cross with other creators with a really large reach. The decision is yours – if you have a sufficient budget, try to cooperate with larger players. Your costs should be slightly different? Get small and micro-influencers involved!
Media relations in the beauty industry
Promotion of the beauty industry in social media is only one side of the coin. Your campaign should also include contacts with journalists and slightly more traditional platforms that are still at the centre of attention of Polish women. Older customers in particular are still eager to read women’s magazines and premium newspapers, although in this matter it is very easy to slip up. Remember that Polish women, as well as combined offers or loyalty packages, want specific knowledge about a given product. Make sure that such information is positioned in valuable media.
The most important women’s titles, in one breath, include: Claudia magazine, Woman and Life, Naj, Olivia, Świat Kobiet and Tina. Premium segment? This category includes, above all, wealthier clients who have a weakness for socially engaged and responsible brands. They mainly read: Elle, Gala, Glamor, Pani, Twój Styl, Vogue and Wysokie Obcasy.
The Polish beauty industry is also active in online titles. This segment is mainly used by women under 40 who need quick information. This is a great place to position your brand if you want to follow a very dynamic e-commerce trend. Invest in publications on the pages of, among others: woman.pl, women.interia.pl, women.wp.pl, papilot.pl or polki.pl. Remember to monitor mentions that appear about your product on an ongoing basis. Specialised tools will help you catch all the materials – incl. Press Service.
Combining all of the above-mentioned strategies requires a lot of effort, but it is definitely worth it. The beauty industry in Poland is an exceptionally dynamic and internally competitive market, but with well-chosen communication you have a great chance to conquer the national niche. Remember that your campaign should strictly follow the local cultural code. Only experts who know the local realities can help you. Follow our blog to find out more about the secrets of the Polish market. Are you going to enter the market with your product? Contact us and follow the current trends!