In the world of ecommerce, beauty is booming.
With the beauty industry generating over $650 billion in revenue worldwide, it’s easy to see why businesses are scrambling to get a slice of the pie.
But with the average conversion rate in the beauty sector falling as low as 1.9%, that slice of pie might not be so easy to attain.
Consumers are savvy, and in this highly competitive marketplace with so many options available to them, how does one stand out?
To answer that question, let’s take a look at what the top beauty brands do, and extrapolate their success in this area. Ready to get started?
Visual creativity
When it comes to beauty products, striking visuals sell.
Milk Makeup is a great example of this. One look at their product pages highlights satisfying tappable elements where the price, colours, and product variations change dynamically based on user interaction.
Not only do they showcase high-quality visuals of packaging and texture, but they also offer lifestyle shots and application photos to give users a comprehensive look at the product’s performance. No mess, no fuss. Just a smart interface and stunning visuals.
Aesop, on the other hand, keeps it elegant. Visit their site, and you’ll be met with interactive bundle visuals and dropdowns that reveal detailed product information without cluttering the page.
Their visual-led “how-to” sections guide users through each step of the usage process, making the experience both educational and engaging. A win-win.
Speaking of winning formulas, take Bubble Skincare. Within seconds on their site, you’ll be met with a fresh, stunning design that sets it apart from the competition. The use of a background image gallery incorporated into their product pages creates a dynamic and immersive experience that pulls the visitor deeper into the product narrative.
Then there’s Olaplex, which cleverly uses a numbered photo gallery to reduce the chances of cognitive overload - a big issue in the world of ecommerce, and a big cause of high drop-off rates.
What can we learn from this?
It’s not enough to just have good product imagery. You need to think about the marriage between the product and the site design, finding the balance where both work in conjunction to keep the user engaged up to the moment they hit the checkout button.
Copy with clout
Visuals mean everything, but they need the right copy to back them up.
Youth to the People is a master at pairing powerful, self-explanatory product descriptors with a striking graphic gallery. Their descriptions are succinct yet engaging, so consumers immediately grasp the product’s benefits.
Noto Botanics knows what their users want. They have a striking above-the-fold experience that highlights the most high-performing ingredients. With immediate cues for easy decision-making.
Why say it in 100 words when you can say it in 10? This approach works for Shakeup Cosmetics, who pride themselves on super neat complementary copy that is self-explanatory, and no-fuss.
Pacifica Beauty makes its mark by visually labelling product ingredients and their functions alongside an engaging how-to guide, thus demystifying the product’s science for everyday users.
What can we learn from this?
Users don’t want a novel, they want to know the product will work for them. Finding a way to say this in a compelling way is the key to successful copy.
Social proof and trust building
All the pretty pictures and compelling content in the world means nothing if you don’t have the trust to back it up.
Jecca Blac. proudly integrates their strong review numbers sitewide. Sticky review summaries feature prominently on their product pages, allowing users to inspect star ratings and get the review highlights from the off.
Shakeup Cosmetics takes inspiration from social media by displaying reviews complete with customer photos and even faces. Adding this human touch builds a narrative of authenticity that consumers can’t ignore.
Milk Makeup knows that users don’t want to trawl through dozens of reviews to find ones that count. Instead, they use an intuitive review filtering feature that splits reviews by keywords, shade, age, beauty expertise, and recommendations, so every customer can find a review that tailors to their needs.
Flower Beauty hits you with credibility from the moment you reach their site. Proudly featuring beauty award badge callouts and prominent mentions in their hero banners signal industry recognition and credibility.
Province Apothecary implements the results of their customer survey loud and proud on their product pages. These visually striking statistics immediately build brand trust, and offer a reassuring reminder that the brand stands behind its promise.
What can we learn from this?
There is no better motivator than a glowing review. Display those five-star reviews, jaw-dropping stats, and hard-earned accolades with confidence.
Values, transparency, and storytelling
A brand’s ethos can be as important as its product quality. It gives customers insight into the people behind the screen, those who started their brand with a vision. In a world ever more fixated on authenticity, this human element is vital.
thirteen lune integrates brand details and story right into the product descriptions, making it an integral part of every product. This narrative approach not only reinforces that strong brand identity, it also goes a long way in building a community around shared values.
Glow Recipe doesn’t shy away from highlighting its sustainability initiatives. With a dedicated section on green practices on product pages, strong sustainability messaging throughout their headers and meta descriptions, and progressive initiatives for reducing waste, Glow Recipe knows how much their customers value their efforts.
Byoma stands out with a skin analysis tool, and “byology class” page which demystifies the science behind its products, and explains the value of skin health. This goes a long way in highlighting Byoma as a brand that cares about its customers.
The Honest Company goes all out with a comprehensive footer section that reveals transparent details about product contents and routine usage, complete with graphic labels that leave no stone unturned.
Lastly, there is By Humankind, whose core ethos is felt from the moment you reach the site. Their tagline “Great personal care products don’t have to come at Earth’s expense” clearly sets the tone for this sustainable brand.
What can we learn from this?
Brands that marry their values and their USP with their site architecture win over customers looking to find beauty products that align with their own beliefs.
Support, navigation, and personalisation
A smooth user journey can make all the difference.
Aesop uses its virtual assistant to offer top-of-mind question suggestions, providing quick, clear, and useful answers that save customers the hassle of scouring endless pages for answers.
MAC Cosmetics knows that not every customer wants to fill out an email form and wait days for a response. Instead, they utilise WhatsApp prompts for quick, personalised support, so customers feel heard at every step.
Lush has a distinct search feature that offers tappable keywords that guide exploration, making it easier than ever to navigate through to those popular product categories.
Finally, Byoma deserves a medal for their outstanding accessibility menu, which goes so far as to feature Dyslexia-friendly font packages, reading masks, and other text changes, so that every user who visits their website can shop in comfort.
What can we learn from this?
Every user is different. Providing personalised user experiences goes far beyond the basics, but brands that do it right prove that they committed to their customers.
Other valuable insights
Beauty brands worldwide are focusing on optimising their user experience to make sure every visit counts. Here are some additional tips we’ve collected from the leading brand sites:
Mobile-optimised - today’s consumer is perpetually on the go, with mobile traffic constituting over 60% of worldwide traffic. Websites need to be designed with a mobile-first approach, optimising images, streamlining everything to remove every pain point in the user journey.
SEO focused - a well-optimised page naturally attracts more relevant traffic. Integrating industry-relevant keywords into content, copy, and metadata, optimising URLs, and keeping the site architecture clear and intuitive means those high-converting pages are being seen by the right audience.
Personalisation - gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. Use data to tailor content and recommendations for different audiences and customer segments, whether by geographical location, browsing history, or purchase patterns. Every bit of personalisation you offer nudges the user further down the conversion funnel.
Test, test, test - what works on paper doesn’t always translate to digital success, so regular A/B testing is essential. Test different headlines, copy, CTAs, and even colour schemes, to measure what resonates best with your audience.
FOMO - strategic use of limited-time incentives can drive conversion without diminishing product value. This goes the same for pop-ups. When used sparingly and smartly, they serve as a powerful tool to capture leads.
Improving conversion rates with an industry expert
When it comes to creating high-converting pages, success is not achieved overnight. The best examples are the result of meticulous design, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement.
If you want to implement strategies to improve conversion rate, get in touch. As a Shopify Premier Partner, we specialise in building, growing, and scaling lifestyle brands.
We’ve partnered with some of the biggest brands in the world to help them reach the next stage of their journey, and we’re always looking for the next big business to work with.
Get in touch to see how we can help your business grow.
