Five years ago, one could never predict the prominent part bloggers would be playing in the beauty media arena. Now, they are on their way to becoming as much a part of the beauty vernacular as traditional media. But where to next? Here, BD talks to a range of bloggers to find out where they think the beauty blogging industry in Australia is heading, and what’s coming up next for the practice.
Imminent Beauty - Kayte Corcoran
“I believe the beauty blogging industry is really only just starting to take off and will continue to grow bigger each year. People are looking online more and more to find honest reviews on products before they make a purchase, and if beauty bloggers can continue to review products with honesty and suggest products that will truly benefit readers, they can only be a success. I also think beauty blogging is starting to become more rounded and people are trying to include more lifestyle and wellness-related posts. Creating balance in every aspect of our lives is all part of becoming beautiful, inside and out.”
Beautyholics Anonymous - Christine Wang
“It [the Australian beauty blogging industry] is growing in multitudes and I believe it will continue to grow. A lot of brands are already looking towards bloggers as influencers and sales on cosmetics are increasing due to the influence and enabling of beauty bloggers. Brands are sending more and more beauty bloggers products in hopes of securing brand and product exposure. Beauty bloggers are getting on ad campaigns and mainstream media; something that was relatively unheard of up to just a few years ago.”
“[Next up], I’ll be expecting more beauty bloggers to appear on mainstream media like television and radio. Recently, several fashion bloggers appeared on the cover of Lucky magazine in the US and I’m not surprised to see Australian beauty bloggers appearing on the cover of our local magazines. 2014 was the year of bloggers producing books; not just eBooks, but physical copies. I’ll be expecting to see more of that in 2015 and beyond.”
Silver Screens Beauty Queen - Catherine Bouris
“More and more brands and firms are starting to work with bloggers on a regular basis, to the point where it's basically become the norm to do so. I think blogging will continue to gain credibility and exposure as a medium.”
Notes by Nicola - Nicola Donovan
“It’s [the beauty blogging industry in Australia] continuing to go from strength-to-strength and it’s great to see people are now catching onto that. The beauty blogging industry in the UK and USA is huge and I think Australia will continue to slowly catch up. I think you will start seeing a lot more interactive content on blogs, from videos to GIFS. The more interactive your site is, the more entertaining it will be for your readers.”
The Daily Mark - Madeleine Burke
“I find so many great new products, tips or trends from the digital space - blogs, social media and online magazines. I definitely think this is only going to grow as we want information and news even more quickly and easily. I think the multi-channel blogs will be making more of an impact, like YouTubers that also blog and bloggers with a strong social media following. Those who are able to share their content across multiple channels and interact with readers where it suits them will get even more popular.”
tango2+ - Mel Phillips
“I think many beauty blogs will become more lifestyle-focused moving forward. I know with my blog, I’m wanting to branch out and include posts other than just make-up and skincare. That way, blogs can become more like a lifestyle magazine, encompassing all facets of women’s interests (beauty, health, lifestyle, fashion etc).”
Oz Beauty Expert - Bonnie Gillies
“I think blogging is going more towards video, along with written posts.”
Kitsch Snitch - Kathryn Wilson
“I think more and more people are getting quite serious about make-up and they are turning to blogs for new product recommendations, reviews and inspiration. I have noticed dozens of new Australian beauty blogs popping up every month, so beauty blogging will probably become more competitive. I would love to see beauty blogging taken seriously and hopefully turn into a career for a lot of people (including me).”