American website Byrdie may have only just launched its first international incarnation on Australian shores, but the publication has confirmed that global expansion is imminent. The online beauty platform most recently crossed the pond to launch in the UK, with a French version to shortly follow.
The British version of Byrdie will incorporate e-commerce and content designed specifically for its new audience. Co-founder Katherine Power told WWD: “We looked internationally to see where the most engagement and the largest audience was, and the UK was at the top of the list.”
We really wanted to bring more fresh and relevant beauty content to the readers here. There seems to be a white space for Byrdie, which has a unique and accessible voice, but is still aspirational. We’ve gathered a lot of market feedback and I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe with advertising partners. So far the reception has been tremendous. It’s such a nice buzz.”
British Byrdie’s launch incorporated 75 per cent local content for its new audience, alongside content from the original US site. The British team - overseen by Amy Lawrenson of Women’s Health and ELLE - will contain six employees to cover social media, editorial and copy.
Power is confident the company will continue to prosper within the digital domain - the Clique Media Group umbrella which houses the beauty site as well as sister sites WhoWhatWear and MyDomaine has reported 33 million monthly unique visitors across all platforms. For Power, this means that expansion into other outlets will follow, with her commenting: “Don’t be surprised if there is a Byrdie beauty line announcement next year.”
