With stats taken from Facebook’s Mobile Makeover report, here are a few reasons why.

Building personal connections

Mobile has now officially overtaken desktop, with 61% of time online in the UK being spent on a smartphone device. This means that there is now little distinction between the web and the ‘mobile’ web – they are seen as one and the same for many people.

But why is mobile the preferred option? Facebook suggests that it’s because our connection to mobile is much more personal and intimate than it is to television screens or even desktop computers. 

We can switch from interacting with real life friends to our favourite brands, meaning there’s also very little difference in how we engage with them. 

For beauty brands, mobile enables them to build a much more direct and intimate connection the consumer. Or essentially, to become their friend too.

Just like someone might ‘like’ a shared photo on Facebook, the same person wouldn’t think twice about doing so on a brand’s Instagram account. Brands such as Glossier capitalise on this seamless browsing behaviour, continuously putting relatable and shareable content into followers’ news feeds.

Sharing in real-time

Facebook states that 46% of beauty consumers use social media to share the results of something they’ve bought. It seems more so than any other industry, users are willing to offer their own feedback or share their opinion way past the point of purchase.

This reflects the changing nature of the beauty industry in general, which is veering away from the unattainable to something much more authentic and real. Instead of looking to glossy fashion magazines for inspiration, consumers can check out an influencer online or read reviews from a fellow consumer – all directly from mobile.

Meanwhile, since anyone can take and upload a selfie, beauty brands now have millions of advocates at their disposal.

User-generated content is widely used by everyone from Kylie Cosmetics to Sephora, allowing brands to promote a sense of authenticity as well as foster a community online. Beauty fans apparently have 2.5 times the average number of followers on Instagram and follow four times the average number of accounts – it also enables brands to continue the cycle of advocacy.

Shopping on mobile

So, we’ve established just how important mobile is for capturing consumer engagement – but what about sales? Europe’s leading online beauty retailers reportedly get 50% of their business from mobile devices

This demonstrates the importance of a multichannel shopping experience, with brands being able to prompt consumers to purchase in the very moments they are researching, browsing or merely consuming content. 

Lastly, with Instagram recently allowing brands to test taggable or buyable products in photos, we could soon be moving into a whole new world of social commerce. Where, undoubtedly, mobile will be key.

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