Many of you may already be aware of this new marketing trend, but companies are hiring and partnering with social media influencers to promote their brands, products, and services through user-generated content (UGC) on UGC platforms like YouTube.  Although these “influencers” are not celebrities, they are still able to reach a large number of followers and engage them with the brand. However, it’s important for companies to note that UGC influencers aren’t exactly looking for free stuff from brands, but rather a small monetary compensation or free product as long as it is relevant to their brand.

There are tons of social media influencers in the beauty/health and wellness space. This blog highlights one beauty/health and wellness social media influencer, in particular, Hyram. Hyram is an American skincare influencer known for his “Skincare by Hyram” videos. His videos mainly focus on his personal reviews of skincare products out in the market today and celebrity skincare routines, skincare advice and tips, great affordable skincare products, and last but not least, education on the ingredients found in skincare products (good and bad). Hyram has a large following on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Here are his follower numbers on some of the social media platforms: 4.59M YouTube subscribers, 6.3M TikTok followers, and 1M Instagram followers. If that doesn’t impress you enough or make you want to check out one (or all his accounts), New York Times published an article on Hyram called “The Content Creator Who Can Make or Break a Skin Care Brand” written by Rachel Strugatz. Strugatz writes that Hyram’s mantra is “ingredients don’t lie” (Strugatz. 2022). No matter the size, popularity, or prestige of a brand or how famous the founder or product is, it does not stop Hyram from professionally sharing his views on the brand and product taking into consideration the quantity and price.

As a Hyram follower, I’ve come to trust his reviews and I am affected by his feedback. Hyram is even getting recognition from celebrities like Hailey Bieber who invited him on her YouTube channel, Who’s In My Bathroom, where they discuss beauty tips and tricks, and test brands and products live like BeautyStat! sharing their honest opinions. This is great promotional material for BeautyStat! because not only does the brand get exposure to Hyram’s 4.59M YouTube subscribers but also Bieber’s 1.76M subscribers. Another example of Hyram-specific UGC is where he actually discusses brands he has previously hated like Mario Badescu but now loves because they are providing fragrance-free products. Fragrances cause inflammation and can be toxic to our bodies. Hyram created and posted a YouTube about his dislike for Mario Badescu and the reasoning for why and is now posting a new YouTube for the incredible improvements Mario Badescu has made and why he now loves the brand. The New York Times article also mentions Hyram’s power and influence on brands like St. Ives. Hyram put down the brand for how harsh it is on the skin only giving instant gratification of smoothness but, in reality leaving it feeling inflamed, red, and sensitive. “The moment Hyram came out and was so adamant about how terrible they are — he just annihilated this brand” (Strugatz. 2022). The brand actually responded to Hyram’s public review and in an email said: “Our St. Ives scrubs are beloved by millions.” “While we appreciate Hyram’s opinion,” the statement added, “we respectfully disagree” (Strugatz. 2022). 

As you can see from the examples above, social media influencers hold a lot of power in the UGC they post and share, especially if the social media influencer has a large and loyal following base. Social media influencers can easily change a consumer’s opinion on not just a product but an entire brand with one 10-minute video. With the right social media influencer as an integral part of their marketing strategy, companies can change the way consumer view their brands and products, increase brand awareness, increase the number of loyal customers, increase their sales, and ultimately increase revenue.

References:

Strugatz, R. (2020, September 8). The content creator who can make or break a skin care brand. The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/Gen-Z-the-content-creator-who-can-make-or-break-your-skin-care-brand.html

YouTube. (2022, July 26). Brands I hated that I now love. YouTube. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v-dtUKPH0g

YouTube. (2022, May 18). Hyram & Hailey Bieber try & react to even more skincare products! – part 2 | beauty tips & tricks. YouTube. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0B6bqi9MG8