Consumers look to bloggers, a trend being underlined in the nail care category

The market researcher’s quarterly update from social media analysts Gabi Lieberman and Lizz Martinez singles out the top trends in online consumer marketplace behavior, and is based on research into the strategies used by Fortune 500 companies across the US.

Martinez highlights that in the nail care sector, blogs such as Nailed Blog dominate online discussion for the selected nail color and care brands.

“Accounting for close to nine in ten online mentions (88%), blogs are a perfect place for nail color and care enthusiasts to share product and line launches, publish nail art tutorials, and review nail color and care products,”​ she said.

Lizz notes while just 11 percent of adults choose their nail colors based on what they see online, this proportion is significantly higher, at 23 percent, among those aged 25 to 34.

The influence and popularity of blogs and online mediums among consumers of nail color and care products suggests that such platforms could be used by brands as a way to leverage sales.

L’Oreal tapping into nail art trend​

Tapping into this potential and the growing nail art trend is cosmetics giant L’Oreal, which recently launched ‘le-nail-art.fr’ in its native France via the L’Oreal Paris brand.

The website is dedicated to all aspects of nail art and features tutorials, tips and trends as well as content from the nail art blogs MarieLuvPink and Absolutely Glamourous. Furthermore, when site visitors click on a product of interest, they are redirected to the L’Oreal Paris website where they can make a purchase.

Back in 2013, Mintel identified L’Oreal as being very active in terms of leveraging blogger influence, which was cited as a top social media trend by the market researcher.

Indeed, social media analyst Gabi Lieberman highlighted that L’Oreal teamed up with YouTube in 2012 to find the next rising beauty vlogger (video blogger), and launched a line of makeup with YouTube celebrity Michelle Phan in 2013.

US nail color market predicted to hit $4bn in 2017​

Mintel revealed last year that sales in the nail color and care market in the US were estimated at $2.5bn at the end of 2012, up 72 percent since 2007. Growth is expected to continue at a slower pace in future, with sales forecast to reach just over $4bn in 2017.

Mintel beauty and personal care analyst Shannon Romanowski said that despite the weak economy, the nail care industry has experienced strong growth in recent years.

“Nail polish offers women an affordable way to experiment with new colors and stay current with fashion trends, often for less than $10 a bottle,” ​she stated.