When it comes to advertising, beauty brands have always performed well on television, print, and even radio.
However, a saturated market is forcing more beauty brands to think outside the box when it comes to marketing. Social media offers an alternative advertising channel for brands, but even these platforms are becoming crowded.
Recently, podcasts have emerged as a high-value marketing avenue for beauty companies looking to extend their reach. More personable than TV, more long-form than a typical radio ad, and more insightful than what you’d get from print, podcasts are a veritable goldmine for any beauty brand looking to connect with consumers and secure more conversions.
Why Beauty Brands Benefit from Podcast Advertising
The likes of L’Oréal, Chanel, and Dior have long maintained a marketing presence on television and more conventional advertising mediums. While these formats deliver impressive enough returns, capitalization is reaching saturation point. Recently, big brands like these have made moves into the podcast sector to add another string to their advertising bows.
The reasons for this are multitude, with the podcast format providing plenty of opportunity to tell a story, offer a platform for industry insiders and beauty experts, and bring an emotional depth to advertising beauty products not possible with other mediums.
A Perfect Platform for Influencer Marketing
There’s no denying the clout of influencer marketing. A recent survey found that around 54% of beauty consumers have purchased products from influencer and celebrity beauty brands. Leading brands like Estée Lauder and Maybeline can leverage this potential, attaching their products to the endorsement of popular beauty influencers like Saba Naveed, Kristen Fiori, and Adriana Mejia.
A More Organic Way to Advertise
When it comes to audio formats, radio can only go so far in advertising beauty products effectively. The average radio ad is a case of information overload, with listeners typically bombarded with key product benefits.
These are important, but there’s a whole other layer to beauty and fragrance products that calls for a more organic and emotive approach. Thanks to the long-form nature of podcasts, there’s ample time to tell a story. Presenters and guests can delve into their experience of products, bringing a storytelling element to beauty advertising that strikes the right chord with engaged consumers.
Podcasts Resonate with the Right Consumers
Podcast listeners are an inherently loyal audience. They’ve actively sought out podcasts recorded and released by personalities they know and love, and go out of their way to access content from a non-traditional broadcast format.
Anyone making a point to listen to a beauty product is typically going to have a keener interest in the market, whether that’s those looking for insights into how to use products or those keen to discover more about new additions to familiar brands. These engaged users are also more likely to be bigger spenders than the average consumer, making them a lucrative target for beauty brands keen to boost revenues.
The Future of Beauty Advertising?
Once considered something of a niche medium, podcasts have quickly become a leading broadcast format. As of 2025, more than 584 million people listen to podcasts, with a significant number tuning into beauty-based content. While major beauty companies are expected to continue spending significantly on television advertising and more familiar formats, expect more brands to wake up to the potential of podcasts as a way to connect with beauty-minded consumers.