It all started with the weblog: a website that consists of a series of entries in reverse chronological order. Who would have thought that something so formulaic and intangible would evolve into something so creative, inspiring and, let’s face it, overwhelming.
Today, blogs come in myriad guises. There’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Clubhouse, Weibo, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat – the list goes on. Social media platforms have become competitive and in-your-face, each striving to be more relevant, more irresistible than the next with their posts, grids, filters, reels and stories. And of course, pinning it all together, is content.
Just over ten years ago, user-generated content took off in a big way. It gave rise to a word that seemingly yesterday professionals struggled to say with a straight face, but today they rely on to front their marketing strategies and boost sales: the influencer. Beauty influencers were early adopters of blogs and vlogs, and names such as Zoella (Zoe Sugg), Tanya Burr, Michelle Phan, Pixiwoo (Samantha Chapman and Nicola Chapman Haste) and British Beauty Blogger (Jane Cunningham) soon became part of the industry fabric. They sucked in followers and viewers with their blog posts, videos and tutorials, providing a digital alternative to the beauty counter adviser in the manner of a well-meaning best friend, with a very well-stocked make-up bag.
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