Rare Beauty, the makeup brand founded by Selena Gomez, recently shook up its approach to winning over Gen Z shoppers. Their marketing leaders opened up about how they’ve used Google Search, YouTube, and a bit of AI to connect with a generation that’s trickier than ever to impress.
Key Takeaways
- Rare Beauty uses Google Search, YouTube, and AI to reach Gen Z and boost sales.
- The brand’s ad spend returned seven times the value, stretching across their own site and big retailers.
- A small team leaned into smarter digital tools for visibility.
Why Rare Beauty Needed a Change
So, here’s the thing: Rare Beauty launched with a big goal to challenge long-held ideas about beauty and perfection. But it was clear from the beginning—they needed to tackle the Gen Z market head-on.
Gen Z are no pushovers. They do their own digging, read reviews instantly, and only trust brands that meet them where they are. They’re fast. They’re picky. And while some brands might have massive marketing teams, Rare Beauty had to do more with less.
Embracing Search and YouTube
The team decided they had to show up in as many digital spaces as possible. It was all about making Rare Beauty appear when Gen Z was searching for new makeup. Enter Google Search and YouTube.
Here’s what they did:
- Used AI tools to handle more content and make the brand stand out in searches.
- Started using YouTube for product tutorials, honest reviews, and answer-focused videos like “What’s the best blush product for my skin type?”
- Focused their search terms and content for the way young people actually look things up.
The mix of search-focused content and YouTube videos let Rare Beauty guide shoppers from their first search to a potential purchase. Instead of just showing up now and then, they became a regular stop along the online journey.
What Worked: Results at a Glance
Instead of pouring money into random ads and hoping for the best, Rare Beauty tracked where their spending paid off:
| Strategy | Result |
|---|---|
| Smarter Search Ads | 7x return on ad spend |
| YouTube + Search Integration | More new and loyal customers discovered them |
| Multiple sales channels | Boosted conversions on their site & Sephora |
The numbers speak for themselves. Rare Beauty’s approach not only pulled in more sales, but actually helped their retail partners, like Sephora, sell more too.
Why AI Made All the Difference
With a smaller team, Rare Beauty didn’t have the time or resources to manually manage everything. AI tools helped them keep up and even get ahead:
- Content Creation: AI helped fill the content gaps, ensuring Rare Beauty popped up in searches that mattered.
- Smart Ad Spending: The brand found out which ads actually brought in new shoppers—and ditched the duds.
- Customer Insights: Instead of guessing what Gen Z wanted, AI let them see real questions and needs, so they could answer directly.
Meeting Customers in All the Right Places
Online shopping isn’t a straight line, especially for Gen Z.
- Young shoppers take a screenshot, hunt for reviews, or ask Google and YouTube for every tiny detail.
- Rare Beauty made sure they had an answer for each question, both in search results and video tutorials.
- This approach helps the brand show up again and again, building trust along the way.
What’s Next for Rare Beauty?
Rare Beauty’s marketing team thinks the customer journey will keep changing, especially with new digital tools coming out. But by sticking close to how folks actually shop online, and using the newest tech to help, they’re set up to keep winning over Gen Z—no massive team needed.
In the end, the lesson’s simple. Meet customers in the places they search and watch, answer what they’re really asking, and be ready to change with them. Even a small team can see big results when they work smart.
