In an more and more aggressive digital market, cosmetics and private care manufacturers face mounting stress to make sure their merchandise are simply discoverable, clearly communicated, and precisely aligned with evolving shopper expectations.
A current survey of over 2,000 customers by product content material optimization platform Lily AI highlighted a major disconnect between how merchandise are described on-line and the way buyers really seek for them, with {industry} jargon usually serving as a barrier slightly than a bridge to conversion.
From complicated product names and imprecise descriptors to overly technical language, “service provider converse” can hinder discovery and drive customers away. The report’s information confirmed that 80% of buyers have deserted a search because of unclear or ineffective product descriptions, and 85% are prepared to modify manufacturers after they can’t discover what they’re in search of.
On this CosmeticsDesign Q&A, Purva Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO at Lily AI shared insights on how synthetic intelligence helps CPG manufacturers overcome these challenges.
CDU: The analysis highlights that {industry} jargon in product descriptions can confuse customers and hinder product discovery. What are some widespread examples of “service provider converse” within the magnificence and private care {industry}, and the way can AI assist manufacturers translate technical product particulars into consumer-friendly language?
Purva Gupta (PG): “Service provider converse” refers back to the {industry} jargon, usually technical, scientific, brand-specific, or marketing-heavy language, utilized by each the service provider and advertising and marketing groups of shops and types. This insider language usually doesn’t resonate with customers and misses the boat fully in shopper search and discovery efforts.
For instance, within the magnificence {industry}, overly technical product descriptions like “incorporates a patented bio-fermented complicated that enhances epidermal renewal on the mobile stage” is a typical sort of “service provider converse.” Does anybody seek for that? And after they learn it, do they even know what meaning?
One other instance, much less on the technical entrance, but extra on the model voice entrance…a magnificence product known as “Glow Play Cushiony Blush in Warmth Index.” What’s a “cushiony” blush? What coloration is “Warmth Index”? What does “Glow Play” do for me?
At this time, AI can clear up one of many greatest challenges for retailers: serving to customers discover the precise merchandise that meet their distinctive and customized wants rapidly and simply. Our current analysis report uncovered that two-thirds (66%) of individuals imagine that retailers use product language and descriptions that make it too difficult for them to search out what they need.
AI may also help with this by dynamically optimizing product content material — each on the entrance finish for shopper-facing content material and the again finish for AI and search engine consumption — so manufacturers and retailers can guarantee their merchandise are precisely described, simply found, and exactly related to what customers need. AI empowers retailers to stability merchant-and marketer-driven language with consumer-centric attributes and replica, enhancing readability and confidence from the very first search by to buy.
This new technology of AI ranges the enjoying area. It helps companies of all sizes enhance product visibility, enhance search relevance, and personalize advertising and marketing at scale. Retailers who embrace AI-optimized product content material are higher geared up to fulfill customers the place they’re, making certain the precise merchandise seem on the proper time — driving discovery, connection, and conversion.
CDU: How does AI-powered product content material optimization particularly enhance searchability for cosmetics and private care merchandise? Are you able to share examples of how magnificence manufacturers have efficiently leveraged AI to enhance product descriptions and drive conversions?
PG: Product content material optimization (PCO) is the automated, dynamic strategy of enriching product information with shopper, service provider, marketer, and machine-friendly product data. With PCO built-in throughout a retailer’s promoting and e-commerce stack, magnificence manufacturers and retailers can enhance product discoverability throughout conventional channels like Google (all surfaces), TikTok, Meta (e.g. Fb, Instagram), e-commerce websites and marketplaces, in addition to generative-AI powered search engines like google and yahoo.
Lily AI’s platform analyzes shopper searches and dynamically enriches product information with consumer-centric language that’s custom-made and optimized for the distinctive specs of a given platform. The product content material enhancements span attributes, synonyms, tendencies, phrases, titles, and lengthy and quick descriptions in each consumer-facing and backend contexts.
For instance, if a lipstick is described as “ginger,” however a shopper is in search of “peach,” the platform, drawing on the biggest proprietary library of human-labeled information and industry-specific observations and learnings, will perceive that “ginger” could possibly be correlated to “peach,” “smooth orange” or “heat beige,” enabling the “ginger lipstick” to point out up in outcomes when somebody searches for “peach lipstick” or “summer time shade lipstick.”
Product content material optimization additionally ensures retailers have sufficient descriptors and context associated to their merchandise that customers additionally get the main points they should encourage a purchase order determination.
And what’s great about at the moment’s AI options is that we are able to incorporate model voice into the optimized content material so {that a} model’s merchandise can nonetheless be differentiated from their opponents and stay distinctive within the thoughts of the buyer.
Estée Lauder Corporations, Sephora, and L’Oréal every proceed to impress us with their AI-powered customer-centric methods. Whereas particular person manufacturers are experimenting with attention-grabbing initiatives as nicely, we predict these three pioneers are ones to observe for inspiration and outcomes!
CDU: The examine discovered that 80% of customers have deserted a search because of ineffective product descriptions. What are the most important errors magnificence manufacturers make on the subject of on-line product descriptions, and the way can they right them to enhance the procuring expertise?
PG: Customers know the kind of product they need for his or her customized magnificence routine and count on magnificence retailers to have the ability to assist them meet their wants rapidly and relevantly. Consequently, retailers and types should reevaluate how they describe their merchandise on-line to raised align with the phrases that customers usually use in a search.
At this time, “merchant- and marketer-speak” is utilized manually by each eCommerce and advertising and marketing groups in search of to encourage and differentiate, but because of guide processes and a dominant give attention to romance copy, we find yourself seeing:
- Inherent subjectivity can create inconsistencies in output, relying on the one who is manually inputting data
- Human error creates incomplete, inaccurate, unclear, and irrelevant information
- A basic lack of automation that creates inefficiencies and course of overhead
Sadly, industry-driven product content material is often void of each pure shopper language and contextual understanding (“consumer-speak”). It’s additionally not optimized for AI, whereby brokers and algorithms (“machine-speak”) at the moment are making rational selections and taking impartial actions.
Does anybody actually seek for “Garance” or “Dragon Lady” crimson lipstick? Do they store for “Warmth Index Cushiony Blush?” In all probability solely those that are fortunate sufficient to be shopping for a second time round! Let’s not make these first-time purchasers accomplish that a lot work to attach with the brand new merchandise they’d like to try to use of their every day routines.
Magnificence manufacturers and retailers should meet prospects the place they’re, which is commonly on the very starting. By recognizing that the web procuring expertise is evolving, particularly with regard to the place customers are discovering and trying to find merchandise and the way they search, magnificence manufacturers can really make their mark.
Because the strains between digital commerce and digital advertising and marketing blur, those who swiftly undertake applied sciences to reinforce product descriptions and optimize search and discovery experiences wherever they happen will win the shopper’s coronary heart, face, and nails.
CDU: With 85% of customers prepared to modify manufacturers if they’ll’t discover what they’re in search of, how can cosmetics and private care manufacturers guarantee they’re not dropping prospects because of poor product descriptions or ineffective search phrases?
PG: Customers know what they need and wish it now. Our report uncovered that greater than half of customers (57%) mentioned they use a retailer’s search bar when procuring on-line and expressed the significance of the outcomes being related and aligned to their search.
Nevertheless, if buyers aren’t capable of finding what they’re in search of, they’re prepared to go elsewhere to search out it. And to be clear, once we say they know what they need, they’re looking with phrases and phrases equivalent to “light-weight on a regular basis blush” or “pure trying blush with a delicate dewy glow, not shiny.”
After they know the model, definitely they could use the branded phrases “smooth glam satin basis” or “classic single extract essence,” but as a rule, when in search of one thing new to fulfill a selected want of their magnificence life, they’re utilizing much more colloquial and easy language.
Using product content material optimization (PCO) is crucial for the sweetness {industry} to make sure they continue to be in sync with their prospects and never make them do an excessive amount of work to know their merchandise with complicated, brand- and industry-specific descriptions. When carried out accurately, the “lustreglass sheer-shine lipstick ” from Model A is extra prone to come up in a Gen Zer’s seek for an “eco-friendly sheer lip coloration” on TikTok, in addition to a Gen Xer’s seek for a “gentle shiny lipstick with pure elements” on Google.
Through the use of AI, all of the ways in which customers seek for merchandise can now be understood and answered with the optimum merchandise, making it simpler for individuals to search out precisely what they need, irrespective of the place they store or search.
CDU: The survey discovered that 71% of buyers are prepared to spend extra after they have search expertise. What’s the potential income impression for magnificence and private care manufacturers that put money into AI-driven product content material optimization, and what metrics ought to they monitor to measure success?
PG: The potential income impression for magnificence and private care manufacturers investing in AI-driven product content material optimization is critical. With 71% of buyers prepared to spend extra after a seamless search expertise, magnificence manufacturers that optimize their product content material for each customers and AI-powered search engines like google and yahoo — Google AI Overviews, Google Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or others — are higher positioned to seize elevated buyer spend, drive greater conversion charges, and enhance total gross sales.
AI-optimized content material ensures merchandise present up in related search outcomes, lowering friction within the path to buy. It additionally signifies that after the buyer finds what they’re in search of, the product consists of sufficient particulars within the type of descriptions, highlights, photographs, movies, and critiques to shut the sale.
This results in greater discoverability, stronger shopper engagement, and in the end, improved loyalty — particularly essential in extremely classes like magnificence and private care.
Particularly, on the subject of measuring success, our model shoppers monitor key metrics equivalent to: enhancements to Google High quality Scores and Advert Rank, impressions raise, clicks, PDP visits, conversion, and most significantly, gross sales progress. By specializing in these indicators, manufacturers can instantly tie AI content material optimization efforts to measurable income progress and long-term shopper loyalty.
CDU: As AI continues to form e-commerce within the magnificence {industry}, what rising tendencies ought to cosmetics and private care manufacturers pay attention to?
PG: One space that I’m most enthusiastic about is Agentic AI, and I feel it’s one thing all of us must pay shut consideration to – it’s right here to remain and can solely get higher, and it’ll get higher briefly order, too. I do know that some individuals say Agentic is within the midst of a serious hype cycle, and whereas that could be true in sure regards, I nonetheless suppose it’s essential for retailers and types to rapidly analysis related options to their current challenges, undertake early and experiment as a way to stay aggressive and related.
When product information foundations are correct, related, wealthy, and optimized, Agentic AI options can play a useful function in autonomously and proactively analyzing data and conditions, making high-quality selections, and appearing independently. This may permit people to carry out artistic and higher-level technique and decision-making work.
This yr, issues will transfer quick, however the creativity, particularly in such a human-centric {industry}, will stay with individuals whereas AI will be capable to push ahead how that creativity will get into the arms of buyers.
We have to be receptive to doing issues very in another way and leveraging AI to do what it does greatest. Importantly, we have to bridge the hole in language between manufacturers and customers. With AI, it’s a reasonably straightforward but extremely profitable repair. Blissful prospects spend cash and change into model loyalists – and that may be a lovely end result for everybody!