What does GRWM mean?
GRWM stands for "Get Ready With Me," a popular content format where creators film themselves preparing for their day, an event, or an activity.
This intimate, behind-the-scenes style content gives audiences a glimpse into the creator's personal routines, product choices, and personality.
The format creates a sense of connection as viewers feel like they're hanging out with a friend getting ready together, making it one of the most engaging and relatable content types across social media platforms.
What started as beauty influencers showing makeup routines has evolved into a versatile content format spanning numerous niches including fashion, lifestyle, productivity, cooking, and even business preparation.
The appeal lies in its authenticity—audiences get to see the unfiltered process rather than just the polished end result, creating a stronger connection between creator and viewer.
The evolution of GRWM content
GRWM content has come a long way since its early days on YouTube around 2010. Understanding its evolution helps marketers recognize why this format remains so powerful for audience engagement.
From YouTube tutorials to mainstream culture
GRWM videos initially gained popularity on YouTube as an extension of makeup tutorials.
Beauty influencers discovered that audiences weren't just interested in learning techniques—they wanted the personal experience of watching someone's complete transformation.
This format became particularly successful because it:
- Satisfies curiosity about others' personal routines
- Provides practical product demonstrations in real contexts
- Creates a casual, conversational atmosphere
- Builds parasocial relationships between creators and viewers
As video content became central to social media strategy, GRWM expanded beyond beauty to become a cultural phenomenon. Today, creators in virtually every niche use the format to connect with audiences while showcasing their knowledge and personality.
Platform-specific GRWM trends
Different platforms have shaped how GRWM content is created and consumed:
- YouTube GRWM: Typically longer-form content (10-30 minutes) that shows detailed processes and incorporates storytelling or life updates while the creator gets ready. These videos often feature higher production quality and more comprehensive routines.
- TikTok GRWM: Short, dynamic videos focused on efficiency and entertainment. TikTok's algorithm favors quick transformations, clever transitions, and trending audio, making these videos particularly shareable. Many creators use the platform's TikTok Sounds feature to enhance their content.
- Instagram GRWM: Usually shared through Stories or Reels, these often highlight specific products or outfit styling. Many influencers use Instagram's shopping features to make products directly shoppable, creating a seamless path to purchase. Creating engaging Instagram content through GRWM formats has become a staple strategy for many brands.
- Thread GRWM: On Meta's platform Threads, GRWM content often takes a more conversational approach, with creators using the format to start discussions while showcasing their routines. Managing and scheduling Threads posts effectively can help maintain consistency with this content format.
Why GRWM content resonates with audiences?
The enduring popularity of GRWM content stems from several psychological and social factors that marketers should understand when considering this format.
The psychology behind GRWM's appeal
GRWM content taps into several fundamental human desires:
- Curiosity: People naturally want to know how others live and what products they use
- Connection: The intimate nature of preparation routines creates a sense of closeness
- Validation: Seeing others' imperfect processes normalizes viewers' own experiences
- Aspiration: Learning from others' routines satisfies the desire for self-improvement
- Trust: Unfiltered content builds credibility, especially when products are featured
These psychological triggers make GRWM content particularly effective for building brand authenticity and fostering stronger connections with audiences.
How different demographics engage with GRWM
While GRWM content is broadly popular, engagement varies across demographic groups:
- Gen Z: Particularly drawn to authentic, unpolished GRWM content that feels spontaneous and relatable. They often engage most with content that blends preparation routines with social commentary or humor. Understanding Gen Z marketing is essential for brands targeting this demographic.
- Millennials: Tend to engage with more aspirational or educational GRWM content that provides clear value through tips or inspiration. They often prefer content that's slightly more polished while still maintaining authenticity.
- Professional audiences: Increasingly engaging with career-oriented GRWM content showing preparation for work, presentations, or networking events—particularly on LinkedIn, where professional content strategy is essential.
- Niche communities: Specialized GRWM content targeting specific interests (fitness enthusiasts, parents, travelers, etc.) often generates higher engagement rates due to its relevance to defined audience segments.
GRWM as a marketing strategy
For brands and marketers, GRWM represents a powerful format to connect with audiences authentically while showcasing products in practical use scenarios.
How brands can use GRWM content?
Strategic approaches to GRWM content for marketing include:
- Product integration: Naturally featuring products within a routine shows realistic usage rather than staged demonstrations. This approach feels less like advertising and more like genuine recommendation, which is particularly effective for social media marketing.
- Influencer partnerships: Collaborating with creators to feature products in their established GRWM routines uses existing audience trust. Many brands find success through social media influencer marketing programs specifically focused on GRWM formats.
- Behind-the-scenes content: Organizations can use the GRWM format to show preparation for product launches, events, or daily operations, humanizing the brand. This approach works particularly well for B2B social media strategy.
- User-generated content campaigns: Encouraging customers to share their own GRWM routines featuring your products creates authentic social proof and expands reach. Implementing an effective UGC strategy can significantly amplify brand awareness.
- Educational content: Combining GRWM formats with educational elements helps establish thought leadership while maintaining engagement. This approach works well on platforms like LinkedIn for professional services.
Platform-specific GRWM strategies
Adapting GRWM content for different platforms maximizes effectiveness:
- YouTube strategy: Create in-depth GRWM content with storytelling elements to keep viewers engaged for longer sessions. This platform is ideal for showcasing complex products or multi-step routines. Consider implementing YouTube SEO best practices to ensure visibility.
- TikTok strategy: Focus on quick transformations, trending sounds, and satisfying transitions. Product features should be concise and visually impressive. Understanding how to go viral on TikTok can significantly increase reach.
- Instagram strategy: Emphasize visually appealing routines with clear product visibility. Using Instagram carousel posts can showcase before, during, and after stages effectively. Creating a cohesive Instagram aesthetic strengthens brand recognition.
- Twitter/X strategy: Adapt GRWM for text-based platforms by breaking down routines into threads with images or short clips. Understanding Twitter engagement dynamics helps optimize this approach.
Best practices for creating GRWM content
Whether you're a brand, marketer, or creator, following these best practices will help maximize the effectiveness of your GRWM content.
Technical and creative considerations
Creating engaging GRWM content requires attention to both technical and creative elements:
- Lighting: Good lighting is essential, especially for beauty or fashion GRWM content. Natural light or ring lights are commonly used to ensure viewers can clearly see products and application techniques.
- Camera setup: Stable footage is crucial—use tripods or stabilizers rather than handheld shooting. For more advanced content, consider multiple camera angles to show different perspectives of the preparation process.
- Editing pace: Keep the content moving with efficient editing that maintains viewer interest while still showing the complete process. Learning to create shareable content through proper pacing is essential.
- Authenticity balance: While honesty is important, balance raw authenticity with enough structure to keep viewers engaged. Planning your content pillars helps maintain this balance.
- Audio quality: Clear audio significantly impacts engagement—use external microphones when possible, especially for longer-form GRWM content on YouTube or podcasts.
Content planning for GRWM
Effective GRWM content requires thoughtful planning:
- Define your angle: Determine what makes your GRWM content unique—specialized techniques, unusual products, interesting environments, or compelling storytelling.
- Create a loose script: Outline talking points without overly scripting conversations to maintain natural flow. A content planner can help organize these elements effectively.
- Batch production: Consider filming multiple GRWM videos in one session with outfit changes to maximize efficiency. Content batching techniques can significantly improve productivity.
- Consistency: Establish a consistent posting schedule to build audience expectation. Using social media scheduling tools helps maintain regular posting patterns.
- Seasonal planning: Align GRWM content with upcoming events, holidays, or seasons for increased relevance. Creating a comprehensive social media calendar ensures timely content.
Measuring GRWM content performance
To optimize your GRWM strategy, you need to track the right metrics and continuously refine your approach.
Key metrics to track
Effective measurement of GRWM content includes:
- Engagement rates: Look beyond views to analyze comments, shares, saves, and watch time. These metrics indicate how deeply viewers connect with the content. Using social media analytics tools provides comprehensive measurement.
- Conversion indicators: For product-focused GRWM content, track click-through rates, product page visits, and conversion rates. Implementing proper UTM parameters helps attribute conversions accurately.
- Audience growth: Monitor follower growth rates following GRWM content to assess audience-building effectiveness. Analyzing social media reach helps understand content distribution.
- Sentiment analysis: Analyze comment sentiment to understand emotional responses to your GRWM content. This qualitative data offers insights beyond numerical metrics.
- Content comparisons: Compare performance metrics between different GRWM formats and topics to identify what resonates most with your audience. Conducting regular social media audits helps identify patterns.
Optimizing your GRWM strategy
Use performance data to continuously improve:
- A/B testing: Experiment with different GRWM formats, lengths, and styles to identify what performs best with your specific audience.
- Audience feedback integration: Actively solicit and incorporate viewer feedback about what they'd like to see in future GRWM content.
- Trend adaptation: Stay current on evolving GRWM trends across platforms and adapt your approach accordingly. Following social media trends helps maintain relevance.
- Cross-platform optimization: Analyze which platforms generate the best results for your GRWM content and adjust resource allocation accordingly.
- Content repurposing: Break down longer GRWM content into platform-specific formats to maximize reach. Effective content repurposing strategies can significantly extend content lifespan.
GRWM content: Beyond beauty and fashion
While beauty and fashion were GRWM's original domains, the format has expanded far beyond these categories.
Emerging GRWM niches
The versatility of GRWM has led to adaptation across numerous categories:
- Professional preparation: "Get ready with me for a job interview/presentation/networking event" content helps audiences prepare for career milestones. This format works particularly well on LinkedIn.
- Productivity routines: Morning or evening routines focused on productivity have become popular GRWM content, especially on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
- Cooking preparation: "Get ready to cook with me" videos showing meal prep and ingredients gathering have found dedicated audiences, especially on Instagram and TikTok.
- Event planning: Behind-the-scenes preparation for events, from intimate gatherings to large celebrations, offers valuable inspiration through the GRWM format.
- Fitness preparation: Pre-workout routines, supplement preparation, and gear selection create engaging fitness-focused GRWM content. This niche is particularly popular on Instagram and YouTube.
Future trends in GRWM content
As the format continues to evolve, several trends are emerging:
- AR/VR integration: Augmented and virtual reality elements are creating more interactive GRWM experiences, allowing viewers to virtually "try on" products or techniques.
- AI personalization: AI-powered recommendations are beginning to appear in GRWM content, offering personalized suggestions based on viewer preferences and characteristics.
- Hybrid formats: GRWM is increasingly blending with other popular formats like day-in-the-life, challenges, and reaction videos to create fresh content approaches.
- Multi-creator collaboration: Split-screen or collaborative GRWM content featuring multiple creators preparing together (virtually or in-person) builds on the format's social nature.
- Specialized micro-niches: Increasingly specific GRWM content targeting narrow audience segments (e.g., "Get ready with me for a music festival as a plus-size fashion lover") is gaining traction due to high relevance for targeted audiences.
Conclusion
GRWM has evolved from a simple beauty video format into a versatile content approach used across industries and platforms. Its enduring appeal lies in the authentic connection it creates between creators and audiences, making it particularly valuable for brands seeking to build genuine relationships with consumers.
By understanding the psychology behind GRWM's appeal, adapting the format for different platforms, and continuously optimizing based on performance data, brands can use this content type to build stronger audience connections and drive meaningful engagement.