Snapchat, a widely used photo and video sharing app, has become one of the most popular social platforms in the last few years. Photos and videos that are shared appear on Snapchat temporarily, making it a popular venue for the emerging millennial generation.
Even if you don’t understand why the platform attracts so many users, it shouldn’t keep you from using it to boost your business. Besides a sharing platform, Snapchat works as a potent marketing tool to give you access to demographics you might not reach otherwise. The following information helps you promote your business using Snapchat.
About Snapchat
Snapchat began as a place for users to share short-lived multimedia images and videos, which is its primary function. However, since the release of this mobile app in 2011, the app has also become a popular tool for brands and celebrities who use it to reach their followers with public content. Public and branded content has now become commonplace on Snapchat, granting you access to millions of users who could become your customers.
The app added its popular “My Story” function in 2013, giving users access to chronological compilations that help them enjoy and share past memories. Users also got a new option that allowed them to make their snaps “semi-public,” so audiences can view them for an entire day. The following year, the so-called “Live Stories” became available. All users receive advertisements about live events from which multiple users can submit snaps that get curated into a story. In 2015, Snapchat gave public personalities the ability to post “Official Stories” to promote themselves.
Why You Should Use It
More than 150 million users send 9000 snaps every second on Snapchat. Altogether, the app receives 10 billion video views daily. These numbers show this photo-sharing app has become a high-profile platform for publishing and consuming user-generated content. Moreover, Snapchat has been the fastest growing network since 2014. An increasing portion of the traffic on Snapchat comes from marketers and advertisers who want to build their audiences from its growth.
Snapchat added a special area for advertising-supported content from online publishers. That part of the site, known as “Discover,” displays up to 1 million short video ads every day. You can use the advertising feature of Snapchat to make movie snippets that present your brand, but you can also use it in other ways to connect with a large number of prospective customers.
Some Best Practices
Teasers and Previews
Videos and photos don’t stay visible on Snapchat for long, so you need to create compelling and memorable teasers that can quickly stir a buzz. Regardless of whether you want to promote an upcoming product or a concept, you can expose your message to millions of people in a short time.
Contests
Integrate Snapchat into your promotional campaigns by creating contests that have participants post images of themselves using your product. Give users an incentive to participate by offering prizes for the best ideas. You can also give people promo codes and discounts for being a part of your contest and reward them for watching your Snapchat story.
Storytelling
You can create videos that give people an inside look at your business, including the way you make your products and how your office operates. You can introduce users to the behind-the-scenes employees that make your company work. When you post your videos to the “My Story” section of Snapchat, users can view it during a 24-hour period. As you tell your story, let the personality of your brand shine.
Education
Modern marketing emphasizes supplying valuable information to consumers to help them make good buying decisions. In that sense, you can regard Snapchat as an educational tool and use it to educate people about your industry, brand, and products. For example, consider extending your customer service operation to include Snapchat – you can answer questions and respond to feedback. Additionally, you should consider using Snapchat as a way to distribute product tutorials and other types of informative content.
Live Events
Create live events designed for Snapchat’s platform and audience. You can add a virtual audience to everything from trade shows to product launches in order to add a new dimension to your brand promotions. Live events where users can contribute give them a sense of participation, which has been proven to boost loyalty.
Make It Fun
Whatever you do on Snapchat, have fun doing it. Make it fun for your audience. Explore all the content enhancements available on Snapchat, including emojis, lenses, and text tools. By using your creativity, you can make your message entertaining and memorable. As you become more skilled at using Snapchat, try to think of new ways to attract followers and promote your business.
Interesting Examples
Big-name brands like McDonald’s and Pepsi have executed fantastic, very popular marketing campaigns. Other good examples of Snapchat marketing include the World Wildlife Fund. Its #LastSelfie campaign portrayed the plight of the world’s endangered species in a series of multimedia snaps, gaining a lot of success.
GrubHub used a Snapchat contest to find a summer intern. A six-slide snap posted to the app invited applicants and explained how to apply. The company made the campaign entertaining by asking applicants to submit their best doodle.
