Developing A Successful Strategy For Marketing On Snapchat

When the popular platform Snapchat emerged in 2012, it excited users by letting them tell unique stories, use fun filters, and create off-the-cut content. Since then, other apps like Facebook, Instagram, and now TikTok have made their own versions of this style of storytelling. Even though Snapchat paved the way for this style of content, it seems like fewer people are talking about the beloved platform these days. So, where exactly does Snapchat stand as a social media platform and marketing tool in 2021?

Well, by the end of Q1 2020, Snapchat has 249 million daily active users around the world, and although it may seem like there are fewer Snapchat users for business, it has seen a whopping 20.5 percent increase in usage since 2019 — and it’s numbers have since been increasing. People are still making use of the Discover section and seeing plenty of Snapchat ads, making it a worthwhile tool to reach your metrics.

Compared to other giants like Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat is the most highly trafficked social media platform among teens and young adults, with users posting over 210 million snaps on the platform every single day. 

Who Can Benefit From Snapchat Advertising?

If your specific brand or products cater to Gen Z or younger millennials, then Snapchat can — and will — have a considerable impact on your budding business. These young generations have billions of dollars of direct spending power as well as influence over household spending. 

In addition, Snapchat also tends to work best as a marketing strategy for direct-to-consumer brands who can use the app to drive foot-traffic to an eCommerce app or webpage. Since a Snapchat account allows marketers to create short, eye-catching, and engaging content, it makes viewers heavily invested in those stories. Because of their incredibly high engagement rates, Snapchatters are an unbelievable 60% more likely to make impulse purchases based on products they see on the app. 

Aside from the statistics which speak for themselves, there are some other strong benefits for including Snapchat in your marketing campaign. These include:

• Less competition. Every business that has ever existed seems to have a social media presence on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn. As challenging as it can be to even connect with consumers on these popular platforms, it can be even more of a challenge to get your content to stand out from your competitors. Though Snapchat is increasing in popularity as a top-notch way to advertise, there’s still far less competition here for small businesses than on other leading platforms.
• It’s different. It goes without saying that Snapchat is different than other platforms. You will be reaching a new audience in a new way with a new type of Snapchat content. This can definitely be a bit difficult, but it’s also a big advantage. It has a similar aesthetic to Instagram stories — which was entirely modeled off of Snapchat stories — so similar content can be shared on both, doubling on your marketing efforts. 
• It feels genuine and authentic. In general, social media sites are excellent for building rapport, brand awareness, and in some cases, giving the “behind the scenes” look to viewers. Snapchat amplifies this facet of social media marketing — it’s more about what’s happening in the now. 

Photos are edited with eye-catching filters and stickers to make them even more interesting as opposed to creating images of higher quality — and the effects are purely there for enhancement and, of course, fun. With Snapchat, you can really showcase the personality of your brand, highlighting the parts that’ll be more relevant to your audience there. It’s more than just sending selfies with doodles and funny overlays on them, we promise. 

• You can reach a new audience. If your specific product has cases that could appeal to, say, a younger demographic, for example, but you aren’t really connecting to them just yet on other social media platforms — Snapchat could be your golden ticket. CNN, for instance, connected with more Millenials on Snapchat than they had through their website; it was an audience they’d previously struggled to connect with. Even if you are reaching the same audience, you are doing so on an additional platform. 

Tips To Help You Use Snapchat For Marketing

The benefits of using Snapchat for business are truly incredible. And after learning about them, we’re sure you want to dive right into using a Snapchat campaign, but hold onto your horses and first read these useful hacks to help you best develop a Snapchat marketing strategy.

Know Your Audience

It’s a marketing perennial. But success on the popular Snapchat platform means knowing as much as you possibly can about your target audience — that’s how you create content that resonates.

Snapchat’s demographic has traditionally been youngsters in their teens and twenties, but that’s changing, with an older demographic now utilizing the app in increasing numbers. Stay true to the audience you really want to attract and monitor the type of tribe you gather as you delve deeper into the Snapchat seas — then tweak your strategy accordingly. 

Know Your Platform

So your plan is to bowl headlong into your great Snapchat debut with a company account, you say? Well, that’s probably not wise. Before diving right into a business account, save yourself from a headache or two and get a personal account first. Follow your friends, family, and favorite brands to get a feel for how others use Snapchat, including geofilters, emojis, and Snapchat filters, and soon enough, you’ll find your way. 

Snapchat is famed for its ephemeral, self-destructing messages (unless you screenshot them), plus the “My Story” feature, but regardless of what you may think, this platform isn’t as transient as you might have come to believe. You see, there’s no timeline in Snapchat. Messages to your followers literally stay in their inbox until they’re opened. 

So whereas with other popular social networks, your content and Snap ads are quickly confined to history, your message is actually stickier on Snapchat. Sure, the content that took you hours to create is lost forever once it’s opened. But some marketing gurus argue that this ensures users are paying more attention to snaps, whether they receive them from their mom, sister, or their favorite brand.

Decide on The Types of Content You’d Like to Publish

Okay, so you’ve signed up, added your brand’s logo to your profile — now what?! What are you actually going to publish? While it’s crucial to have a great content plan or some kind of rationale to guide you in your video content, you have plenty of creative license on Snapchat.

Some ideas:

• Tutorials
• New product demos
• Videos of your product in action in real-time
• Industry hot tips
• Reactions to the latest and greatest news affecting your industry
• Behind the scenes at your workplace
• Takeovers from an industry influencer
• Discounts and flash sales
• A series showcasing the history of your brand
• You may even be able to get a sponsored filter or Snapchat lens

Be Creative

Step out of your comfort zone and get creative. Find your own unique style. And remember, there is no such thing as a boring topic — just boring content writers!  

A Final Word

If you’re going to use Snapchat — which you most definitely should — be sure to really commit. Don’t just publish video ads once a month when you find a little bit of time; assign responsibility, create a winning strategy, give ownership of the account to the most social-savvy member of your team or even an experienced ad agency like MuteSix, and go forth and create!

Advertising can be tough. Recruit the help of an award-winning advertisement agency like MuteSix to help. 

Sources:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/545967/snapchat-app-dau/

https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/blog/shopify-taps-into-the-buying-power-of-snapchatters

https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/snapchat-older-users/