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Snapchat

There are 187 million daily active users and more than 10 million daily video views on Snapchat.

This makes Snapchat a great platform for marketing, but is it the right fit for you?

If you’re not familiar with Snapchat, the most important thing to know is that the platform is all about disappearing content.

Users can exchange images and short videos (called “Snaps”), and post compilations of this content to their profile (called “Snapchat Stories”), but there’s a catch. The content doesn’t last forever. Snapchats last for a maximum of 10 seconds, and Snapchat Stories disappear after just 24 hours.

When considering whether to use Snapchat marketing for your business, it is important to note that Snapchat isn’t like other social media platforms. The interactions between businesses and users are much shorter, due to the short-lived nature of the content itself. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, there are no hashtags, URLs, links, likes, comments, or shares. The platform is also entirely mobile.

Although Snapchat doesn’t have the typical characteristics of other platforms, it does have unique attributes that can be very effective for marketing, especially for small businesses.

1. Snap Ads Get a Lot of Visual Attention

According to a MediaScience survey composed of 320 consumers ages 16-56, Snapchat ads reach a lot of eyeballs.

The survey compared Snapchat video ads to those on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Looking at emotional responses, exit surveys, and eye-tracking, the survey found that Snapchat ads got twice as much visual attention as Facebook, 1.5 times more than Instagram, and 1.3 times more than YouTube.

The survey also found that Snapchat ads generated a stronger emotional response and a higher purchase intent than ads on other platforms.

2. Snapchat Creates a Sense of Urgency

Due to the ephemerality of Snapchat’s content, users have a deadline to take action. This can motivate users to engage with your content more than they would on other social platforms.

This attribute makes Snapchat a great platform for sharing coupons or deals that only work within a certain time period.

A good example of this urgency in action is Grubhub’s campaign “#Snaphunt”, a week-long scavenger hunt that featured daily challenges for users, all for a shot at $50 in free takeout. News spread through word-of-mouth with followers sharing the contest with friends and inviting them to participate. Thirty percent of Grubhub’s Snapchat followers ultimately participated in the challenge, and the brand earned more than 1.5 million organic social impressions.

3. Users Can Get a Glimpse Behind the Scenes

While many users consider Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to be platforms reserved for polished, final content, Snapchat is viewed as a platform that portrays real reality. With Snapchat, you can give your users a behind-the-scenes peek at your business.

According to Jessica Maslin, directing partner at DayDreamCinema, “Snapchat is a glimpse into the lifestyle of your company…We shot an ad for Michael Jordan kid shoes last week but that edit won’t get released for eight months. On Snapchat it’s easy for people to watch and see how cool that is. They wonder how we’re filming and what it’ll look like in the end.”

Snapchat’s immersive video experience could be a great marketing opportunity for your business. You can also use individual chats to engage one-on-one with your customers to give them more insight into what it’s really like to be part of your brand.

How can a small business advertise on Snapchat?

Snapchat offers a variety of different ad formats. Each of these options approaches advertising in a unique way, and each has different benefits.

1. Snap Ads

Snap Ads are 10-second, full-screen vertical video ads that appear between Snapchat Stories. Within the ad, advertisers can offer the option for viewers to swipe up and see more in-depth content, such as a longer video, article, or more. Snap Ad campaign costs vary, but start at $3,000 a month.

This option is particularly user-friendly because it’s integrated with other personal content. It is also time-sensitive: a potential customer will swipe quickly because they know the ad will soon disappear. In fact, the swipe-up rate for Snap Ads is five times higher than the average click-through rate on comparable social media platforms.

2. Snapchat Geofilters

Snapchat Geofilters are small art graphics that show up when users take Snaps in designated locations. Sponsored Local Geofilters start at $5 an hour for 20,000 square feet, and can feature promotional messaging, branding, and logos. They also include usage metrics, which give you access to a dashboard with stats about engagement for your Geofilter.

Geofilters make it easier for your audience to promote your brand or product through word of mouth. This marketing option is great for announcing new product launches or promoting stores or events. Geofilters draw users to your location, and they give your brand the opportunity to engage with your customers in the moment.

3. Snapchat Sponsored Lens

Sponsored Lens gives a user the opportunity to play with an interactive ad that you’ve created and add it to their Snap. By pressing and holding down on their face, a user can take a Snap with your unique lens. Cost for these lenses can vary depending on the day of the week, holidays, or other trends, but tend to be cheaper than Snapchat Discover ads, which are reserved for big brands.

This ad format is great for engagement because users actually think Sponsored Lenses are fun. They use the feature regularly and tend to play with Sponsored Lenses for an average of twenty seconds.

So, is Snapchat the right marketing platform for you? Here are some things to consider.

  • Make sure your target audience fits the Snapchat user demographic. According to Omnicore, 70 percent of Snapchat users are under the age of 34, and 70 percent of users are female. If this doesn’t sound like your target customer, Snapchat probably isn’t the best use of your budget.
  • Are you struggling to compete with other brands on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Because Snapchat has fewer users, there is a smaller and more selective demographic using the platform. If you operate in a competitive market, Snapchat could be a good option for you.

Overall, you should make sure that using Snapchat for marketing fits your business priorities and goals. If it does, it could be a rewarding opportunity for you.

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