Everyone talks about Snapchat, but what is the point of this social media platform and how can your business leverage it for marketing?
Snapchat currently has hundreds of millions of users worldwide and they are becoming more and more.
Major players such as CNN, National Geographic, and many more have already noticed and experienced great advantages of Snapchat. Want to know if Snapchat is a social media platform for your company?
Let’s go into detail about Snapchat and how you can use it for marketing.
Contents
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is described as the world’s largest photo and video platform anyone can join. The app lets users send photos and videos to friends or followers. The unique thing about Snapchat is that (unlike other social media) it does not save the content. The user can choose how long the receiver can see their snap – between 1 and 10 seconds.
Then the image disappears from the receiver’s screen. You can also share “Stories” on your profile which people can watch as many times as they want for 24 hours. This is the primary means of communication with followers that companies use on Snapchat.
So how can you market your company on Snapchat?
Snapchat is first and foremost about getting a personal relationship with your followers. You do this best by offering them content that they like and that is exclusive to this particular channel, such as the “backdrop” plaques. Your Snapchat audience wants honest, personal, and close content.
They want to see what happens in your company’s everyday life. So you should see Snapchat as an opportunity to become more personal with your customers, get closer to them and show them who you really are as a company.
Does Snapchat really suit you?
Only you and your company can answer that question. Since everything happens “in the moment” on Snapchat. It moves fast, and it is about instant communication. Not photos and videos edited to perfection – the highlight reel. It’s about honest, raw content. This is what Snapchat allows you to communicate with your audience.
It simply depends on how much you are willing to bet on Snapchat. But if you have a younger target group, for example, Snapchat is a very effective channel to reach. You can, for example:
- Use Snapchat as an extension of your customer service and answer questions.
- Send clips to your followers on how to best use your product or introduce them to your services. Also, try to use a lot of “behind the scenes” material. Maybe you can show when you compose a song if you are a musician, or how you produce your goods?
- Use an ambassador who “guests” your Snapchat and shows who you and your company are.
- Present yourself and your company in a more personal way, which in turn can strengthen your brand.
- Spread your knowledge. For example, if you work as a lecturer, it is a great way to spread your knowledge and find new contacts.
Snapchat is free and a good tool for building a more personal relationship with your customers. Your content can (but does not need to) be direct marketing but can be about anything, such as an ordinary day at work.
Snapchat is great when it comes to brand stories. Snapchat creates noise around your content.
How to get started with Snapchat marketing
Do you feel like testing out Snapchat and getting started? How fun! All you have to do is download the app from the App Store / GooglePlay and get started!
1. Seek inspiration
Are there any brands using Snapchat that are in the same industry as you? Or prominent profiles that you think your followers like? Get inspiration from them to create your content. It is never wrong to be inspired!
2. Mix content
If there is any channel that is anything but formal then it is Snapchat. So dare take out the turns! Humor, for example, is a success factor. But be careful not to pretend to be something you are not – people will notice.
3. What do you want to convey?
Sit down and think carefully about how you want your brand to be experienced on Snapchat. Then use pictures, videos, and everything else Snapchat has to offer to reinforce your message. Given that Snapchat uses videos, you have a great opportunity to influence your followers by conveying a variety of emotions.
4. Make the Snaps unique
Many companies, for example, use Snapchat so that followers can access content the company does not share anywhere else. This may include, for example, the workplace, “behind the camera moments”, news or launches. Contests, discount codes, and gifts are also popular.
5. Promote yourself
Don’t forget to show in your other social media that your company uses Snapchat For example:
- Save your Snaps. Then you can also share them on several channels such as Facebook or Instagram
- Print your username on Snapchat clearly! You can also create a Snapcode to make it easier for your followers to find your Snapchat channel. It acts as a QR code and can be scanned off to start following you. A Snapcode can also be added to, for example, your products, business cards, invoices, and much more!
- Download your Snapchat profile (this is your Snapcode) and post the profile picture on your website, in your newsletter, and in all your other social media. Here’s how you can link your website with a Snapcode
6. Analyze
Our first advice to anyone who wants to start using Snapchat is to take it easy. Start by analyzing what content seems popular – your success depends on what content you present. So you need to do some prep work before you start sending out your first snaps in the world.
7. Snaps vs Stories
The difference between a Snap and Story is time and availability. While a Snap is like a message and only available to the follower for a maximum of 10 seconds, a Story is available for 24 hours. We, therefore, recommend that you first and foremost invest in producing Stories, they can also be seen several times which is not possible with a Snap.
8. Adapt to the environment
What seems popular? What does your target audience like and how do they communicate with Snaps and Stories? Try to find content that your target audience appreciates and likes so they continue to follow you. In many cases, most Snapchaters communicate not only through text but also through pictures, movies, emojis, and filters.
