Is it worth your time to pursue Snapchat Marketing?

Snapchat has become a household name and is rapidly becoming as popular as the social media networks Facebook and Twitter! Many of our clients say, “We manage enough social networks already… not another app! NO… SNAPCHAT MARKETING! PLEASE… NOOO!!!”

Ok, that was dramatic. BUT, I agree, there are a ton of social platforms but we always advise our clients to at minimum lock up all the social media handles right away IN CASE you ever end up using that platform (remember, you want brand continuity at the social level for ease of finding your brand across all platforms i.e. @coursenvy). Then you need to assess if adding Snapchat marketing to your plate, is worth your time.

Snapchat is BOOMING!

Before you reject this newer social media platform, take a look at these statistics:

     -Total Number of Monthly Active Users: 300 million+

     -Total Number of Daily Active Snapchat Users: 100 million

     -Percentage of US Social Media Users that Use Snapchat: 18%

     -Number of Snaps Created Everyday (Photos & Videos): 1 million

     -Average Time Spent per User on Daily Basis: 25-30 minutes

     -Percentage of Daily Reach (18-34 Years old) in the US: 41%

Snapchat Demographics

-71% of Snapchat users are under 34 years old.

-Roughly 70% of Snapchat users are female.

-30% of US Millennial Internet Users use Snapchat regularly.

-Ireland is the top country for Snapchat Usage based on the percentage of usage by adults in each market.

-50% of Male College students share selfies on Snapchat, the number is higher in Female college students. 77% to be precise.

-45% of Snapchat users are aged between 18-24.

-Snapchat reaches 11% of Total US Digital population.

-More than 25% of UK Smartphone users are on Snapchat, in Norway the number goes up to 50%.

Ok, so if I haven’t sold you yet, you won’t ever be! Snapchat is here to stay, but how can YOU start using the platform for your brand?

Snapchat Tutorial

From our own experience with the platform, we advise only using Snapchat if your target demo is between the age of 13-34. Anything outside of that and we see engagement decline or followings non-existent. So if your target market meets this demo, it’s time to create a Snapchat account! This is a fun-loving platform that attracts a unique audience seeking AUTHENTIC content.Your first step is to create a profile for your business, which functions just like a user profile. You’ll attract followers and send them “snaps” (which are photos or videos you take). Our clients that have the most success with the platform have video content worth sharing (especially behind the scenes

Your first step is to install the app via iOS or Android. Then create a profile for your business. You’ll attract followers and send them “snaps” (which are photos or videos you take). Our clients that have the most success with the platform have video content worth sharing (especially behind the scenes esque content).

People LOVE to see “behind the curtain”! They want to see what celebs/influencers do at home, the office, out partying, etc. They want to see how brands do what they do, whether that is building products, selling their services or simply giving a tour of their office/HQ! Use Snapshat video to show your following a BEHIND THE SCENES look into your brand, business, and life! I love the way Gary Vaynerchuk said it: “The way Snapchat works is much closer to how we communicate face to face than any other social network. What I mean by this is that: when we talk to each other, passing in the halls or just living out our lives, those moments disappear. Snapchat emulates that behavior and psychology.”

How to Add Friends and Grow your Following on Snapchat

Step 1: Open the Snapchat app and swipe down on your screen. You’ll be taken to your home screen (below).

Step 2: On the home screen, add friends by clicking the “Add Friends” option.

Step 3: Time to add some friends. You can add friends in a few ways: by username, from your address book (i.e. your phone’s contacts list), by Snapcode, or from someone nearby.

***So you as a brand need to CROSS-PROMOTE your Snapchat handle on your other social media accounts to grow your following on Snapchat and make your presence known! You built an audience on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. PROMOTE your new channel to them and GROW your following. I love to LURE them over to following me on Snapchat with giveaways and contests. This guy is a little much at times but he has an INSANELY huge following, check him out for tips on giveaways @tailopez.

Besides giveaways to attract followers, tell them WHY and HOW your Snapchat content is different and EXCLUSIVE! Yes, some content will overlap with Instagram Stories and Facebook Live I’m sure… but make each platform have unique content for your followers! PROMOTE that sense of urgency with the 24-hour timer Snapchat has… for example, promote your Snapchat account via your Instagram and say how “XYZ story is disappearing in 24 hours, follow us @XYZ on Snapchat now to see!” Curisoity is always a winner for me (especially in email subject lines).

Schedule your Snaps

I like to compare Snapchat to OLD SCHOOL TV! When I was growing up, there was no DVR?! If I missed TGIF, I missed TGIF! Snapchat is similar as the content disappears every 24 hours. So as your following grows, I like to “THEME” my days around a schedule, therefore making users want to “tune in” for their “show” like THE GOOD OLD DAYS! For example: Motivation Mondays, Tour de Tuesdays,  Workout Wednesdays, etc. When you have something coming up… build up to it with static pics with text overlayed. For example, photo of a stage with text overlay “exclusive standup comedy performance at 2pm! Check back soon!” Or check out this Snap from Ben and Jerry’s:

Get your Following Involved

Snapchat is a very interactive and personal app. You are for the most part talking DIRECTLY into your selfie camera, divulging something personal about you or your brand. ASK for feedback, input, suggestions.

When you’re taking a Snap, tell your following (verbally in a video or via text overlay on pics) to send you a reply (i.e. send you a private message) by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Fans love interacting directly. I do Q&A’s this way for some clients. Give the love back and mentions fans in future snaps!

Don’t be ALL Business

I follow the Coursenvy 70-20-10 rule for sharing content (Adding Value and Brand Building = 70%, Sharing Others’ Posts and Ideas = 20%, Coupons, Sales, Discounts, Promoting Yourself or Your Business = 10%). We follow this formula across all our client’s social media channels. But also have some fun! Snapchat is great for that impromptu, funny moment at work or at home!

Snaps, Stories, and Chat… oh my!

What’s a Snap?

Snap is the word used to describe disappearing photos and videos – the main functionality of the Snapchat app. When you send a Snap directly to a friend (via Chat messaging), you can make it last anywhere between one to ten seconds and then once it’s been viewed, the Snap will disappear.

What’s a story?

A Story is a collection of Snaps played one after the other. Stories, unlike Snaps sent to individual friends, can be viewed by anyone who follows you. So the main difference between a Snap and a Story is when you are posting it. Simply select the individual (or indifviduals) Snapchat users you want to send your Snap (picture or video) to privately via the Chat option (the blue text bubble in the bottom left corner of your Snapchat app homescreen). Stories will appear to everyone that follows you under the purple dot in the bottom right corner of your Snapchat app homescreen. Stories last up to 24 hours after being posted and people who follow you can re-watch stories as many times as they like.

What are Memories?

With Snapchat Memories, you can share photos and videos captured outside of Snapchat to your Story. Memories enable Snapchat users to tell bigger stories that incorporate more than just in-the-moment photos and video (think of Instagram and Facebook — permenant photos/videos).

Lenses, Overlays and Filters

You can add an Instagram-style image filter, or frame overlay of the city/event, or speed/slow your video, or make yourself a dog… Snapchat has endless lenses and filters to enhance your Snaps. Hours of fun can be had with these constantly changing (sometimes daily) effects.

Snapchat Geofilters

I have had really great engagement when using “Snapchat Geofilters” for clients. Geofilters are creative overlays that capture where you are or what you’re up to in a Snap! Create your own, and surprise Snapchatters in the locations you choose. From birthdays and weddings to “welcome home” shindigs and gameday tailgates, Geofilters make any moment more fun and worth ENGAGING (I love using these for clients who have branded events or product launches/activations!) Snapchat Geofilters start at just $5! Learn more at: https://www.snapchat.com/geofilters

Snapchat for Business – Snapchat Ads

To increase your Snapchat account engagement, the next step is paid traffic! BUT, I will preface that paid ads on Snapchat are VERY expensive. They cost at minimum of $50k per day! but if you have that ad spend, Snapchat does treat you well with a hands on ads rep. Check it out here: https://forbusiness.snapchat.com

We personally prefer Snapchat collabs and takeovers for our clients. This is where we reach out to similar demographic brands and influencers (not a direct competitor of our brand/product) for a collab. This can be as simple a shoutout mentioning the @handle for the other account or as extreme as actually swapping accounts via a “takeover” of your accounts for the day, taking videos, behind the scenes, product demos, etc. content to cross-promote each others brands.

Snapchat Analytics

The KPI (Key Performance Indicator) I use for my clients views. Simply click your Snapchat Story “eye” to see who has viewed your Stories.

As for actual analytics data, we suggest Snaplytics.io — They automatically track and calculate metrics for you so you don’t have to do it manually before your snaps delete):

BONUS – 6 Must Follows on Snapchat

Jump on Snapchat right now and follow these 6 accounts to learn how to MASTER Snapchat marketing!

1. DJ Khaled (@djkhaled305)

2. Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)

3. Product Hunt (@producthuntteam)

4. Casey Neistat (@caseyneistat)

5. Lewis Howes (@lewis_howes)

6. Everlane (@everlane)

Looking for more popular Snapchat accounts?

Search and follow top accounts at: https://www.ghostcodes.com

This content has been taken from https://www.coursenvy.com/snapchat-marketing/