Brands that target young consumers, specifically teens and young adults, should consider adding Snapchat to their marketing plans. Snapchat’s core audience is made up of millennials (born between 1980 and 1994) and generation Zs (born between 1995 and 2015). Ninety percent of people between the ages of 13 and 24 use Snapchat, and 75% are between 13 and 34.
By the end of 2019, Snapchat’s daily active users reached 218 million. According to a study from Snapchat and Nielsen, Snapchat advertising is seven times more efficient than TV at reaching a brand’s audience.
There are many different ways companies can target audiences using Snapchat marketing and ads. For example, brands should consider engaging audiences during live events. Snapchat found that more than 60% of users created Snaps during an NCAA March Madness game and that the same percentage looked at game-related Snaps.
Here’s what you need to know to get started with Snapchat marketing.
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How Do You Get Your Business on Snapchat?
Getting your business up and running on Snapchat is easy. First, you’ll create a business Snapchat account. This requires some extra information that you don’t need for a regular account, such as your business name, location, and currency. You’ll be able to create ad campaigns with a business account, too. This video by Snapchat for Business walks you through the process of creating an account.
What Are the Different Types of Ads on Snapchat?
You’re in control of Snapchat ads, which means you can run an ad with a budget of any size. You’ll set your budget, including daily spend and lifetime limits. Snapchat has several ad options to choose from, including
- AR Lenses: Create a unique and interactive experience with an AR lens.
- Commercials: Create a six-second video, which users can’t skip.
- Filters: Create a branded filter that users can place on their photos.
- Collection Ads: Show off several of your products and let users tap to shop and buy. Collection Ads are mixed with Snaps so users come upon them as they browse.
- Snap Ads: Send Snapchat users to your app, website, or video. Snap Ads are mixed in with users’ Snaps.
- Story Ads: Sponsor a tile on the Discover page, where users go to see what’s new.
Here’s an example of how Sour Patch Kids used an AR lens to promote its product:
Here’s a custom filter that Starbucks created, which users can add to their Snap:
Although you can’t sell directly through Snapchat, Collection Ads are the best option for e-commerce brands and retailers. You can add four different products to an ad, along with links to product-detail pages.
New Ways to Enhance Your Snapchat Ads
Here are a few more ad options that have been recently added:
- Custom Audiences for Mobile Apps: Create a re-engagement campaign or lookalike audience based on actions taken in your app.
- Swipe to Call or Text: Single image and video ads can include a call or text attachment that lets users swipe to instantly get in touch with you.
- Vertical Videos: Snapchat recently added the option to convert videos to a vertical format. If you have a horizontal video, you can easily change it to a vertical format to meet Snapchat’s requirements and use the video in an ad.
If you want to see some of Snapchat’s ads in action, check out Snapchat for Business’s one-minute overview:
3 Snapchat Marketing Strategies
How do you appeal to Snapchat’s demographic and give your brand a boost at the same time? Here are three Snapchat marketing strategies to consider.
Offer Coupon Codes
Savvy brands know that one of the best ways to land new leads and customers is to give something away, like a freebie or discount. On Snapchat, though, users are playful, and they want to interact with others (brands included) in a fun way.
Instead of exchanging a coupon code for an email address, think outside the box. For example, offer coupon codes to people who send Snaps of themselves using your product. You’ll get user-generated content to use on your own account (with permission), and they’ll get a discount on their next purchase. Plus, you can track coupon-code usage to determine the effectiveness of the campaign.
Create Hype
If your brand has something exciting it’s about to reveal, use Snapchat to create hype and build anticipation. In the days and weeks leading up to the launch, release short videos that tease the reveal.
You can do the same if you’re hosting an event in the near future. Use Snapchat to show how you’re preparing for the event — what the setup looks like, how you’re choosing your outfit, what you eat the morning of, etc.
Here’s an example of creating hype: the NBA using Snapchat to build anticipation for the Clippers vs. Lakers game.
Connect with an Influencer
Snapchat attracts a specific audience of millennials and gen Zs, which the platform’s influencers also target. By partnering with Snapchat influencers, you can reach your core demographic in a deeper way. On Snapchat, an even exchange is best — the influencer you partner with will consider you an influencer, too, so create a campaign where you both share each other’s content.
In the Teen Vogue First series, celebrity influencers talk about their first crushes, kisses, and heartbreaks. In this one, Nina Dobrev, star of the Vampire Diaries series, discusses her first boyfriend:
Final Thoughts
Snapchat caters to a specific audience of teens and young adults under 40. Even if a majority of your audience doesn’t fall into those age groups, you can still add Snapchat to your marketing strategy. Off-the-cuff Snaps work well on the platform, and there’s no need to create a perfectly produced video to post. Combined with ad options, you can reach your audience on Snapchat and use other platforms to cater to the rest.
By Lindsay Pietroluongo
