Did you know that Snapchat has over 300 million users? This means that if you're currently not taking advantage of this platform for your small business, you're letting a major opportunity slip by you. Essentially, Snapchat allows users to send temporary videos or photos to other people on the platform. Unlike Facebook and Instagram however, you can only access Snapchat via a mobile device.
Ideally, those businesses with younger clientele will make use of Snapchat—as most users are under 34 years old. If you do decide that Snapchat could be a good tool for your company, you're going to want to make sure you're targeting the right users and strategically navigating the system. Below is an overview of what you need to know and how you might ideally make Snapchat work for you.
Set up your account
First off, you'll need to download the app and then register for your Snapchat account. It will ask you for your basic info and then walk you through the steps involved with establishing your snapchat profile.
Customize your profile
There's not a ton you can do as far as customization, however, you can add a username as well as a bitmoji. The bitmoji which is in the left-hand corner takes you to your profile. Here is where you see your score—the total number of Snaps you've sent and received.
Interacting with users
So unlike other social media platforms, your interactions with users will be private, unless there's a story feature. When adding users, you first need to find their usernames. You might use your phone's contact list as well. And you can search through specific QR codes.
When you view or reply to a story, the user is notified of this. You can also send snaps which are photo/video content sent directly between users. Also, there is an instant messaging feature that enables you to chat privately with a user.
So How Do You Advertise on Snapchat?
There are a few different methods you might use to get your brand and message launched into the Snapchat universe. Among the tactics: Snap ads, sponsored lenses and sponsored geofilters.
- Snap ads: These are ten-second videos. They generally include audio as well. It's essentially a short video clip in which you give your company's basic info along with a call to action component.
- Sponsored geofilters: So what exactly are sponsored geofilters? By using these, a user covers certain locations. For example, a restaurant or department store, perhaps even a city. You would thus go to settings and select geofilters—they offer numerous templates with some customization allowed. You might think about a geofilter to promote a special event you're running and/or hosting.
- Sponsored lenses: With sponsored lenses, you can get a bit more interactive than with the geofilters. Lenses have face detection and this then lets users become for instance a cat, or stick their tongue out, or frame themselves in flowers. So now applying this to your company, let's say, for instance, you are a company that sells automobiles, you could have a lens which shows that user driving a car.
A few tips and tricks
So having gotten the basics down, signed up for an account and familiarized yourself with the platform, what are some ways in which you can now make this work for the betterment of the business?
- Go behind the scenes of your operations. Why not give users a sneak peek inside of what you do? This creates a more intimate connection between you and the user. You might also offer the inside scoop on a not yet launched product. Or how about hosting a Q&A in regards to some business-related topic?
- Be consistent with content. As with any social media platform, consistency is key. If you post one or two things and then let it drop off, they will all but forget that you ever existed in the Snapchat universe. Make use of the snap stories—this is a good way to keep up a regular "conversation" on the platform.
- Interact with other users. If you do get messages that come in, be sure to respond. And this is also the case as far as replying with photo snaps.
- Use a Snap Ad. Videos may be traditional, but they can still be fairly attention-getting. This then allows you a way to get a direct message out there and have some more creative freedom with it.
- Sponsor a lens. How do you get potential users to engage? Reach out to them with something fun, and to which they are more likely to respond. Sponsored lenses have become hugely popular as of late and have been proven to get results.
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