Aww, Snap! The Basics to Finding Success on Snapchat

It’s hard to believe that Snapchat has been around since 2011. Even though it’s no longer considered a new social media platform, many small businesses still aren’t making it a part of their social media marketing. Time and staffing limitations could be your reason, but don’t let fear of the unknown stop you! The app isn’t just sharing photos and videos — it’s an incredibly effective tool for building relationships with your customers.

Even though Snapchat’s logo is a ghost, it’s definitely not scary. We’ve put together some tips, that take surprisingly little effort, to guide you as you work Snapchat into your social media strategy.

Know Your Target Demographic

Although Snapchat is used by over 150 million people across the world, the majority of its users are young. For businesses targeting that younger demographic, Snapchat can be an effective marketing tool for product promotion, special discounts, and engagement with customers.

According to a survey by Snapchat, more than 60% of 13-34 year old smartphone users in the United States are active on Snapchat. This means Snapchat isn’t worth your time or money if your target customers are younger generations. If you are catering to an older demographic, Snapchat isn’t a good fit for now. This, of course, can change with time just as it did with Facebook!

Real Time, Real You

One of the unique features about Snapchat is that snaps are timed. Unlike other text and multimedia messaging platforms, posters can choose a time limit for how long the viewers can see videos and photos. This timeframe can range from one to 10 seconds, after which the message is lost forever (unless someone takes a screenshot, of course...and the sender will be notified, so no secret screenshotting here!!). This feature might make Snapchat more engaging for its users, but it also means means businesses have a small window to capture their customers attention and effectively deliver their message.

Because the time frame is small, your message needs to be clear, concise, and memorable. Use photos and videos to announce flash sales, share promo codes exclusively for Snapchat users, preview new products, or give your customers a quick peek behind the scenes.

Time To Get Personal

If there’s a key point you need to understand about Snapchat, it’s that the app is supposed to be fun. Snapchat allows you to communicate your message informally, while showing your personality and making customers feel special. It’s a one-on-one interaction, making it more personal than Facebook and Twitter.

Take advantage of that exclusivity and connect with your customers in an unfiltered and unmediated way. Play with different filters or capture your customer’s attention with a story using a mix of videos, photos, drawings, and captions.

As is the case with any social media platform, you want to provide your guests with a unique experience. Take your customers on a journey inside your brand, which will create a connection between you and them. Your customers will feel more connected, loyalty will grow, and your brand will benefit!

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