Snapchat isn’t just for teenagers and celebrities; an increasing number of businesses are harnessing the power of this fun, free app to build brand awareness and loyalty. And, with almost 10 million Brits using Snapchat every day – a whopping 70% of these users are over the age of 18 – Snapchat presents the perfect opportunity to promote and develop your brand online.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a mobile photo and video-messaging sharing app that lets users (and businesses) share photos and short videos. Recently Snapchat expanded their services to include live chat, text and video call features.
Snapchat Facts
• Snapchat was founded in 2011.
• It was initially named Pictaboo.
• Snapchat is becoming increasingly popular with older users – especially users between the ages of 25 and 34. In the last year alone, the 24-34 age group has grown from 11.3 million to 15.8 million users.
• Users aged 35-44 are expected to reach 7.9 million by 2020.
• Number of daily video views: 10 billion.
• Number of active Snapchat users worldwide: 200 million.
Engage your audience
Let’s be clear, Snapchat wasn’t designed to be used by businesses as part of their digital marketing campaigns. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with it and adapt it to suit your needs. So if you’re new to Snapchat and you’re looking for a little inspiration to get you started, here are just a few ways businesses have been incorporating Snapchat into their digital marketing strategies:
Behind the scenes stories: Bring your followers into your world and share what it’s really like to be part of your company. People love behind the scenes content, and if you’re launching a new product or service Snapchat is the perfect platform for sharing teaser clips and building excitement pre-launch.
Share offers and rewards: With Snapchat you can quickly and easily create and share offers, promotions and vouchers. Whether you choose to create daily, weekly or monthly promotions, it’s the perfect tool for encouraging people to check in with your account on a regular basis.
Tutorials: Filming your products and services in action is a great way of showing off what you have to offer. Get creative and offer tips and tricks as you go. The great thing about offering tutorials is that they’ll help potential customers make the most of your products, spread awareness of your brand, and they’re not too spammy either. Bonus.
Live stories: Have a big industry event on the horizon? Snapchat is perfect for bringing your followers along for the ride and giving them a glimpse into what goes on inside events they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to. Think of it as giving your client base VIP access to the best events from the comfort of their living room.
Recruit: In today’s video-centric world, potential candidates are increasingly turning to apps like Snapchat to suss out their favourite companies. Use Snapchat to show job hunters what sets your company apart from the rest. From staff parties to office tours, get your company out there and show candidates exactly what they can expect working for your organisation. Don’t forget to have fun with it.
Top tips
Timing: You can adjust how long your images and videos last for, from 1 to 10 seconds. Play around to find the perfect length for your needs.
Create a story: Videos and picture snaps are limited to ten seconds in duration but you can take multiple videos and pictures and string them together to form a story that your followers can access for 24 hours. Stories are perfect for helping to build and strengthen brand identity.
Have fun: Snapchat is meant to be fun, fast, and the content fleeting. So don’t worry about perfectly curated content – this isn’t Instagram. Have fun with the tools available to you and let your brand’s personality shine through.
It all start with a conversation
Are you looking for ways to build your brand and connect with your online audience? Fluid Digital offers a range of digital services, from development and design to digital marketing. So if your business’s digital marketing strategy isn’t up to scratch, give our team of experts a call today on 0161 762 4920. Alternatively, complete a contact form and we’ll be in touch soon.
