Snapchat is a modern, popular social media platform used by 100 million daily active users (as of May 2015) globally. Since it was launched in 2011, the platform has without doubt enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence in the online world and is today a mainstream platform that young people and businesses alike are turning to when they want to express themselves via social media.
If you’re considering adding Snapchat to your social media marketing strategy but aren’t sure if it’s worth your while, read on for our top reasons why you need to use this platform and how it will benefit your business:
Let’s begin with some interesting statistics:
- 18% of all US social media users are on Snapchat
- Almost 1/3 of all US millennial internet users access Snapchat on a regular basis
- Each second, 8,796 photos are shared on the app
- 45% of users are aged between 18 and 24
- 70% of Snapchat’s users are female
Why use Snapchat for business?
Snapchat is a low-cost marketing tool that immediately gives you the power to reach out to a wide target market in the most creative and expressive way imaginable. Gone are the days of bland updates about your latest product or service: now you can upload a snap complete with colours, doodles and much more, in a way that is guaranteed to encourage users to purchase your products or services.
How can Brands use Snapchat?
There are plenty of ways to use Snapchat to keep your audience entertained and grow awareness of your brand:
1. Offer contests and promotions
Your audience will jump at the chance of an exclusive, Snapchat-only offer or promotion. Come up with some creative ways to keep your followers coming back to your platform, such as offering discounts to fans who watch your entire Snapchat story, or promotion codes to followers who take a selfie holding your product. This is the perfect way to show off your brand and create solid engagement levels between you and your audience.
2. Get behind the scenes
Got a new product or service? Give some behind-the-scenes footage showing your new goods in action. Once the snap is published, your audience will feel grateful for the sneak peek and inspired to find out more, which will soon lead to more traffic on your website.
Alternatively, show your audience where you currently are by snapping an industry event that you’re attending, a look at your office or the latest office party. The options are endless when it comes to showing off your brand and corporate culture and inspiring an engaged, enthusiastic following.
3. Keep it casual
Snapchat is one of the most casual social media platforms out there so skip the corporate stuffiness in place of plenty of colour, fun and action! Also remember that it's important to maintain an air of professionalism while posting appropriate content for all audiences. Snapchat's dominant age group is 12 - 34, so ensure your content is intended for a general audience.
Snapchat differs from the traditional social platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) in that its fleeting nature gives an element of exclusivity and urgency that companies should certainly not ignore.
Interestingly enough, many businesses have yet to explore Snapchat as part of their social media marketing options, which gives you all the more reason to get on board before the app becomes saturated with countless businesses.
Related articles.
