Since it first launched in 2011, Snapchat has become one of the fastest-growing social networks. As of January 2016, the platform boasted over 100 million active daily users, plus video traffic that rivaled Facebook’s.
A big reason that Snapchat is catching the attention of business owners and forward-thinking brands? Their demographic is overwhelmingly young. 71% of Snapchat’s user base is 18-to-34-year-olds.
Maybe this is your target demographic, and you’re looking to create a Snapchat presence for your brand so you can reach them. Even if your target audience skews older, Snapchat is still an inventive way to market to and communicate with potential customers.
Check out these ways you can utilize Snapchat to connect with your prospects (and have fun).
Create Your Own Snapchat Filter
This is easier said than done—you’ll have to have to create a geofence (a kind of virtual barrier) for your filter. You’ll also have to make sure your designs meet certain size criteria—1080 pixels wide and 1920 pixels high, but smaller than 300 KB.
You’ll also need Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to create the design, so if you aren’t familiar with the software, it might be prudent to hire someone who is.
Snapchat’s geofilter guidelines are pretty strict, so read up on them before your submit your creation.
Snap Live Events
Snapchat is perfect for offering live access to your brand’s events and activities.
Launching a new product? Conducting a highly-anticipated webinar? Bringing back a once-popular product? Snapchat is your best friend. The popularity of Snapchat’s Live Stories is undeniable, reaching roughly 20 million people in a 24-hour period.
Consider Gatorade, who created an animated filter and got 160 million impressions during the Super Bowl.
The Kentucky Derby will offer users an inside look at the races through NBC Sports, while the Coachella Music Festival in California used Snapchat stories religiously throughout the April 2016 event.
Introduce New Members of Your Team
Snapchat is the perfect platform for introducing a new member of your team to your followers.
Millennials value human connection with the brands and companies they support—making a face-to-face introduction via a popular social media app is great way to create that human connection between your followers and your brand’s representatives.
Run a Contest
If you’ve gotten to the point where you have a healthy following on Snapchat, running a contest is a great way to get engagement and impressions.
Consider a company like GrubHub, who ran a popular “Spot the Bacon” contest, which offered fans the chance to win $ 50 in GrubHub vouchers.
Give Users a Sneak-Peak at Upcoming Products
Snapchat is a great way to offer your followers insider looks at the things your brand is working on. Not only does this build intimacy and camaraderie between you and your prospects, it creates buzz and anticipation around hot-ticket items you’re rolling out.
Consider Taco Bell, which used Snapchat to announce the return of its “Beefy Crunch Burrito.”
Or Burberry, who used Snapchat to create anticipation for their 2016 Spring show by sending snaps of some of the hottest clothes beforehand.
Cosmetics company NARS used Snapchat as a preview for their new makeup collection, generating positive buzz both for the collection and for NARS’ inventiveness in using the platform.
If your target demographic is primarily Millennials and young people, your social strategy simply must include Snapchat.
Once you’ve established a following, you can start implementing some of these great techniques for engagement and brand recognition.
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