If you’ve been tracking the growth of top social networks, then you’ll about Snapchat’s meteoric rise over the last year.
Back in September 2011, this image messaging app was started by three Stanford University college students — Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown.
According to Wikipedia, Snapchat today has 10 billion daily video views.
What began as a private way for young people to connect with each other through photo stories and cute filters, has now become an important tool for brands.
Author and marketing expert, Gary Vaynerchuk, recently wrote an article that points out the upward climb of this new mobile kid on the block.
Vaynerchuk points out that teens were the first on the scene — and this helped propel Snapchat into popularity. “Parents were starting to join Facebook in droves, so teens were looking to leave and looking for somewhere to go,” he said. He continues that in 2013, Snapchat began “stories,” which gave users a narrative with their images and videos. Brands came on board in 2015 with “Discover”, and fans can now get their favorite updates from places like BuzzFeed, ESPN, IGN, Food Network, and more:
How can I use Snapchat?
Snapchat is a virtual meeting place for people instead of a keyword search tool. It serves as a great way to humanize your brand. By doing so, you can establish an entirely new audience.
The platform is set up in such a way that your company can relate more to its community through fun images, videos and stories. This gives viewers an inside look at your operation and compels them to want to know more about your business.
You can build your brand on this growing social network in several ways:
- Snapchat users can create a story of an event as it unfolds through the day or evening
- Personal images or videos of your work day or that of your team
- You can produce fun product presentations
- Create visually stimulating announcements inviting your community to a launch or event
Target your audience
Target your audience based on their location, and create one image or a Snapchat story for a more visual appeal. You can expect to see more of these examples like the one to the right, from Taco Bell.
Snapchat helps you build influencer relationships by showcasing them in your profile. Or you can show your support of a new product or cause that they are invested in. There are numerous creative ways you can reach out to like-minded individuals. Drawing in more potential customers is only one of the benefits. You can also forge new alliances!
One of the best ways to garner your community’s attention is through valuable incentives such as coupons and discounts. These can be made exclusive for Snapchat connections, who may share and recommend your business to others.
Why should I use Snapchat?
Don’t be so quick to dismiss this powerful social media app for branding. Instead, consider that your business has the potential to tap into a younger audience — one that may have dwindled on places like Facebook and Twitter. In effect, by coming over to Snapchat, you may be following potential customers who deserted your favourite platforms.
Big brands like Amazon and Marriott Hotels are already successfully using Snapchat according to Inc, as are marketing expert Joel Comm and YouTube makeup artist celebrity, Jackie Aina.
Take a look at how your current social networks are performing. Determine whether your niche would be a good fit. See also what your competitors are doing on Snapchat, and come up with new creative ways to reach your audience.
Susan Gilbert
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