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Snapchat for Success: 10 Seconds to Better Business

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It’s not just the cool kids sharing photos on Snapchat anymore. Over half of all new users are over the age of 25. Although Snapchat’s key demographic is still largely 18 to 24 year olds, it’s hard to pass up the chance to connect with the 158 million daily snapchat users, or Snapchatters (yes, that’s what they are called).

New to the mobile app? Here’s the breakdown: Users can post a photo or video (known as snaps) that can be viewed by their friends, or followers. Snaps have a short life span, lasting anywhere from 3 to 10 seconds before disappearing forever.

Snaps can be shared as private messages or can be added to your ‘story’– a daily collection of your photos and videos that only your followers can see. The appeal of Snapchat is that it’s always current and fresh, so after 24 hours, the story disappears and you start over.

Fun features like camera filters and face swaps keep users connected and coming back for more.

While ten seconds doesn’t seem like much time to build your brand, it’s just enough time to start a casual conversation with new and existing fans of your brand.

Ready, Set, Snap

Ready to connect with new and existing clients in a fresh and interactive way?

Here’s what snapchat has to offer:

Snap Ads

Last June, Snapchat rolled out Snap Ads Between Stories. The feature allows a brief ad to appear as users transition from one story to the next.

Designed specifically for mobile, Snap Ads utilize the winning trifecta of sight, sound and motion. According to Snapchat, ‘two thirds of Snap Ads play with the sound on, and all Snap Ads are full screen, helping them command up to two times more attention than video ads on comparable platforms.’

The win for advertisers: After viewing the ad, users have the option to visit a mobile website, relevant article or install a new app.

Geofilters

Geofilters are location specific graphics that appear over a snap image. Like a virtual photo booth, users can select your custom Geofilter to enhance their photo and show their friends where they are and what they are doing.

There are two Geofilter options for businesses to choose from depending on their needs and budget. How do you know which one is right for you?

Let’s say you’re opening a new coffee shop in town. And you’re hosting a soft open community event in which guests are invited to tour the space, meet the staff and sample the food. By adding a geofilter, patrons can automatically let all of their friends know where all the action is. For a local event like this, the On-Demand Geofilter will get the job done. The best part– On-Demand Geofilters are easily customizable and start at only five bucks.

If you’re a regional business with multiple locations or an online store, a Sponsored Geofilter is a worthy investment. For example, if you’re a cosmetics company who wants to promote National Treat Yourself Day, you could design a filter that allows snapchat users all over the U.S. to “try on” various makeup looks with the unique filter. According to Snapchat, a national Geofilter reaches a whopping 40 to 60 percent of daily Snapchatters — a big value that more brands are willing to dish over thousands of dollars for.

Sponsored Lenses

Sponsors Lenses are the most interactive way to advertise to your audience. Lenses are activated when Snapchatters press and hold on the image of their face in the app.

You can include prompts such as ‘raise your eyebrows’ or ‘stick out your tongue’ to que a fun animation. Users have the option to share these video or image to their friends or post it on their story.

So to continue with the makeup example. Say your company just launched a new eyeshadow line for Summer. With Sponsored Lenses you could create a lense that shows a user’s face with your new line of products with an animated beach as the background.

Tell Your Story

Not sure if you’re ready to invest your business dollars in this new media platform? You can still connect with your target audience by sharing daily personalized stories for free.

One of the major appeals of the platform is the amount of creativity it allows your brand to express in a casual, no pressure kind of way. Regardless of the product or service you are promoting, Snapchat gives you the opportunity to share your unique personality and get people interested in what you have to say.

Snapchat has proven that it is not just a passing fad, it’s here to stay. As Snapchat takes off in the business world with impressive engagement from users, adding snapchat to your marketing strategy is a smart, creative way to build your brand and differentiate yourself from the competition.

At Splash Omnimedia, we are all about giving you the edge when it comes to building your business. If you’re ready to connect with more people in a fresh way, let’s talk.


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