OK, I understand. Snapchat is one of those social networks that a lot of people don't understand. But remember, Twitter was once misunderstood by many people, and now it seems like most people have a Twitter account.
A lot of people think it's just for a younger audience, but a good chunk of Snapchat's user base is actually over 30. It's certainly not just fourteens and teens, and it's not just a sexting platform, as so many people seem to think.
Like I said earlier, Snapchat is best described as a cross between Instagram and Periscope. Periscope, if you haven't tried it, is a live-streaming app where your content disappears after a short time.
Snapchat's users post "Snaps" — photos or videos — to their followers. Only have 10 seconds to view their photos before they are gone forever, but they can take a screenshot during that time. There are tools that can automatically save all the Snaps you post, so you can post them on other networks like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. So don’t think that just because Snaps appear for only 10 seconds that they’re not worth posting!
Better than Snaps are Stories. Stories appear for 24 hours, and they are much more effective than simple Snaps.
Think of a Snap as being a bit like a television commercial in the days before DVR and rewind live TV. You've watched the ad and once it's gone, it's gone (at least until the next airing). If you wanted to write a phone number or an address, you had to be quick. But these ads still achieved a lot! Snapchat stories
Snapchat is by no means a "perfect" method of marketing, but again, none of the social media sites are "perfect" for marketing. Each has its own set of flaws that make them difficult to use. You just need to learn how to get the most out of each one.
Fortunately, Snapchat is incredibly easy to use. If you're having trouble taking control of sites like Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, don't worry! Snapchat is crazy simple.
It's also a lot more effective for marketing than you probably realize, especially if you want to appeal to the coveted under-30 age group, which makes up the bulk of Snapchat's user base. Of course, as I said before, there are also a lot of users over 30!
They also have an advertising platform, but would charge $750,000 per day to advertise on their platform. Luckily, free Snapchat marketing can be just as effective, and that's what we're going to focus on in this guide! Snapchat Marketing
So let's get started.
Getting Started
The first thing you need to do is download the Snapchat app. It's available for iOS and Android, so if you have a fairly new smartphone, you're probably good to go. The app is free and available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.
Once you have the app, you will need to create an account. Choosing a good username is important because that's how people will identify themselves. You are on the site and cannot modify it. For this reason, make sure you enter the desired username correctly.
Most people choose some form of their name as their username, or use their website or business name.
Many people use the same username on Snapchat as they do on Twitter to keep things consistent. It's easier for people to remember to message you @your names on Twitter and Snapchat if they follow you on both platforms.
You'll probably also want to get a Snapchat-specific email address, such as snapchat@yourdomain.com or yoursnapchatdomain@gmail.com.
Once you sign up, you need to find people to follow. You can tap the ghost logo at the top of the screen to bring up the user menu, then click "Add Friends".
On this page you can add people in several ways:
- Add by username - this allows you to search for people by their Snapchat username, but you need to know their username to add or search and hope they used an easy-to-find username. For example, to find Taco Bell on Snapchat, just type in "Taco Bell" without the quotes and hit the button to add them once they show up in the search results. Find out why it's important to choose an easy-to-remember username?
- Add from Address Book – This will search your contacts and allow you to add those who are on Snapchat.
- Add via Snap code - Snap codes are those yellow squares that work like QR codes. You can take a photo or upload one and then choose it from the camera app to add that person to Snapchat. Apps like GhostCodes help you find people to add interest, and you can download their code to your phone and upload it to the Snapchat app to follow them.
- Add nearby - It will use your current location to find other Snapchat users and add them. But be aware that other people will see your username locally, so if you're concerned about privacy, don't use this feature.
After adding a few people, make sure your settings are ready for marketing.
To find your settings, tap the ghost icon to open your username page. Then press the gear in the top right. This will open your settings.
The first parameter to look for is "Contact me". This is set to "My Friends" by default, but you can set it to "Everyone" to allow more people to contact you about your products or services.
Then, in "View my story", we recommend setting it to "All". This way, if your friends share your stories, other people will be able to see them, thus gaining more views.
Finally, in "See me in Quick Add", you might want to make sure it's active. This way, you will appear to your friends' friends, potentially gaining more followers without any effort.
Don't forget to add a photo to your Snapchat code! To do this, tap the ghost icon, then tap the yellow QR code. This will allow you to take a picture (it will be animated!) to show you the inside of the ghost on your code Most companies use their own logo here, but you can also use an animated image of yourself. Get ready, because it will take a few seconds of video to create the animation. If you want to display your logo, hold your phone still while capturing the image.
The previous image is an example of what a Snapchat code looks like once it's been personalized. Grubhub simply used its logo.
Don't forget to advertise your Snapchat on your blog, website, and other social media accounts. You can post your Snapchat username, so users can manually add you, or post your Snapchat code, so users can download the image and scan it into the app.
Snapchat Marketing Plan
Creating a marketing plan for Snapchat is actually extremely important because it is so different from other social platforms. When you send a Snap to a user, it's usually much more personal than media on other platforms because you have to send Snaps directly to users. It gives a much more personal look, which increases engagement and response.
Let's take a look at some successful content types on Snapchat:
- Behind-the-scenes footage
- Real-time news and updates
- Contests (mostly flash)
- Short educational content (mini-tutorials)
- Product previews: Here are some examples of the kinds of things you can share on Snapchat, but any type of content can work as long as it fits the short format.
But remember, content has to be memorable to be useful on Snapchat. Since content disappears so quickly, it's essential to only post content that really grabs attention and interest.
When creating a marketing plan for Snapchat, it's a good idea to look at a few other successful brands on Snapchat, such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, Sour Patch Kids, and Gatorade. These brands had some really inspired campaigns that really brought a lot of attention to their businesses, boosting their profiles dramatically.
Make sure you have clear goals in mind when creating your campaign: Snapchat's forte isn't direct selling, so it's best to use the platform to boost your profile with other outlets or just your brand in general.
For example, you can organize contests to increase the number of subscribers on different platforms. Or you can just post silly behind-the-scenes photos and videos to connect with potential customers and increase brand awareness.
Goals will help you choose the best types of promotions to add to your Snapchat marketing plan. Snapchat Marketing
Submitting Content
There are two types of content you can submit on Snapchat: Snaps and Stories. Snapshots are single images or videos that can last up to 10 seconds. Stories are basically collections of images and videos and can be viewed multiple times within 24 hours.
Sending Snapshots
Snapshots are of two types: images and videos. To take a Snap, tap the circle in the bottom center of the screen to take a photo, or long press the circle to take a video. Remember that videos can only be up to 10 seconds long.
Once you've taken the photo or video, you have the option to delete it if you don't like it. Just tap the "X" at the top left of the screen, then try again.
On the screen by holding it with your finger and moving it. You can also draw on your Snap (yes, videos too) by tapping the pencil icon, or add stickers by tapping the square sticker icon (which has a corner sticking out). It's a great way to draw more attention to your photos or videos!
If you like the Snap, you can also download it to use on other social media sites by clicking the download button, which looks like an arrow pointing down in a box. This will save the Snap to your camera, so you can use it elsewhere.
When you're ready to send your Snap, tap the white arrow on the blue circle. Next, you can choose a recipient (or recipients) for your Snap.
Snapchat Stories
The other form of media you can use is called Stories. Stories are collections of media that appear in your account for all of your friends to display for 24 hours from the time you create them. They can be watched by anyone who follows you an unlimited number of times during that 24-hour period.
Stories are great because instead they allow you to send multiple related photos and videos at once to spam your followers with a bunch of individual posts. These Stories can be much more powerful than individual Snaps, but they must be a cohesive unit to be effective.
So what makes a good Story, and when should you use a Story instead of a Snap?
Well, Snaps are great for quick, unique images, like a photo of a new menu item at a restaurant, a new piece of clothing you just bought, or a photo of your current location. Snapchat Marketing
Stories are for things like live events (like concerts, for example) where you want to add more photos or videos, or for things like educational content where you can take photos or short videos of the various steps involved, such as for a craft project or recipe.
I have a great article on stories here if you want more information on using snapchat stories. Snapchat Marketing
Conclusion
As you learned in this guide, Snapchat has a huge user base of millions of regularly active users. Over 150 million people use the site every day! With this kind of built-in user base, it's hard to keep ignoring it as a viable marketing channel.
Not only is there a huge user base, but the platform is also remarkably effective as a marketing tool. Extremely efficient and cost-effective. Engagement is much higher than on other platforms, and while direct selling isn't one of its strengths, increasing brand awareness certainly is!
Considering it only takes a few minutes to post to Snapchat, and it's free, there's really no reason you shouldn't give it a try. What have you got to lose?
Remember that content should be short and grab attention quickly. Snapchat is all short and sweet, much like Twitter. If you don't immediately grabs attention, your ads will be ineffective.
All you have to do to get started is download the app. It's free! So download it and get started! Good luck. Snapchat Marketing
These two videos below will show how the step by step guide of Snapchat marketing using Snapchat stories.
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