February 13, 2019 •Claire Archer-Davis
For those of you in the world of business, that means a new marketing tool has opened up, and the potential is massive. In case you don’t already know, Snapchat is a mobile app that allows users to send videos and photographs to their friends that self-destruct after being viewed for a pre-determined amount of time. You can draw over pictures and videos, add effects and even overlay graphics over the top to maximise the message’s impact and the best part? Your updates are always ready and waiting for your viewers when they check in with the app, so you don’t need to worry about scheduling posts or timing things perfectly.
From Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, people all over the world are using Snapchat to further their careers, so why can’t you? Below are The Bright Clicks top tips for how to successfully use Snapchat for your business.
Take your audience backstage
Snapchat is quick, easy and pretty much the most informal way you can share information with your fans and followers. So keep it fun by taking snaps and videos at any events you attend, show off your new products and even let people get a glimpse behind the scenes. If you’re continually posting exclusive and exciting content, then current and potential customers will be racing to check your updates every day, boosting your popularity and increasing your impact. It’s a good idea also to vary the person who is in charge of your Snapchat each day or each week to help keep things interesting.
Geo-filters
One of the most fun and unique aspects of Snapchat is the ability to add geo-filters to your snaps. A sort of overlay for your images, geo-filters are linked to specific events and locations and can be created and used for a small price. If you’ve got a big product launch or even a physical storefront, these geo-filters are a great option to spread the word throughout a particular area, but if you aren’t up for shelling out for your brand-specific filter, you can add pre-made ones to your snaps easily by just swiping the screen.
Reward your fans
Snapchat is a superb tool for thinking outside of the box and rewarding your current fans with something a little bit different. For example, a recent campaign saw fashion brands Michael Kors and Rebecca Minkoff debut their collections on Snapchat before they even hit the runway. The disposable nature of the content being shared means that you can be a little more free-spirited about what you let your followers see, sharing sneak-peak and backstage footage.
Host a take-over
Much like writing a guest blog, or asking an influential blogger to write a guest blog for you, hosting a Snapchat takeover is a fantastic way to reach new followers. Let another business or personality control your Snapchat feed for a day, or vice versa to capitalise on this great opportunity. Not only does it expose you to new fans and followers, but it also helps you to focus on what type of message you want to convey.
Find a brand similar to yours
It can be very intimidating trying out a new social media strategy, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the technology that you’re using. An excellent way to make sure that you’re on the right track is to find a few brands on Snapchat that are similar to yours, or who would have the same target audience and follow them for a while. Take notes of what strategies they try and then ultimately, give them a go yourself.
Try a bit of audience participation
It can be straightforward to focus on trying to get your content out there, rather than on actually engaging with your followers and starting a conversation. So why not create a Snapchat lens which users can add to their snaps (those fun face masks you see popping up all over the place) to get your followers involved? You can also use Snapchat to host competitions and contests, or even ask your followers to share their snaps with you to win a prize. The more fun and interactive you can make the competition, the better!
Sell, sell, sell
Getting people viewing and engaging with your content is all very well and good, but it’s not very useful to your business if they don’t buy anything from you while they’re at it. Use Snapchat as a starting block for bigger and better engagement online, and make sure that you’re promoting your products, your social media profiles or your website regularly. A fun way to boost your sales is to post a series of mysterious snaps throughout the day that culminates in a puzzle that your followers have to piece together to get a discount code, or you can even direct them to your website to find the final clue.
Call in the experts
If all else fails, call in the experts to get your Snapchat game on point. You can now work with one of Snapchat’s Creative Partners to create a campaign for your business that is effective and professional, rather than trying to do it all yourself.
From video ads, lenses and geo-filters, to competitions, VIP access and discount codes, Snapchat is an often underestimated, but extremely powerful social media tool, that if used correctly, can make a huge impact on your business.