Get Snap Happy
Snapchat – the app that shares images for just a few seconds and has led to teenage girls spending a large chunk of 2016 using its special lenses to create photos of themselves looking like cute animals… who cares? Well, it seems we all should.
The number of daily Snapchat users has recently surpassed Twitter, with 150 million people now using Snapchat every day. Businesses have started to take note as the potential benefits that can come from setting a marketing strategy around Snapchat are apparent.
Millennials are the largest generation in Western history and have generally not been charmed by traditional marketing methods, with ad-blockers a popular download amongst them. It is said that there will be 17 million millennials in the UK alone by 2019, so can we really afford to miss out on this audience?
Snapchat has the ability to reach this generation in a way that a newspaper, television or radio advert struggles to. It is a means to show a new side of a business by, for example, giving an inside look at office life and company culture, and offering a personal and more human perspective, with the ultimate goal of generating brand loyalty. Having a content plan in place for Snapchat makes it easier to produce relevant and engaging posts, and can lead to a greater following and an increased number of story views. Snapchat also allows you to post more than just instant photos – it now offers videos, drawings, photos from your camera roll, and can even include links to your company website or blog.
There are added features such as geofilters that can show off your brand logo in a specified location. Your office, shop or event could have its own filter that encourages interaction in real-time. Having your geofilter featured in another’s Snapchat story is an additional way to raise brand awareness, and demonstrate that your business understands the value of interacting in a more contemporary way. This offers an opportunity for more content on other social media by cross-promoting the geofilter on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn etc. You can also lead more traffic to your Snapchat by publicising offers or announcements on other platforms that will be exclusive to Snapchat.
Plus let’s not forget the ever-successful “Snapchat Takeover”, yet another way to reach your audience and gain new followers. All you need to do is hand over your account for a few hours into the capable hands of an industry expert, employee, blogger, or even a celebrity. This will create a buzz and allow for a style of brand promotion with a new perspective.
So, as more and more companies make the move over to Snapchat, don’t get left behind. Humanise your brand and get closer to reaching the ever-elusive Millennial.
LAW Creative has a wealth of experience in successful brand building, so for more information about how we can help your business please contact brett.sammels@lawcreative.co.uk or keith.sammels@lawcreative.co.uk.