In the dynamic landscape of digital marketing, social media platforms have become powerful tools for businesses to connect with their target audience. Snapchat, a multimedia messaging app, has not only transformed the way people communicate but has also emerged as a significant player in the realm of digital advertising. This article explores the world of Snapchat advertising, delving into what it is and providing a step-by-step guide on how to run effective Snapchat ad campaigns.
#1. What is Snapchat?
Snapchat, a multimedia messaging application, has revolutionized the realm of social media since its inception in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. This platform has reshaped the way we communicate moments with both friends and followers.
Fundamentally, Snapchat enables users to transmit photos, videos, and messages with a distinctive feature – they automatically vanish after being viewed, usually within a few seconds.
#2. Snapchat Features and Terminologies
If you’re active on popular social media platforms, you’ve likely encountered terms like Reels, Stories, Pins, Vines, Subreddits, Boards, and more, which are specific to each platform to enhance user engagement and navigation within their digital environments.
Snapchat follows suit with its own distinctive set of platform-specific terminology. Below, I’ve compiled the key Snapchat features and terms to make it easier for you to understand them from the get-go:
. Snaps: These are either photos or short videos that you can send to friends or add to your story. Filters, stickers, text, and drawings offer customization options for snaps.
. Bitmoji: Bitmoji is an avatar-creation feature that allows you to craft a personalized emoji resembling you. You can incorporate your Bitmoji into Snaps, chats, and Stories.
. Geofilters: These are location-based filters applicable to your Snaps when you’re in specific geographic areas, often linked to landmarks, events, or popular places.
. Snapstreak: A Snapstreak is established when you and a friend exchange Snaps for consecutive days, unlocking more emojis the longer the streak persists.
. Snapcode: A Snapcode is a unique QR code that simplifies the process of adding friends on Snapchat. Scanning someone’s Snapcode adds them to your friend list.
. Snap Map: This feature allows you to share your location with friends and view their locations on a map. You can selectively share your location or maintain privacy in “Ghost Mode.”
. Other Snapchatters: These are users who viewed your Snapchat story but aren’t part of your follower list.
. Stories: Snapchat Stories enable users to compile Snaps for a 24-hour viewing period, sharing highlights of their day as a form of self-expression.
. Discover: Discover is a section featuring content from publishers, brands, and creators, encompassing articles, videos, and interactive material on various topics.
. Lenses: Lenses are real-time interactive filters applied to your face, altering your appearance, adding animations, or even playing music when you open your mouth.
. Chat: Snapchat’s chat feature facilitates the exchange of text, images, and video messages with friends. Group chats and sending Snaps within chats are also supported.
. Memories: This feature lets you save and organize your Snaps and Stories for later access and resharing.
. Score: Each Snapchat user has a score reflecting their platform activity. Points are earned for sending and receiving Snaps, stories, and other interactions.
. Discover Friends: This feature aids in discovering new friends on Snapchat by matching your phone contacts with Snapchat usernames.
These represent some of the fundamental features and terms associated with Snapchat, a platform that continuously evolves by introducing new features and terminologies to keep its user base engaged and entertained.
#3. How Can Brands Advertise on Snapchat?
Snapchat provides a diverse range of features for creating various types of content:
1. Images and Videos: Snapchat enables the sharing of portrait-format images, either captured and edited within the app or imported from your device’s library. Additionally, users can share videos lasting less than 10 seconds, offering editing capabilities similar to pictures.
2. Snaps: Snaps encompass both images and videos, exclusively shared with specific recipients in a private setting. These snaps automatically vanish once viewed by the intended audience.
3. Stories: Stories consist of images or videos that users can share with their entire follower base or the public at large.
For effective advertising of your eCommerce brand on Snapchat, it’s crucial to integrate the platform into your marketing strategies in a manner that aligns with its active user demographics. How can you leverage these features to promote your brand and engage with Snapchat’s dynamic user base?
#4. How to Set up a Business Snapchat Account
Upon installing Snapchat on your device, simply tap the app icon to launch it and follow these steps:
1. Sign Up: On the initial screen, click the “Sign Up” button.
2. Enable App Permissions: After selecting Sign Up, Snapchat will prompt you to enable app permissions. Click “Continue.”
3. Provide Your Name: Enter your first and last name, then tap “Continue.”
4. Set Your Birthday: Specify your month, date, and year, and click the “Continue” button.
5. Choose a Username: Generate a unique username, which will serve as your identity on Snapchat.
6. Create a Password: Choose a robust password for your account.
7. Enter Your Phone Number: Select your country and provide your phone number.
Once your phone number is added, tap “Finish.” Snapchat will send a verification code to your chosen option. Retrieve the code from your email or phone and input it in the Snapchat app to confirm your contact information.
[Optional Steps]
Snapchat might prompt you to discover friends from your contact list. You can add friends from your contacts.
Optionally, you can create or link a Bitmoji avatar to your Snapchat account.
Snapchat will ask for your permission to send notifications. You have the option to enable or disable this feature.
A brief tour of the app’s features may be offered by Snapchat; you can decide to take the tour or skip it.
Once your account is created, you can commence using Snapchat to send Snaps, connect with friends, and explore the app’s various features.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up a Snapchat account and are ready to share photos, and videos, contribute to your Story, and engage with the vibrant Snapchat community.
Now here’s how you can register for a business Snapchat account:
After establishing your personal Snapchat account, the next step is to register for a business account. Follow these steps:
Visit the Snapchat Ads landing page: Set up your business Snapchat account exclusively through the platform’s ads page, accessible via the Snapchat Business Manager. This will lead you to the designated page.
Log in to Snapchat: Use the same username and password as your account. You might need to complete a puzzle to verify your human status.
4. Verification and access: Once verified, you’ll be directed to your account. Access the Ads page from the menu.
5. Navigate to “Ads Manager”: Click on “Ads Manager” to access the subsequent page.
6. Provide business details: Enter your business name, business email address, and your name. Click “Next.”
7. Specify business location: Snapchat will prompt you to share your business location, currency, and business phone number. Note that not all countries are available on the drop-down menu; as of October 2023, business sign-up was limited to select countries.
8. Continue signup: Even if sign-up is not available for your country, you can proceed with the signup process by clicking “Next.”
9. Complete public profile: After clicking “Next,” add a profile photo and decide whether to use a different username. If you prefer the current username, click “Create Public Profile,” and your Snapchat business account will be set up and ready for use.
#5. Running Ads on Snapchat
Once you’ve finished the initial steps outlined earlier, it’s time to launch your advertising campaign on Snapchat. Navigate to Snapchat Ads Manager and choose the option to Create Ads. From there, you can opt for either the Instant Create or Advanced Create workflow to kickstart the promotion of your business.
Begin by uploading your ad creative, whether it’s a single image or video. If you’ve already stored media in your library, you can choose from there. Utilize Snapchat’s built-in cropping tool to optimize your creative for mobile users, and click the Crop Image button to adjust your image as needed.
Craft a compelling headline to appear at the top of your ad and select a call-to-action (CTA) button to showcase at the bottom of your ad. While Snapchat automatically features your public profile details at the top of the ad, you have the flexibility to alter the brand name in your ad.
To prompt action from your audience, include a sample caption, which will be displayed as a text overlay on your ad. You also have the option to choose from available templates to alter the appearance of your ad and unlock additional customization options. For instance, you can incorporate a logo to enhance brand recognition.
#6. Use Snapchat as a promotional tool for content from various platforms.
If you’ve built a substantial following on other social media platforms, leverage Snapchat to entice your audience to explore your content. Share exclusive material with a fresh perspective or emphasis, offering a sneak peek to generate excitement and motivate them to follow you on Snapchat. Remember, your target audience belongs to generations keen on staying updated with the latest trends, so ensure your content is both distinctive and captivating.
#7. Coordinate brand takeovers for your account.
When collaborating with bloggers and influencers, consider allowing them to take control of your account for a day. They can promote this takeover on their accounts, boosting your traffic. While certain brands may repost content on various platforms, for maximum impact on Snapchat, it’s advisable to maintain exclusivity on the platform and collaborate with influencers who are already engaged with the app.
#8. Explore the potential of Snapchat advertising
Incorporating Snapchat’s advertising platform into your social media marketing strategy can prove to be a highly profitable endeavor. Leveraging the robust geographical targeting features offered by Snapchat, businesses can effectively tailor their marketing efforts to specific regions, driving foot traffic and measuring sales impact in those areas. For those targeting a youthful and tech-savvy audience, various Snapchat ad formats are available to promote app installations.
The swipe-up feature within the ads facilitates seamless redirection to the installation page. By incorporating storytelling into the ad content, businesses can not only showcase solutions but also reveal the distinctive personality of their brand. Shifting the focus from direct selling to offering insights that help customers connect with the brand on a personal level fosters trust and simultaneously promotes business growth.
#9. Some Benefits of Snapchat Advertising
. Appealing to a Youthful Audience
Snapchat boasts immense popularity among the younger demographic, making it an optimal platform for reaching out to Generation Z and Millennials. Leveraging the platform’s innovative advertising features, such as filters, lenses, and interactive content, enables you to creatively showcase your brand. This approach fosters a more profound connection with the younger consumer base, known for valuing brand authenticity and transparency.
. Innovative Advertising Choices
The diverse advertising options available on Snapchat present a priceless opportunity for businesses to distinguish themselves and make a lasting impact. Whether utilizing Snap Ads, Filters, or Lenses, these interactive formats offer a distinct and captivating means of connecting with a tech-savvy and youthful audience.
. Immediate Engagement
As per a Salesforce report, 76% of customers expect consistent interactions across various departments, emphasizing the significance of real-time engagement between businesses and their customers.
. Targeted Marketing Based on Location
Research indicates that 9 in 10 marketers believe location-based marketing leads to higher sales and increased customer engagement. Snapchat, equipped with location-based marketing capabilities, provides businesses with a potent tool to target and engage customers on a hyper-local level within the platform.
. Emphasis on Discoverability
Discoverability plays a pivotal role in shaping user experience and influencing how potential customers interact with digital products. Snapchat recognizes the importance of discoverability, evident in their offering of the Discover feature. This curated section allows users to explore content from diverse publishers, brands, and creators. Snapchat advertising is one of the best methods to grow your business.
To ensure your target audience discovers your business, leveraging the Discover section to share news, entertainment, and information can significantly enhance brand awareness. This exposure provides a valuable channel to disseminate relevant and engaging content to a wider audience.
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