Have you heard about Snapchat? Confused about how and why you would use it for your business? Then this was the right session to be in. In this Social Media Marketing World 2017 session, Carlos Gil explained how to use Snapchat. I follow Carlos on Snapchat, so it was great to see him in person.
Snapchat Is?NOT
Gil began his presentation by explaining what Snapchat was not. Here are some his thoughts:
- Not only for teens. 77% snapchatters are 18 years or older. Biggest audience is between 18-34.
- Not difficult to use. I am personally using it this week. It is really easy to use but hard to understand how to use well.
- No way to measure ROI. There are actually strategies you can use such as tracking URLs and coupon codes.
- My audience is not there. Did you look? Start by adding friends.
- Snapchat is a sexting app. So is everything else only if you intend it to be.
I found it interesting that the Gatorade filter received more visibility than all the Super Bowl commercials? at a fraction of the cost.
Snapchat Audience
According to Gil, the primary audience on Snapchat is 18-34 year olds, millennials, and Gen-Z. Your approach should be storytelling, showing experiences. It definitely should not be the hard sell.
Snapchat is a real-time medium. After 24 hours, it disappears. You have to think about your message and constantly come up with new things to share. No one is interested in seeing stale messaging.
Getting Followers
Use your current social media channels to drive traffic to Snapchat. Share your Snapcode everywhere. Here is mine:
You can also use it in targeted Instagram and Facebook ads.
Geofilters
According to Gil, geofilters help to build brand presence and awareness. You can set up a geofilter for a specific location. When snapchatters enter your marked area, they would see your filter. Make it fun.
You can also create geofilters or overlays for events. This was used at the Social Media Marketing World conference.
Examples of Snapchat in Action
Keys for Snapchat Success
Gil offered a number of ideas for Snapchat success:
- Keep stories short – 2-3 minutes.
- Storyboard your idea.
- Repurpose snaps on Facebook or YouTube (This is what I have been doing all week).
- Include a Call To Action. This is a key takeaway for the week.
- Give VIP offers for customers who include a code you share on a snap.
- Use custom URLs back to your content.
- Track your URLs and codes.
If you are posting on multiple platforms, don?t repeat content. Offer something unique to different audiences, e.g., Instagram vs Snapchat.
Most importantly, Snapchat has to be fun.
I am just starting to figure this Snapchat application out. Feel free to follow me, I plan to use it on a regular basis. Do you need help? I think I am in a position to help others. If you want to know more about Snapchat for your Rhode Island business, please contact me.
