Snapchat For Business
It has been stated that “Over half of the users of Snapchat are between the ages of 13 and 17”. Based on this fact, you may believe the myth that Snapchat is for individual users only and that Snapchat for business is not viable.
Well, it’s not true! Next, to Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat is a great tool for your business.
Are you ready to hop on the Snapchat trend? Are you ready to get started to target millions of audiences via Snapchat?
Here’s everything you need to know about Snapchat for business!
Why Snapchat?
With over a thousand million active users daily and 400 million snaps per day, Snapchat is the ever-growing social platform to engage!
Popular brands are using Snapchat to tell daily stories that engage and thrill audiences. As we all know, Snapchat stories last only 24 hours.
But within 24 hours, it will be nearly possible to get 1 billion views if you use a string of snaps that are creative and engaged.
With over a thousand million active users daily and 400 million snaps per day, Snapchat is the ever-growing social platform to engage! #snapchat Click To TweetHow To Use Snapchat for Your Business?
If you’re looking to connect with your community in a new way without spending too much of your advertising budget, consider the below-given strategies to use Snapchat for business.
# Share behind the Screen Footages
It means sharing stories that happen in your office during holidays or after working hours. Snapchat users always love receiving stories that are engaging, interesting, and in real-time.
# Share Coupon Codes and Discounts
Snapchat is the hook for flash sales. So take the advantage of Snapchat’s ability to create a message that disappears within 24 hours to offer specials, coupons, and discounts to drive followers to your website or into your store.
# Tell Stories in Real-Time
Snapchat stories have the ability to spread wide as friends will be more enthused to share with their friends or colleagues whatever they think is fun or entertaining.
When it comes to businesses, you can take the advantage of this storytelling feature by creating how-to videos, short video kits, and other forms of engaging content. Make sure to create a little funny to make your video more viral.
# Highlight Special Events
If you’re hosting a concert, or any live events like new showroom openings, anniversaries, etc. make sure to create a real-time story based on this.
This will give your customers/audience/followers direct access to your live event, no matter where they are.
# Demo of New Products
Nowadays, almost all marketers are using Snapchat to make a serious impact with product launches. Snapchat is the ideal platform to start releasing videos and pictures of new products.
# Rewards & Loyalty Points
Use Snapchat to provide loyalty points and rewards to your followers. You can create a story in such a way by keeping the discount and promotional code at the end of your Snapchat Story.
Only those who watch your story until the end will have the information and instruction they need to get the prize. You can also craft a story by telling the customers that those who respond directly to you will get a reward.
For example, if they send their selfie snap of using your product or service, they will get the coupon. This will trigger the followers or your customers to make a certain action which in turn increases your Snapchat engagement
Apart from these, there are many ways to use Snapchat for business, to announce, to engage, and to appeal or all of the above. Now, let us discuss how to start a Snapchat account for your business.
How to Start a Snapchat Account for Your Business
Decided to take the advantage of Snapchat for your business? Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started
# Download the App
Start the initial process, by downloading Snapchat for free from either the App Store or Google Play.
Then once you have the app, you can sign up for an account by selecting your username, email and password.
# Find Some People to Follow
After signing up, you need to find people to follow! You can import contacts from your address book or else add people by searching usernames.
You can also add people by taking a screenshot of someone’s snap code. Thinking about what does it mean by snap code? Let me discuss below:
# Make Your Own Snap Code
To create your own snap code, long-press the big Snapchat logo on the main options page and you’ll get the opportunity to take a series of selfies.
Those photos altogether create a snap code which you can then share with others so that they can easily add you to their contacts.
# Customize Your Profile
Hope you are all aware of the Snapchat Avatar picture. Yes, the yellow square with a white ghost in the center, right? You may have seen them on Twitter as many peeps use them for their profile pictures.
To change your avatar photo, click the ghost image, say “Cheese” and get ready to pose for a selfie! Your camera will snap a few photos automatically, which will be combined to create a GIF and, create your own avatar picture.
You can also opt for other pictures from your gallery, such as a company logo or group photo.
# Interacting With Other Snapchat Users
You can interact with other Snapchat users or your followers by,
- Adding users
- Viewing their stories
- Sending animated snaps
- Instant messaging
What Are the Effective Ways to Advertise your Business via Snapchat?
As per recent trends on Snapchat, there are three main ways to promote your business:
- Snap Ads
- Sponsored Geo Filters
- Sponsored Lenses
# Snap Ads
These Snap Chat ads are full-screen vertical videos that are created with some type of interactive elements such as a call to action with a specific link to visit.
These video ads play automatically with sounds on and will provide information about your company and what services you’re offering.
# Sponsored Geo Filters
It allows sending snaps from specific locations. Geo Filters are used to take a snap with the location details including what you are doing, where you are in a Snap!
For example, if your business has multiple wings, you can set the geo-filters to your specific locations. These types of ads are the least expensive on Snap Chat.
# Sponsored Lenses
Sponsored Lenses are just like Sponsored Geo Filters in which filters are applied after a video or picture is taken, before sending to friends or adding it snap story.
Lenses have special facial recognition technology, which allows users to become dogs, cats, magicians, etc.
Tips and Tricks to Follow While Using Snapchat for Business
- Upload Content or Story Regularly
- Interact With Other Users
- Use Sponsor a Snap Ad, Sponsored Lenses, and Geo Filters
Final Thought,
The above given are a few of the important things you need to be aware of while thinking about using Snapchat for business.
Have you used Snapchat in your marketing strategies? What kind of results have you seen from this increasingly popular social app?
Share your comments below!
- Snapchat Marketing Guide: Creative Ways to Use Snapchat for Business - August 7, 2017
I’m not sure that Snapchat will be around much longer – I think Facebook’s Instagram Stories will finally finish eating Snap’s lunch one of these days. For a company like Snap, it cost’s too much to run if it’s not making money – videos are storage and resource intensive, and without revenue soon it will go the way of MySpace. I think the founders should have taken Facebook’s buyout offer when they had the chance.
Hello
Alok and Lisa,
Thank you for sharing this wondeful post. I have never use snapchat and many told me that it is used as for sharing and connecting people.
But, after reading this whole post I have understand How snapchat used for business.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Praveen verma
Hello Praveen,
Good to see you here. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on this post.
My thoughts behind writing this marketing strategies are kind of deep.
I was just thinking we always create content on blogs and readers read it and some go for the call to action and many of them just ignore the CTA.
But as with platforms like Snapchat we can interact directly with our customers/readers with whom we can engage and do the instant chats, share stories, share secret deals and can share our thoughts.
This would sure take time but this can be game changer if someone really go for it.
Regards
Alok
Hi Alok,
Well detailed guide for using Snapchat. Though I have heard about Snapchat, I have never used it. The idea of telling stories and showing behind the Screen Footages are great.
Thanks.
Hello Umapathy,
First of all, thanks for your kind feedback.
Good to hear that you liked the ideas mentioned.
If one look deep into the Snapchat marketing this can do wonders for him.
Regards
Alok
Hi Lisa,
Good to read Alok’s post on your esteemed site.
A well explained one to explore more via SnapChat
I need to look into this more seriously, though I have an account I am not active there, will surely look again to be active too. Indeed a prompting post.
Thanks Alok for this informative and educative share
Best Regards
~ Phil
PS: Hey Lisa, I found this post curated on the pages of BizSugar and I upvoted and shared a feedback.
Thanks
Phil
Reply | Edit
Hi Philip, I was so glad Alok wrote this one for me here. I have had a Snapchat account for years but didn’t use it too much. I’ve been playing with it more so I can understand the capabilities for marketing. Thanks for coming by and for the vote on BizSugar – love that community 🙂
I appreciate your coming by here too and have a great new week ahead there!
Hey Philip,
I’m glad that you find it informative and I really thank Lisa for letting me contribute to her blog.
It feels good to have top influencers commenting on your article guide.
I hope this guide will help so many marketers.
Thanks Philips for your feedback.
Thanks Lisa for the opportunity.
Regards
~Alok
This is good stuff Alok. I have heard of Snapchat but had no idea what it was about, or how the network could benefit business owners. I see behind the scenes applications working well for me. Especially when me and my wife are traveling, showing us blogging, creating videos, podcasting, all that good stuff. I can show off the glam and not so glam stories behind our travels….aka, the *rest* of the story.
Hello Ryan,
I’m glad that you find it interesting.
This could be your strongest tool Ryan. You are already doing quite well with your podcast and videos.
With Snapchat for business you will break the ICE!
Happy Blogging, Smart Marketing 🙂
Cheers!
Hi Alok,
Wonderful informative article with detailed information of nearly every field of Snap-Chat. I have to understand a lot of new things through this article
I think it’s really a game changer for online entrepreneurs.
Hello Saurabh,
Good to know that you find it informative. There are so much we can do with Snapchat.
It is no more an app for entertainment only.
Wish you luck with your Snapchat marketing.
Regards
~Alok
Hi Alok,
You did a nice post on Lisa’s post. This is probably my first time read SnapChat for business. May be it’s because I’m not using the social network. With your explanation, one can do amazing things with SnapChat.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Emenike
Hello Emmanuel,
Good to hear that you find it informative and interesting.
I just hope someone will make a good use of this snapchat for business guide.
Thanks
~Alok
Hello Alok Rana, your post about snapchat for business is very useful and a interesting one. I have only implemented facebook,twitter and instagram for my business promotio,now surely i will do some experiment with snapchat too for my business. Thanks for offering a great reading session and informative ideas.
Hey Zevara,
Glad you like it. I just go through your business site.
And all I can tell you that, business like your’s can get a good results from Snapchat marketing.
If you doing Instagram marketing already. You should give a try to Snapchat too.
And then after sometime you can decide which one works best for you.
Regards
~Alok
Hello Alok,
Great to see you here on Lisa’s site 🙂
I was not into much snap chat interaction much earlier. I thought just another app for connecting and sharing moments
with our close ones.
But this looks pretty impressive. It can be used to boost up our business. This article of yours throws light upon, how one
can use snap chat, to take their business to whole other level.
Looking forward to grab my hands on snap chat and extent my business on this.
Thanks for the share.
Shantanu.
Hello Shantanu,
Good to have your comment on this article. I’m glad that your find it interesting.
just have a loot at your blog and the hosting services you are providing.
I think snapchat marketing can be a good decision for your business. You can send offers and promo to large amount targeted audience.
Don’t forget to share your experience with us.
Regards
~Alok
Hi Alok,
It’s nice to meet you!
Thanks for sharing this with us. I haven’t joined Snapchat yet – I thought it was more for teens and young adults. But now after having read your blog post, I will definitely be joining :).
I’ll definitely be saving your post so I can use as a guide to get set up!
Have a great day and rest of the week!
Cori
Hey Cori,
I’m glad that you liked my article on Snapchat marketing.
This is not just you everyone else also have that same though about Snapchat. You won’t find much marketers with small business. Snapchat game was for big business and brands.
But as it is exposed now everyone will try to step into this snapchat marketing.
Good to have your feedback Cori.
And good to be connected.
Regards
~Alok
Hi Alok,
I actually do not have a Snapchat account, but I’ve read a lot about Snapchat marketing – its potential to grow your business.
This article brings to light the “why and how” to use snapchat for your business, as well as the effects of using Snapchat advertising.
As Lisa pointed out, the social media platform is no longer for kids to post selfie and so on, Snapchat has grown beyond that – into a social media marketing powerhouse, a channel for businesses to reach millennials.
Thanks for sharing.
Hello Moss,
First of all thanks for your kind feedback. And yes you can see Snapchat as a strong competitor to Facebook and Instagram marketing. But that is also a truth that there was not so much awareness among marketers regarding Snapchat marketing. That is why most of the marketers don’t even know what they can do with Snapchat marketing.
Hi Moss, thanks for coming by to check out Alok’s post here. Are you on Snapchat yet? I signed up years ago and used it sparingly. I was so happy to have Alok writing about it here for us. I’m starting to experiment with it more as it really has taken off. I may even try one of their inexpensive ads. Have a great day ahead Moss.
Hi Alok,
These days I am learning new secrets of using snapchat more effectively. Where people think that snapchat is just for fun I believe that it is for business. I like the idea of telling stories. It works everywhere. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Gaurav,
I would love to hear if you could share some tips on Snapchat marketing.
How we can use it more effectively?
And also how do you manage your Snapchat marketing?
Hi Alok,
Great to see you here on Lisa’s place. A while ago Gary Vaynercheck said that if you are not on Snapchat you’re crazy! I haven’t gotten to it yet but after reading this, I’m very interested.
I always wondered how to build my business on that platform but now I have a good idea of how to do it by your awesome article.
I thank you so much,
-Donna
Hello Donna,
Glad you like it. I was personally not so aware about Snapchat marketing for business earlier few months ago. But I came to know about it from news channel as well. Snapchat is kind of a hidden from small businesses but believe me big brands are doing great already with Snapchat marketing.
Thanks for your kind feedback.
~Alok
Hi Donna, thanks for coming by to read Alok’s first post here. I’ve signed up and used it a little and really wanted to know more. Alok showed us the way 🙂 Have a great day Donna and hope to see you again soon.
Great post Alok, I have never tried Snapchat for marketing but this post just motivated me,
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hey Abdul,
Good to know that you got motivated by my Snapchat marketing guide. I would love to see you in action. Do share your experience about it once you are done setting up with Snapchat.
Cheers!
~Alok
Hi Abdul, thanks for coming by to Inspire to Thrive, have you signed up for Snapchat yet?
Alok, thank you so much for contributing to Inspire to Thrive with this post on Snapchat. It’s something I’ve wanted for quite some time here. It is amazing how Snapchat has grown. It’s no longer just for kids but for businesses to reach a younger audience. I was amazed to read they watch the videos here more than on Facebook. Thanks for sharing Alok with my readers here.
Hey Lisa,
You are the kindest blogger I found in my connections. And its been my pleasure to contribute my content on your awesome blog. I hope you will do some experiments after reading this guide. And I would love to see the results as you are doing pretty well with other social media marketing platforms.
Thanks for letting me contribute to “Inspire to Thrive”.
~Alok