Don’t have time to watch the full episode? Click here to watch the full episode filmed using Snapchat!
New business tools that are designed to create more customer engagement are always being introduced. It is up to the business owners and us marketers to identify the best tools and most creative ways to use those tools to create the necessary engagement that will then help grow your business.
We know big players like Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and even Instagram. Many, however, don’t include Snapchat in this conversation. Because it’s impossible to save or keep a message, marketers view this as less than ideal for building a brand or sharing.
They are all wrong.
An average of 21 million viewers per week tune into NBC’s broadcast of “Sunday Night Football” and 14.8 million people tuned in to watch the midseason finale of “The Walking Dead”. But how many people watched a video broadcast on their phones showing unique sights and sounds of New York City’s “Snowpocalypse” filmed by mostly teens or adults in their 20’s? Who, by the way, are not professionals and are simply Snapchat users.
25 million! That’s how many!
The New Advertising Platform
While Snapchat does not run advertising in its “Snapstories”, they are in discussions with marketers on implementing this idea. They are certain to run ads in the future as there has never been a better content format with “Snapstories”. Why are these stories so great and how can they help build your brand? After all, these pictures and videos can’t be saved.
The Demographic is Right
According to Business Insider Intelligence, more than 60% of Snapchat users are in the coveted 18-24 age group. Among millennials, Snapchat is even more popular than Twitter!
The Audience is Completely Engaged
Facebook and YouTube videos offer the consumer an escape route. With both, users can simply leave an ad open in another tab or skip it altogether. Snapchat however allows marketers to see if their ads are being viewed as users have to press and hold a button on the screen.
Great, Unique, Content
Snapchat allows consumers intimate access to big events like the Oscars Red Carpet or the post-Oscars party and even events on a smaller scale like a Syracuse basketball game in the Carrier Dome. Users can gain an inside look and feel as if one of their friends is giving them access to one of these types of events.
Building a Brand on a Temporary Medium
Photos and videos are temporary, as a result, you can’t build a brand using this platform right? Wrong. Repetition and consistency, that was the name of the game in the past when it came to growing your brand. Now, however, brands utilize different attributes like authenticity and humor, adding a human element in place of repetition.
This is a match made in heaven for Snapchat. There is nothing more authentic than a brand engaging with consumers in a way that is unconventional and missing a number of traditional branding elements. What’s more human than catching one of your co-workers sleeping in a meeting or the president of the company playing Mario Cart in the office cafe? These not so serious moments are perfect for Snapchat. It allows users to receive instant updates from their friends day-to-day at the office and invites their network of followers to connect with the brand.
How Can Your Business Use Snapchat?
Exclusives & Promotions
Use Snapchat to tell your customers about any special sales or events. You can even give your most valued customers the VIP treatment by sending an invitation-only Snapchat, inviting them to a special sale or opening.
A frozen yogurt chain called 16 Handles is a great example of this. For their Snapchat campaign, they gave customers a unique and varying discount when they visited one of their stores and opened the snap from the register. The customer, however, had no idea what the discount was until they were about to pay for their yogurt.
For companies that have an eCommerce store or an actual store presence, this can be a great way to take advantage of how temporary Snapchat is while engaging with users on a much different platform.
Customer Support
With Snapchat, you can provide real-time customer service in a way many other companies aren’t. With quick videos, you can provide assistance if a customer is having trouble with one of your services or products. One example of this is if a customer is having trouble replacing batteries in your product and they send you a picture of the issue. You can respond with a photo or video of your own demonstrating the easiest way to replace the batteries. This establishes trust amongst consumers and emphasizes your dedication to customer satisfaction.
Preview New Products/Services
If you are offering a new service or have a new product you will be releasing, introduce it with a photo or video demonstrating it. For example, if you are a shoe store and have the brand new shoe that everyone is looking to get, showcase it, and let everyone know your store is the place to go. You can also give your customers the chance to order it before it hits the shelves.
Conclusion
Setting up a Snapchat account is simple and downloading the app takes you through the process step by step. Once you are set up, what should you expect?
- Showcase the human aspect of your brand, allowing them behind the scenes and connecting them to other platforms can’t.
- Creating content for engaged users on a platform that is even more popular than Twitter amongst millennials.
- Utilizing a channel your competition is still trying to figure the best way they can grow their business on.
