Snapchat is booming and smart brands are embracing it in a big way right now. With a current valuation of $16 billion, we expect that it will continue to grow as more and more users and advertisers begin using the platform. Snapchat caters largely to 13-34 year olds now but it’s only a matter of time before the 35 plus set joins in. If you are a brand marketer but have not yet made Snapchat a significant part of your strategy, here are ten reasons to begin doing so…
- STORYTELLING – Snapchat is a linear storytelling platform, which allows people and brands to tell a story throughout the day. This format is different and more effective than individual daily posts.
- AUTHENTICITY – Content disappears in 24 hours so people are more likely to be themselves, rather than striving to be perfect.
- ADS THAT CAPTURE ATTENTION – The fact that content disappears creates scarcity, forcing the viewer to pay attention.
- CRM – Snapchat is becoming the ultimate CRM channel allowing brands to form ongoing connections with their fans. And, for the foreseeable future there is no algorithm to shrink the organic reach.
- MAKE AN IMPACT QUICKLY – Max video length is 10 seconds catering to quick cuts that keep our attention.
- ADS THAT ARE CONTENT – Marketers get to tell stories that fit with the Snapchat experience and indirectly sell their brand. Traditional ads will not even be accepted by Snapchat as ads.
- CONNECTION – Snapchat only features content that occurred in the last 24 hours and allows brands and consumers to connect nearly real-time.
- CREATIVITY – Lenses and Filters are extremely unique marketing tools that have scale. And, it’s a good sign of Snapchat creativity to come.
- IMMEDIACY – “Good for 24 hours” allows marketers to provide immediate calls to action without being the one that is rushing the consumer.
- SCALE – Snapchat has BIG, FAT Numbers and it’s growing like a weed – 100 MM Daily Actives, More than 60% of U.S. 13-34 year old Smartphone users are Snapchatters, 10 Billion Video Views per day up from 2 BN in May 2015.
We couldn’t help ourselves. Here are two more bonus tips:
FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE – There are relatively few companies using Snapchat consistently right now, allowing marketers to garner significant attention for their brands. There will also never be an easier time to build a massive following.
MORE IMPACTFUL ADS – Snapchat provides full screen mobile video ads, which have a 9x higher completion rate than horizontal video formats offered by other social networks.