Snapchat is just for teens, right?<\/p>\n
Wrong!<\/p>\n
While Snapchat isn\u2019t as big as Instagram or Facebook, it\u2019s still a huge social media site with millions of users. And if your target audience includes Millennials, then you can\u2019t afford to ignore Snapchat.<\/p>\n
The trick, of course, is knowing if Snapchat is right for your business \u2013 and if it is, how you should be using it in your marketing.<\/p>\n
How Popular is Snapchat?<\/strong><\/p>\n I want to start with some Snapchat statistics because I\u2019m finding that a lot of the local business owners I meet have ruled it out as a potential marketing platform.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know according to HootSuite<\/a>.<\/p>\n What these numbers should tell you is that Snapchat is a huge, untapped source for marketing. You probably won\u2019t reach as wide a cross-section of your target audience as you might on Facebook, but you\u2019ll have less marketing competition \u2013 and a better chance of grabbing their attention.<\/p>\n Create a Snapchat Business Account<\/strong><\/p>\n Ready to use Snapchat for marketing. You\u2019ll need to start by setting up a Snapchat business account. The process is very easy. You can start by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll be prompted to enter your:<\/p>\n Once your account is set up, you can attract followers, post content, and create marketing campaigns to help you achieve your goals.<\/p>\n Grow Your Audience\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Attracting new followers on Snapchat isn\u2019t difficult but you\u2019ll need to do a bit of work. The first and easiest things you can do are:<\/p>\n After you do that, you can also use some in-app tools to attract new followers. Snapchat allows users to send Snapcodes to users. You can also send \u2018Add Me URLs\u2019 to the people in your target audience.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll talk about paid advertising a little later in this article.<\/p>\n Create Snapchat Stories<\/strong><\/p>\n Snapshot Stories are Snaps that are meant to be viewed sequentially. Unlike stand-alone Snaps, which disappear almost immediately, Snapshot Stories live on the site for 24 hours before vanishing. They\u2019re an ideal way to connect with your audience.<\/p>\n You should make sure to give your Snapchat Story a compelling narrative arc. Some of the Snapchat Stories I\u2019ve seen businesses use include:<\/p>\n When you create your Snapchat Story, remember that it should be fun. Make ample use of Snapchat\u2019s stickers, text, and doodles. You should create your Snapchat Story with a specific marketing goal in mind and then have someone review it before you post it. Your goal is to create something entertaining and effective.<\/p>\n All the content you share on Snapchat should meet the site\u2019s technical specifications. They are:<\/p>\n Adhering to these specs will ensure that your content is high quality \u2013 something that Snapchat\u2019s sophisticated users will appreciate.<\/p>\n Tips to Make Your Snapchat Content Sing \u2013 (Chris Format into Checklist graphic)<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the cool things about Snapchat is that there are lots of fun tools and tricks you can use to amp up your content. Here are a few of my favorites:<\/p>\n You can find a massive list of Snapchat hacks here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Track and Refine Your Results<\/strong><\/p>\n Like other social media platforms, Snapchat has some useful analytics that you can draw on when you pay for advertising. You can use them to track:<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n