I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Snapchat. It’s been all the rage throughout 2013. From disappearing messages, NSFW messaging to even turning down a $3B offer from Facebook, Snapchat has been everywhere. And with every new social platform, there is always the question of how will they make money and can brands add it to their marketing strategy. Well I’m telling you that yes it can work, but I’m also saying it’s not for everyone. At least for now. And the reason I say “for now,” in the words of Gary Vaynerchuk, “you gotta strike while the app is hot!”
Snapchat has been very popular in the last three months because of the Facebook offer. It also has had privacy issues as well as a minor spam problem. That alone will scare a brand away from giving it a go. But there have been some positive changes recently that could benefit a brand’s approach, such as Stories and new filters. It’s very easy to fall for the “what’s hot now” opportunities, but you have to approach everything strategically or you’re just wasting your time.
Why You Should Try It
You have a chance to do something no one else has done. There aren’t many brands using Snapchat and even fewer creating actual campaigns. This means that there is a plethora of fresh ideas to try that could lead to a big reward. Both 16 Handles and Taco Bell have seen the most buzz for their campaigns, but more brands are getting involved. Pro sports teams are showing behind the scenes shots for fans, TV shows are showing cast snippets and retailers are previewing new products. There is an option to draw on images, but not many brands have used that to their advantage. Besides Dasha Battelle, I haven’t seen anyone use drawings that much, but I believe there is a great opportunity there.
One of the biggest things that scares a brand away from Snapchat is receiving numerous unrelated snaps from users. When a brand follows a user, that user can then send snaps to them. Luckily, you can still build a following without having to follow anyone back. Creating Stories allows a brand to publish up to 100 seconds of video and images to your entire following for a 24 hour period. You are given the option to share your Stories with just your followers or the entire public. While that may be the best fit for most brands, some are making an effort to follow their users back in order to send snaps directly to them. It’s a great way to be a little more real with the message. When Taco Bell sends me a snap of their team goofing off, I think it’s pretty great because it’s them being normal and not so “salesy,” which makes me feel more comfortable with them. If I were a bar or restaurant, I’d send special codes to my followers, which will disappear shortly after opening, that will bring them into my establishment to redeem the code. If I were a retailer, I’d mention a Snapchat exclusive sale. It’s free, easy and allows for positive word of mouth to spread. The ideas are endless. But it’s up to you to take the chance.
Why You Shouldn’t Try It
One good reason you should avoid Snapchat is because it doesn’t fit with your brand. It’s not a matter of can you create great content, but whether your audience is even using it. The user base for Snapchat is more Gen-Y than anything else. Brands like AARP probably don’t need to be using Snapchat to bring creative content to its user-base, since their audience is likely not using it. A lot of marketers are avoiding this platform because it’s considered “just another trendy app” that will come and go very quickly without any real impact. Sure, that could be true, so why waste your time even trying? It’s probably just another typical ephemeral or messaging app that will make a big, quick splash and disappear from the mainstream without anyone losing a second of sleep. Apps like Confide, WhatsApp, Leo App, Kik and Younity have made big waves, but not enough to rattle the cage of the marketing world.
Something to remember when adding a new social channel to your brand’s marketing strategy is whether or not you can see a legitimate impact it could have for your brand’s bottom line. Can you create tactics and goals to make the effort worthwhile or will you just join the party because this bandwagon is where everyone is at for the moment? Don’t be fooled by the shiny, new toy. If you can’t legitimately see the positive impact it can have for your business, don’t even bother. Especially if you only have one person handling a dozen accounts already.
Brands on Snapchat
There are a lot more brands using Snapchat than you would think, but the two industries using it the most are pro sports and apparel. I was surprised by the sports teams at first, but after following many, I was definitely pleased. Below is a list of some popular, mainstream brands that are currently using Snapchat.
It’s really impossible for me to say whether or not Snapchat is right for your brand. It’s up to you to audit your current marketing strategy and audience to see if it could work. But I think there are more pros than cons to using it for brands than people would think.
Do you think Snapchat is a viable marketing channel for brands? Or do you think it will disappear as fast as it arrived? I’d love to hear your opinions below. Oh, and if you feel like it, send me a hello on Snapchat at “Cedar_B”.
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