Many brands have flocked to Snapchat but only a few are using the social media app correctly. We’ve put together a list of brands who have found success with Snapchat for business, and how you can make their strategies work for you.
Scared of a little app called Snapchat?
You’re not alone.
That little app is quickly becoming a giant on the social media scene – taking on long-standing staples like Facebook and Twitter.
Yet still, many businesses haven’t incorporated the up-and-comer into their marketing plans.
It could be because 71 of Snapchatters are under the age of 34.
But considering that those under 30 are now the largest demographic in the United States, it’s time brands explored how they can make Snapchat part of their marketing strategy.
Note I said explore… SnapChat for business is not right for every brand.
It is a lot of work, with little direct return (generally). But that is not what this post is about. This post takes a look at brands who have found success with Snapchat for business, and how you can make their strategies work for you.
Why (Some) Businesses Should Use Snapchat
Snapchat is a social media platform that allows users to post pictures and updates to all their friends or specific users.
What sets Snapchat apart is that individual posts are deleted after 10 seconds, while public updates disappear after 24 hours.
Though widely considered a millennials-only app, Snapchat’s reach is undeniable.
Here are a few stats to sway you:
- Snapchat has over 100 million daily active users, and 54% log in every day.
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Snapchat’s daily video views have increased 400% year-on-year.
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Snapchat ads are viewed up to a million times per day.
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Snapchat’s video views are now greater than Facebook’s.
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60% of snapchat users are between the ages of 18 and 34.
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Snapchat now has more users than Twitter.
While the numbers are impressive, getting Snapchat’s massive audience to pay attention to your brand requires a solid strategy.
Snapchat for Business Strategies
Snapchat’s secret to success lies in its ability to tell stories, and put human faces to big (or small) brands.
But at the end of the day, the most successful brands still use a few basic marketing strategies.
They include:
- Storytelling
- Behind-the-scenes coverage
- Exclusive content
- Offers or promotions
- Partnerships with influencers
Combining one of these strategies with a little creativity will go a long way in a successful Snapchat campaign.
Just ask any of the brands below.
New York Times Snapchat for Business
Since it’s the New York Time’s job to be on the cutting edge, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s killing it on Snapchat.
With no shortage of stories at its disposal, the NYT’s real challenge was finding a way to translate those stories to video – and make them appealing to a younger audience.
They’ve done just that with timely, relevant information like their explanation of the electoral college and a Thanksgiving cooking lesson with food editor Sam Sifton (on the actual day, of course.)
The electoral college explained, on Snapchat https://t.co/XrArX0woqE pic.twitter.com/jPMt36PI8m
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 8, 2016
They’ve mastered the art of bringing their readers along on journeys.
The New York time says of their Snapchat evolution:
“Since we launched, we’ve taken you to rural Angola, brought you along with us on the red carpet at the Grammys, shown you what it’s like on Air Force One.”
Doesn’t sound too shabby, does it? Their huge Snapchat following certainly doesn’t think so.
How This Snapchat Strategy Can Work For You
Find the story, and take your viewers along.
Snap any company events or retreats, or tell your product story through a Snap.
If you sell cars, take viewers on a faux race in the newest model. Or, If you sell pool supplies, take viewers on a swim.
Also remember to pay attention to timeliness; major holidays and events are big opportunities for marketers. Like the New York Times with their election breakdown, find an event that relates to your company and make it the story.
Audi Snapchat for Business
Speaking of timeliness, we must mention auto-manufacturer Audi.
During the 2016 Superbowl they partnered with satirical news site The Onion to bring viewers “all the news that isn’t football.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlqnIoBeHcs
They branded the campaign as the first real-time social campaign using Snapchat, and consistently released hilarious news stories throughout the game.
In the end, Audi wracked up more than 100,000 total views and 37 million total impressions.
How This Strategy Can Work For You
As mentioned above, major events are marketing gold.
And sometimes, it pays to have a partner.
There were few cars mentioned in Audi’s Superbowl Snaps, but by partnering with The Onion and capitalizing on their popular brand of humor, they were able to expose their name to an entirely new audience.
Brands can do the same by partnering with Snapchat influencers and other companies to gain more exposure.
General Electric Snapchat for Business
When thinking of young, fun Snapchat, manufacturing mainstay General Electric may not spring to mind.
But strangely enough, they were one of the first to jump on board Snapchat for business, and have grown one of the best accounts around.
They use it to make science fun again.
They’re not afraid to show off their nerdy side, and send Snap stories from inside volcanos and around their factories.
GE also used Snapchat as part of its successful Owen campaign to recruit college-age employees for the company.
Also of note is their Q&A series, which uses Snaps to answer users questions and explains complex scientific ideas in simple, interesting ways.
How This Strategy Can Work For You
In short, have fun with it.
Your business doesn’t have to be considered hip or young to make fun videos.
If your business model is complex, use Snapchat to break it down. Talk to your viewers in human terms, answer their questions, and engage.
Cisco Snapchat for Business
Cisco approaches Snapchat for business in a different way.
Instead of focusing on their products, they put the focus on their employees.
The result is the highly successful wearecisco, which introduces different employees in different positions and follows “a day in the life of a…” format.
By giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look into life at Cisco, viewers are able to form a connection with the company beyond product placement.
And it works. According to Cisco, they’ve seen a 600% follower increase week-over-week since its launch, and a 70-80% rate of story completion (clicking through from start to finish of each story).
How This Strategy Can Work For You
The product doesn’t have to be the star.
If what you’re selling isn’t considered traditionally exciting, find other aspects of your company to show off.
If you have stellar, interesting employees (of course you do), put them front and center to forge a human connection with your clients.
Maybe there’s something unique about your workplace – take a Snap tour.
Or just show a sense of humor. Capitalize on trends by doing company-wide challenges (think Mannequin, Ice Bucket, etc.)
Anything that shows off a human element will go a long way to forge a stronger client connection.
Rebecca Minkoff Snapchat for Business
The fashion label found success on Snapchat when it debuted its 2014 Spring Collection on the app.
Only its Snapchat friends had first, exclusive access to the collection prior to its official debut at New York Fashion Week.
How This Strategy Can Work For You
This ties directly back to exclusive content.
Nothing entices and excites fans like sneak peaks and exclusive content, and Rebecca Minkoff capitalized on that by making their collection available early to only Snapchat followers.
It’s a strategy that any brand can take advantage of by offering pre-release product views or making big company announcements or news via the channel first.
GrubHub Snapchat for Business
GrubHub’s Snapchat success comes from its customer interaction.
Most recently, it launched its first week-long scavenger hunt.
Each day Grubhub posted a story on Snapchat inviting followers to a daily challenge – with the possibility of winning $50 of free GrubHub fare.
The rules? Participants were told to send Snaps back to Grubhub showing the completed the challenge, and 10 winners were selected at random each day.
GrubHub’s also known for asking followers to send in pictures and doodles in exchange for exclusive giveaways and coupons.
A spokeswoman for GrubHub explains, “we’re finding ways to use it [Snapchat] to connect with diners in the way it’s intended. For us, that means constantly looking for new and organic ways to surprise and delight.”
How This Strategy Can Work For You
The core of GrubHub’s strategy is its interaction.
The interaction is driven by the promise of a possible reward. Not only does it drive more business, but it yields tighter customer retention.
Brands can adopt this strategy in a few ways.
The first is to simply offer deals: coupons, discount codes, etc.
Snapchat’s short shelf-life makes it an ideal platform for this, and a reported 58 percent of college students would be likely to purchase a brand’s product or service if they were sent a coupon on Snapchat.
Encourage interaction by asking for Snaps back. To yield a higher return, take a page out of GrubHub’s book and include the deal at the end.
World Wildlife Fund Snapchat for Business
In 2014, the World Wildlife Fund premiered its #LastSelfie campaign on Snapchat.
The campaign was meant to draw awareness to the many endangered species, and featured selifes of different animals with the quote “Don’t let this be my #LastSelfie.”
The campaign was ideally suited for Snapchat due to the app’s disappearing, 10-second lifespan, which eerily correlates to the limited life of the featured animals.
The highly emotional campaign connected with 120 million Snapchat users, and the organization met its monthly donation target in only three days.
How This Strategy Can Work For You
The World Wildlife Fund used Snapchat’s time constraints to its advantage.
Presented with only 10 seconds to introduce their problem and desired action, the WWF managed to make a major impact in a short amount of time.
In fact, limited time isn’t such a bad thing when it comes to marketing.
Use those 10 seconds to show off the most exciting or meaningful part of your product, event or team. Make it enjoyable enough that followers will look for more, or leave them with an information gap that inspires them to seek out your company in other ways.
Take A Hard Look At Snapchat For Business (But Make Sure It’s The Right Fit)
Using Snapchat for business isn’t easy.
But with its incredible reach among the millenial audience and relatively low cost to advertisers, it’s well worth a try.
At the moment, we mostly see large brands and celebrities succeeding on meaningful levels. Instagram continues to be the dominant player and launches competing featured often.
How are you using Snapchat? Is it working for you? Comment below.
