Are you using Snapchat for business?
Don’t worry if you are not. Surveys had shown that there are still many business owners (and social media marketers) who have yet to ‘get serious’ and to find more ways to use Snapchat for business… at least, for now.
2015 had been the past for many and the new year is upon us. According to Expanded Ramblings, Snapchat is one of the fastest growing social media platforms with over 100 million active users (daily) and 400 million snaps per day.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is an enormous feat to say the very least.
At this time of writing, Snapchat is hugely dominated with United States users within the age of 18 to 34. So if your audience is within the said range, don’t wait. Let’s start working on Snapchat right now!
5 Ways to Use Snapchat for Business
1. Use Snapchat for the right goal(s)
Most brands and marketers are using Snapchat to publish stories which excite their audience. It can range from daily to even hourly updates.
Taken directly from Social Media Examiner,
“Snapchat stories, which last only 24 hours, are a string of snaps used to create a video narrative.”
Snapchat is just like any other social media platform. You can leverage the true power of using Snapchat only when you have the right goals in mind.
Always remember that Snapchat is mainly used to create real-time engagement and to excite your audience.
2. Delivering private (and quality) content only on Snapchat
Exclusive content. We all love them, don’t we?
That was exactly what happened in the fashion world. Big fashion brands such as Michael Kors and Rebecca Minkoff used Snapchat as a tool to debut their new collections especially for their followers and even before they hit the runway.
When brands and companies deliver quality content just for their fans and followers, it made them felt precious and important. More importantly, it becomes an exclusivity which is hard to come by in the real world.
The next round you have something special to offer, why don’t deliver these content on Snapchat first prior to the standard, old school methods such as email marketing?
Doing such doesn’t only increases fan-ability, it will also potentially become a word of mouth.
3. Running contests, perks and promotions on Snapchat
Running a business and want to start to have a huge following on Snapchat?
It may very well felt like an impossible task but don’t be overly worried about it. The majority of us love contests, freebies and promotions – and what another way to convey the message than by using Snapchat?
Take a look at this image courtesy of GrubHub:
GrubHub uses Snapchat to promote content and create engagement within the community itself. According to Social Media Examiner, GrubHub uses Snapchat by asking their followers to post a daily snap (which will automatically make the followers eligible for daily prizes).
I get it. You have absolutely no idea how to run a contest or promotion using Snapchat and you are pretty much puzzled right now.
Don’t worry and follow these steps:
- Prepare prizes (and rules for eligibility)
- Plan one (or multiple) Snapchat story
- Publish the Snapchat story
- Ask your fans and followers to watch the entire Snapchat story before they are able to get promo codes or eligible for winning some prizes
- Alternatively, you can ask your current fans to take picture (or snap) while holding your product(s)
- Lastly, choose the winners and publicly announce them on Snapchat and other social media platforms for extra visibility
4. Share ‘behind the scenes’ stories on Snapchat
Snapchat can be a marketing powerhouse … if it is used correctly. If you want your business to stand out from the crowd especially in Snapchat, do something that is different from the rest.
For starters, there is the option of using Snapchat for the ‘behind the scenes’ marketing. It doesn’t matter if you have a brick and mortar business, click and mortar business or solely an online business, Snapchat can work out for you perfectly well if you have the right strategy.
Take a look at Everlane, who used Snapchat to share insights of the company with their fans. In this case, Snapchat stories are used to showcase their offices, production lines and more importantly, their in-house customers, their employees.
Want to start one? Here are some nifty tricks you can start with:
- Design a pathway or layout which you will be using in the Snapchat stories
- Highlights the overall process in your business; from receiving an order to sending them out
- Showcase your employees and getting them involved in the Snapchat stories
Always remember that in Snapchat, it has to be fun and natural. There’s no point trying to mimicking happiness as passion is clearly seen in the eyes.
5. Partnering with influencers
When you partner up with influencers, you are literally borrowing the influencer’s followers and showcasing your own business. And just like any other social media platforms, this can be an extremely important move especially when it comes to increasing brand awareness and doubling your reach.
Partnering up with influencers boils down with ONE thing; that is to create spectacular content over video which will enhance your brand’s voice and visibility.
You can:
- Allow the influencers to use your Snapchat account
- Be involved in the overall video marketing process (and learn from it)
- Cross share the video content on multiple social platforms
Partnering with influencers could also open more doors (opportunities) especially when you are planning to reach out to different demographics and audiences. Therefore, always plan ahead especially on the types of audiences you are planning to engage with.
Choosing the right audience is the first step before choosing the right influencers to help you with Snapchat marketing.
Conclusion – Now it is your turn
Snapchat is a powerful social media network which can drive your business to new heights. The above five ways to use Snapchat for business could be a great help especially when you are planning to start from scratch on Snapchat.
Before we end, tell me what you think by replying in the comments form below.
See also: 24 Expert Opinions About The Top 3 Most Useful Social Media Networks in 2016
