It’s the social media platform every modern day marketer is thinking about (or should be) heading into 2016: is Snapchat right for my brand? The app has over 100 million daily active users and is a prime target if reaching millennials and Gen Z is ideal for you. But does that mean it’s time for fresh produce marketers to take the app by storm?
The simple answer and our first instinct: not yet. Snapchat is currently a great resource for personal brands like influencers, bloggers, celebrities, and brand ambassadors. Watching someone’s story provides a personal window into the way they view the world- celebrities like Kylie Jenner have seen enormous success by inviting fans into their lives via Snapchat. But the challenges quickly outweigh the benefits when it comes to brand engagement on the platform. Unlike behemoths Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat doesn’t yet offer business accounts and in-app metrics, so it’s difficult to track the success of any campaign. This, along with the separate challenges of creating content optimized for the platform, leads us to suggest spending more time understanding this platform before jumping in.
If you’re curious at how this app could be helpful to your brand in the future, here are a few important questions to consider:
Who is your audience?
If your answer is millennials, Snapchat could be your ticket. It’s important to note that 86 % of Snapchat users are age 13-34. Take a look at the age range of engagers on your other social platforms, and use this information to help you anticipate the success (or failure) of your Snapchat.
What is your brand’s personality?
Be mindful that authenticity, humor, and a light-hearted approach are vital for success on Snapchat. People that follow brands on Snapchat are looking for entertaining, helpful, and innovative content- not a sales pitch. If your brand is primarily consumer-facing, taking a risk on Snapchat with bold, funny content is encouraged.
Do you have the resources necessary?
As with any other social platform, maintaining a presence on Snapchat takes work. In a way, Snapchat content is a lot like Twitter, in that it has the same short-burst attention opportunity. A huge selling point for Snapchat, however, is its ability to capture 100% of the user’s attention- there are no ads, no extraneous messages, no scrolling- just YOUR content. In this way, a personal brand experience and relationship is created when a user cares enough to watch a brand’s story. (Be on the lookout for more ways that Snapchat will monetize this unique connection in the future!)
In addition, without the availability of a “business account” on this platform, it’s difficult to open a new account when it is tied to one mobile number. The simple way around this would be to open an account on a company vs. a personal mobile phone, but this is a resource not everyone has readily available.
In Conclusion…
Keep it on your radar. Snapchat isn’t really optimized for smaller brands yet, but it’s quickly following in the footsteps of its fellow social networks. But if you’re looking to create a new and innovative experience for your followers, Snapchat is on the upswing for brands. In the meantime, make sure you’re getting to know the application on a personal level. Here’s why!
