The not-so-secret world of Snapchat advertising

There are a wealth of social media platforms on offer for marketers. With them, we can create dynamic, fast-paced campaigns with a global reach and high levels of engagement is vast. Older platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have become a go-to staple of many a social media strategy. Newer, arguably more niche platforms are only just beginning to be tapped into when it comes to marketing potential. Have you ever thought about the potential of snapchat advertising?

The rise of Snapchat

Take Snapchat, for example. It was initially released back in 2011 by Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. Snapchat quickly became a popular social media platform, particularly for young people. It allows users to send photos and videos for a limited amount of time (“snaps”) and share them with an exclusive list of fellow snapchat users. Snapchat has successfully played into the selfie and sharing cultures so popular among young social media fans.

More recently however Snapchat has matured into much more than a platform for avid selfie takers. Industry commentators FastCompany put it aptly in a recent article which claimed ‘if you still think Snapchat, a company valued at $16 billion, is just a teen sexting app, you’re not listening to the kids, bro.’

The article focuses on the incredible engagement created by the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. The footage saw a huge 12 million viewers tune in via Snapchat and outstrip viewing figures for the TV coverage. FastCompany argues ‘in a mere 15 months since its first Live Story, Snapchat has transformed itself from a photo-based messaging app into the singular obsession of the media and advertising industries.’

Snapchat as a myriad of marketing opportunities

MTV are not the only brand to have recently tapped into the myriad of opportunities now possible on Snapchat advertising. In fact, Marketing Magazine hailed fashion powerhouse Burberry’s Snapchat marketing campaign as ‘the best piece of marketing in 2015’. Using Snapchat as its platform of choice, Burberry shot a 24 hour fashion campaign. Mario Testino, the award-winning Peruvian photographer famous for his Vogue and Vanity Fair shoots, helped with the Burberry shoot.

The shoot mixed a traditionally high-end, artistic form of expression like fashion and portrait photography with a new, simple social media platform like Snapchat. This Burberry shoot has been hailed by observers as ‘a match made in heaven.’ They cleverly played on the limited time span of availability of the Snapchat images. The Burberry campaign was able to tap into the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) syndrome so rife among young, engaged, technology savvy audiences of the social media generation. If you missed out, you can see some of the images here on social media hub Mashable.

More recently many other brands have also been exploring new ways to utilise Snapchat as a marketing tool. Back in November The Drum focused on how Real Madrid, the Spanish football side valued at a staggering $3.26 billion has agreed to ‘become the ephemeral messaging apps first individual sports team with its own account and an ‘official live story’ documenting the squads upcoming clash with Barcelona.’

The campaign encouraged fans with tickets to submit their photos to a live feed of the event. They then created a video to be aired to Snapchat’s some 100 million daily users. Other brands to get in on the Snapchat hype have included food outlet Dominos. The pizza giant have launched on Snapchat with the creation of a video entitled ‘Dough to Door’. Alongside a creative story of the intrepid journey of a pizza delivery boy, Dominos’ campaign will include a series of random letters. These letters allow viewers to redeem a discount with their online order. It continues the brand’s use of up-and-coming social media sites following their Valentines Tinder campaign last year.

How to start your own Snapchat story

Interested in using Snapchat for a new marketing campaign for your brand? Forbes has created a useful basics guide to starting out with Snapchat advertising. It includes how to understand the audience and tone of this social media app. Platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter straddle the casual and professional world. Whereas, Snapchat is dominated by relaxed, friendly, engaging content. Its content speaks to viewers at the level of their day to day lives. Forbes argues ‘ideally, the language you use should be easy-to-understand, and your posts should have a sense of fun’ and ‘doing so will make your team seem more personable and approachable.’

Social Media Examiner has also put together a handy podcast for marketers setting out on their Snapchat journey. In an interview with the CEO of US based VaynerMedia Gary Vaynerchuk and Shaun McBride, a celebrity on Snapchat who has represented brands like Disney and Taco Bell on the platform, Social Media Examiner explores everything marketers need to know about Snapchat and how to use it to get the most out of your social media strategy.

Want to talk more about Snapchat advertising and marketing opportunities for your business? Then get in touch with the Think OTB team.