If you haven’t already heard, Snapchat just went public. This is huge. After launching the social media app in 2011, Snapchat has been growing fiercely. With such a simple, yet clever premise of disappearing photos/videos, marketers struggle to find ways to incorporate the app into their daily social media strategy. Today we are sharing 15 ways to leverage the power of Snapchat for business. 

What is Snapchat?

When we first downloaded Snapchat back in 2011, it was scattered with random selfies, and shaky videos that left us bored and no desire to pursue it as a business tool. In all honesty, we didn’t really understand the point of it, and most certainly didn’t take it seriously.

Today, we see the value in Snapchat, and it is like a breath of fresh air.

Snap a photo/video within the app, and send it to a friend or post it to your story.

Easy, right?!

The photo/video will be viewable for up to 10 seconds before it is automatically deleted unless added to your story.

The crazy thing is…

• As of today, more than 100 daily active users and growing use the app
• 30% of these users are millennials (13-34 year olds) in the United States
• An average of 9,000 snaps are shared per second

So if your target market is millennials, then you better jump on the platform asap and start adding friends!

Why We Love Snapchat

Instagram and Facebook are the root of our social media strategy to gain awareness for our wedding photography. Our photos and posts will continue until the end of the platform’s time. However, both platforms require a ton of planning, organizing and scheduling.

Snapchat is different.

Although we don’t have a personal camera crew filming us like on a reality tv show, we can certainly give you a peek on Snapchat. We want to take you along with us during the day.

In a sense, Snapchat is much like a Vlog update on Youtube, but completely raw and unedited.

With spur of the moment Snaps, we can give you exclusive access to everything we do – at home, at a wedding, and during our travels!

Snapchat is the easiest and fastest way to share your story. Click To Tweet

Instead of seeing the 10-second photo or video as a limitation, view it as an opportunity. 

It is not the place for the perfectly worded tweet, or the perfectly curated Instagram update. There is no pressure to acquire a following count, no lurkers who don’t engage, and no comments or likes to obtain.

Snapchat gives the user an opportunity to be as authentic as possible with their audience. Click To Tweet

It’s just you, your phone and the camera.

How Do You Use The App?

There are TONS of tutorials online for how to use Snapchat, but we have made a few short posts on the basics to get you started.

A Step-By-Step Tutorial For Getting Started With Snapchat

How To Quickly Add Friends On Snapchat

7 Ways To Build Your Following On Snapchat

How Can I Use Snapchat For Business?

There are many ways it can be used for effective social media marketing. With Snapchat, you can reach everyone at once – so tell a story, be fun, interesting and engaging.

#1 Showcase Your Personality

People want to support brands that they can relate to. Snapchat gives you the opportunity to put yourself face-to-face with your followers.

So don’t be boring. Showcase who you are!

Have fun with the filters, and give them an inside look at you as a person.

#2 Go Behind The Scenes

Give a sneak peak into how your business really operates. Make them feel like they are a part of your company. Invite them into your life and share updates in real time.

This can be super fun if you are in action and doing what you do best as an entrepreneur…working and creating!

#3 Create A Snapchat Story

Snapchat Stories is an awesome feature that allows you to photograph or film a moment and add it to a live broadcast that loops for 24 hours. After that, it’s gone forever-unless you download it to your phone before it disappears.

There is no limit to the number of stories that can be added to your broadcast. The more you add, the more you will maintain engagement and attention.

#4 Host A Giveaway

Everyone loves free stuff! Snap a photo of what you’re giving away. Make a few video snaps with what you can use the product for. Make each snap creative and add them to your Snapchat story so they flow well together.

Tell your followers how they can enter, and earn more entries. Once your giveaway is over, don’t forget to announce the winner and congratulate them publicly!

For example, you could ask your followers to take a snap saying why they want to win.

#5 Share Your Blog Posts

When you post a new blog post, record a snap video of yourself announcing it. Share what it’s about and why they should read it.

Record yourself scrolling through the blog post so they have a sneak peak of what it looks like.

#6 Launch A New Product

Whether you’re launching a new product or service, tell your followers about it! Show your enthusiasm and share all the benefits. People will get excited that YOU are exited!

#7 Answer Questions

Do you get a lot of questions about your product or service? Gather them all together and do a Question and Answer Snap. This will increase your customer service value and accessibility.

#8 Grow Your Email List

Create short snaps leading to a free download or lead magnet that they can subscribe to. Use a bit.ly link so they can screenshot it. This will grow your email list quickly.

#9 Collaborate With Influencers

By partnering with influencers, you can expand your potential audience. They have already developed their own trust, and authority with their followers. Offer to let them take over your Snapchat account for the day and engage with your followers.

Alternatively, you can have them snap their ‘unboxing’ experience. This is a great way to increase brand awareness! Much like Youtube, influencers will open, use and review your product while Snapping their experience the audience watching.

Research influencers in your niche and see if you can work with them to create something exciting for your followers.

#10 Create A Custom Geofilter

Geofilters have proven to be a highly effective method of generating new business. They are small graphics that overlay a Snap. When someone takes a Snap in the location of your choice, they’ll be able to select your Geofilter and use it.

For example, if you’re a coffee shop, users can take Snaps of their coffee and add your funny Geofilter to let their friends know where they are and who’s coffee they are enjoying.

Brands may now custom design their own geofilter for an event, or a certain amount of square footage around your location.

#11 Snap A Live Event

The beauty of snapping a live event is that it allows followers to attend from anywhere in the world! They get a VIP, full access pass to everything going on. You can document the entire day and update your Snapchat story to keep your followers engaged. Don’t forget to use a variety of photo and video Snaps!

#12 Offer Exclusive Content

Take advantage of your existing following on other social media platforms. Use your Snapcode or username to direct them to your Snapchat! Create an incentive by offering to share exclusive content with them. Allow your followers to get a first look at something you’ve been working on. Basically, give them a reason to follow you there.

#13 Create Tutorials

We often get asked many travel related questions. Although we could simply write a blog post, we take it a step further, and create a mini tutorial on Snapchat! For example, whoever we’re on the plane, we will snap our flight essentials featuring different products. This allows us to share, promote and talk about the different products we are currently loving.

#14 Demonstrate Your Expertise

Provide value for your followers by sharing your favorite tips and tricks! For example, if you are a fitness couch, you can share your morning routine and how it motivates you to wake up and feel refreshed.

#15 Upload Your Snaps To Instagram

You might be thinking, why would I put in all this work to create content that just disappears! Well, now you don’t have to worry about that. Instagram recently released ‘Instagram Stories’ which is basically a copycat version of Snapchat Stories (though, we are not here to debate that today). Use this to your advantage by saving your Snaps to your camera roll, then reuploading them to your Instagram Story! Now you have two times the exposure for your content.

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Are you on Snapchat yet!? If you love sharing and watching stories, but don’t want the hassle of editing, then this is the social media platform for you. Just Snap, and send. It’s SO simple, but super fun! So go ahead…