Why the Buzz on Snapchat?

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Why the Buzz on Snapchat?

From Marketing Land to Social Media Today, the coverage of Snapchat’s evolution is constantly in the news.  From the White House to the Emmy’s, Snapchat has been adopted for its fleeting but compelling visual experience and its strong connection with Millennials.

Why all the hype? This was just a teen app with a questionable reputation just four short years ago.

Growth Trajectory/Revenue

Snapchat is following Facebook’s growth trajectory with revenue predictions between $300 and $350 million this year.  According to Bloomberg, ten billion videos are viewed on Snapchat every day.  That is an increase of 2 billion from two months ago.  Although Snapchat’s growth is significant and is seen as a threat to Facebook, we should keep in mind that Facebook had 60 million new members, over half of Snapchat’s users base just last quarter.  This is still a David and Goliath story, so why should Facebook be concerned?  Read this article to find out.

Snapchat Audience & Nielsen Research

HubSpot

 

 

HubSpot reports on Snapchat’s audience:

  • 100 Million Daily Active Users
  • 8,796 Photos are shared every second on Snapchat
  • 18% of all social media users use Snapchat
  • 45% are between 18 and 24
  • Nearly 1/3 of all U.S. millennial internet users access Snapchat regularly
  • 70% of Snap chatters are female/30% are male

NeilsenAs part of Snapchat’s advertising sales development, Nielsen announced in February that Snapchat’s Live Stories feeds and Discover channels will be measured as part of the Digital Ad Ratings program.  Sponsored Geofilters and Sponsored Lens ads that can be modified by individual Snap chatters will eventually be measured.

Recent Innovation

While Snapchat is growing, it’s customization to the Millennial audience, is what makes it just plain fun!  Its evolving user experience gives Snap chatters creative ways to connect with friends or share a story. Read on to learn more about this evolution and marketing approaches to maximize your brand exposure on Snapchat.

Communications Platform

Responding to their audience’s mobile usage (55% of teens 13-17 text their friends daily), Snapchat made a major leap forward on March 29th announcing the evolution of the Snapchat app to a multi-dimensional communication tool.  Snapchat has successfully blended a variety of fun features which include stickers, video notes, audio notes, and photos with drawing tool access with the functionality of making mobile calls and texting. Undoubtedly, there will be similar experiences offered by competitors soon, but for now Snapchat is first to the market and continuing to build loyalty.

On-Demand Geofilters

On March 8th, Snapchat announced the launch of on-demand geofilters, a unique vehicle to increase audience interconnectivity at an event or a place of business.  Marketers have the opportunity to brand an event by adding a geofilter, which is a stamp to an image.  It is a streamlined process which includes submitting your image, picking your dates, and selecting your location via geofencing.  Its on-demand geofilter has been experiencing some growing pains. Read this article to find out more.

Marketing Approaches

According to Social Media Examiner, here are some recent marketing approaches to consider as possible options for your brand.

  1. Provide Rarely Seen Footage Surrounding Live Events– The NFL Draft was provided via Live on Snapchat
  2. Deliver Private Content – Designers at Fashion Week have previewed their collections on Snapchat.
  3. Contests, Perks, and Promotions – Become friends with Taco Bell.
  4. Share Behind the Scenes – As part of a featured Cosmopolitan article on Snapchat Discover, a behind the scenes look at Beyonce’s World Tour was accessible. MLB even hosted a Snapchat Day during Spring Training. Take a look at this YouTube video.
  5. Partner with Influencers – Partner with popular Snap chatters that could quickly build equity on Snapchat.

These B2C examples are proven methods to use Snapchat to reach the millennial audience, the largest living generation and they make up more than 50% of the workforce! It’s important to note that there aren’t many B2B marketing use cases yet; however, that could change in the near future so this should be watched closely. To market to Snap chatters, it’s essential to be one!  So start snapping and see if and when it’s a fit for your brand.

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Kathleen Rogers

About the content writer:

Kathleen Rogers has a passion for research-driven content writing and has always been inspired by creative thinking.   Recently, she explored her source of inspiration by completing a second degree from USF’s Art History program.

A notable highlight from the start of Kathleen’s career, she was trained at the award winning creative shop Cliff Freeman & Partners, a subsidiary of Saatchi and Saatchi Global.  Cliff Freeman is home to famous campaigns such as Wendy’s “Where’s The Beef” and Little Caesar’s “Pizza! Pizza!”

With ten years of media planning and buying experience, Kathleen has developed strategic plans for a diverse cross section of national brands such as Celebrity Cruises, Sauza Tequila, and Hasbro/Milton Bradley, as well as regional and local brands. Kathleen has recently donated her time and energy to two well deserving organizations.  She volunteered for Brandon Regional Hospital and provided pro bono marketing plans for Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center.

In her free time, Kathleen enjoys traveling to National Parks, visiting local art exhibitions, and cheering for her energetic girls from the pool side or soccer sidelines.