Social Media Tools – Snapchat

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is an American multimedia instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc founded in September 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown. Snap for sending instant photos and videos, chat for using the discuss platform. Idea was to offer secure person-person communication with images and chats visible only for a while. As in year 2023 it is still one of the most used social media platforms in the world with 750 million user monthly.

Introduction to Snapchat

Snapchat was created to share everyday life inform of a snap photos taked in the moment and short videos and chat that are available only to see for once for the viewer. These snaps you are able to edit include filters and effects, text captions and drawings. Nowadays there are a lot of different options in the communication platform, free of charge and paid options as well. For example you can save all the content if you like and snapchat informs the person who shared the content if you save something or if you take a screenshot of something shared.

And with extra charge you can restore your streak with someone if it breaks. Streak keeps track how many days in a row you have snapped with a friend. Keeping up snapstreaks gives you extra points in your Snapchat score. Snap’s biggest challengers are TikTok and Instagram, Meta platforms. This is why also Snapchat is developing and changing with new features to keep up the competition of users with the these other platforms. The latest update on Snapchat is that they now are online as well so you can use Snapchat on your browser with laptop or computer. There is also a brand new feature where you can chat with My AI that is your personal chat robot.

How to start using Snapchat?

There is variety of guide books online that are very good and easy to follow up when taking first steps in using Snapchat. Snapchat itself has created the best guide on their own website in multiple languages and inform of videos also. Here is links to follow up in english and in finnish. You just need to take few steps and you are in the world of snapping.

Few main points in using Snapchat

1. Download the app from AppStore or from GooglePlay and make an account by following the instructions given automatically. When creating the account you can choose to automatically find friends on app, you just need to allow Snapchat to use your contact list.
2. In the opening view you have camera, just swipe right to find everything else in one place.
3. In the bottom row from right to left there is location and map, chat, camera in the middle, stories and spotlight. In the Snapchat guide you will find thorough guide to these features. They also provide a help center service.

The features in Snapchat

• Disappearing messages: Signature features of Snapchat is that messages, videos and photos sent through the platform can be set to automatically disappear after a set period of time up to maximum 24h.
• Stories: Users can create stories in the same way that in Meta platforms by compiling a series of photos and videos.
• Filters and lenses: Snapchat offers a wide range of creative filters augmented reality (AR) lenses that users can apply to their photos and videos to add special effects, masks and animations.
• Chat: In addition to sending multimedia snaps users can also have text-based chats with their friends. These chats can include text messages, photos and video phone calls.
• Discover: This feature allows publishers and media outlets to share content, including new articles, videos and advertisements with users in curated format.
• Snap Map: This enables users to see the real-time location of theirs friends on a map provided that their friends have have opted to share their location.
• Memories: Users can save their
• My-AI: Latest feature in Snapchat. Users personal AI-friend that you can chat with. You can tailor your own AI friend by naming and dressing My-AI.

How to benefit of Snapchat in business use

Snapchat can be a very effective channel in business use to reach out to younger audience and create engaging content. When it comes to for example field of tourism, businesses can benefit the use of Snapchat in reaching out to travelers, promoting effectively destinations and providing unique experiences. There is a huge variety in paid platform to use in marketing field.

Few main points how to use Snapchat in marketing

Snapchat marketing is digital marketing strategy that leverages the popular social media platform, Snapchat, to promote products, services or brands to a younger and engaged audience. Snapchat is known for its epheremal content. Some key aspects of Snapchat marketing:

1. Snapchat Ads: Snapchat offers various ad formats for businesses to reach their audience. These include Snap Ads, which are full-screen video ads that appear between user stories and Sponsored Lenses and Filters. This allows brands to create interactive experiences.
2. Snapchat Discover: This feature allows brands and publishers to create content-rich channels. With this feature brands can publish articles and videos and lots more.
3. Snapchat Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influencers who have a significant following on Snapchat can be affective way to promote the brand with its services and products.
4. Geofilters: These are location based filters that users can apply to their Snaps. Businesses can create custom geofilters for events, stores or specific locations to increase brand visibility.
5. Snapchat Stories: Can be used to give followers a behind the-scenes look at the brand and keep on-going presence on the platform.
6. Snapchat Discover Ads: These are native ads that appear within Discover section.
7. Snapchat Analytics: these tools helps businesses to measure the performance on campaigns.
8. User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourages followers to create and share content that is related to the brand.
9. Snapchat Premium: Premium content is available on Snapchat to a selected audience and can be an unique way to engage with a dedicated user base.
10. Consistent Posting: Regularly posted engaging content keeps the brand top-of-mind for followers.
11. Creative and Interactive Content: This is what Snapchat users appreciates.
12. Targeting: Snapchat provides various options in targeting including age, location, interests to ensure your ads are seen by the most relevant audience.
13. Adapt to Trends: Staying up-to date with all the latest features and releases on Snapchat and it will keep marketing strategy fresh and engaging.

Snapchat’s target groups and communication with followers

Snapchat has gained a huge popularity especially in the age group under 30, the generation Z. The age classification is 12+ in the year 2023. Target groups include foe example mobile-first users, visual and creative individuals and engagement-oriented users. Also brands are using Snapchat widely to market and promote. Snapchat is for personal communication and brief communication so it’s a bit more casual and fun social media platform than the others.

My personal experience in using Snapchat is still a bit low as i downloaded the app to reach out to my teenaged daughter and see her location sometimes. And funny it is that she always answers snaps but never whats app messages and we have formed a special kind of daily messaging with filters and photos between us. And we were sad when our streak of 36 days broke up and we had to start all over again. On my personal opinion Snapchat is truly fun social media platform and I like the feature that nothing stays there if you decide not to save your content.

Resources

Useful links:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap_Inc.
• https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snapchat
• https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-snapchat-beginners-guide/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snapchat
• https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/7012332815508-How-to-Use-Snapchat

I used the help of Chat GPT to form this blog post for some parts.