Snapchat as a marketing tool

Snapchat is a social media service developed by Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown. It is a free instant messaging service for sharing videos and pictures. Videos and images can be modified in the service with various filters. Snapchat can be used in many different ways. You can share pictures or videos with your friends. You can also use the service just by sending texts. Snapchat’s servers are designed to automatically delete all Snaps after all recipients have seen them. You can add all those people whose phone number you have in snap. You can also search for your friends by their snap username. However, the username must be spelled correctly.

In Snaphat there is also Business option where you can do only ads. It costs but you can define your budget and audience.  

How to start using the application

1. Download the free Snapchat app 

Go to the App Store (for Apple iOS) or the Google Play Store (for Android) and download the app to your device 

Before you set up a Business account, follow these steps to create a regular account: 

2. Create a regular Snapchat account 

1. Open the app and tap Sign Up. Next, enter your first and last name and tap Sign up & Accept. 

2. Enter your birthday and tap Continue. 

3. Create a username that represents your company. Snapchat will suggest available usernames if the one you choose isn’t available. We recommend choosing a username that you won’t regret later; the only way to change your username is to create a new account. Tap Continue. 

4. Create your password and tap Continue. 

5. Enter your email address and tap Continue. 

6. Enter your phone number and tap Continue. Snapchat will send a verification code to your mobile phone. Enter this when prompted, and Snapchat will verify your account. 

3. Register for a business account 

Now that you’ve set up a personal Snapchat profile, you can register a Business Account. To do so, follow these steps: 

1. Head to the Snapchat Ads landing page on your device or computer. 

2. Tap Create an account, and it’ll take you to the following screen. 

3. Because you’ve already created an account, tap Log In at the top of the screen and enter your username or email and password for the account you just created. 

4. Enter your business name, email address, and name. Tap Next. 

5. Add the primary location that you conduct business. 

Now you’re all set to start using it for marketing purposes! 

source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-snapchat-beginners-guide/

Snapchat’s target group

Snapchat is mainly used by young people, but nowadays also older generations have started using the app.  

What type of content  

Since the idea of the application is that the Snaps sent disappears after watching or in 24 hours with stories, unless they are saved separately, makes the app authentic. The idea of Snapchat is to share genuine moments. No unnecessary editing or making the general overall look to seem perfect and flawless.  

Communication 

In Snapchat there is no chance to like or comment on stories so that everyone can see them. You can only send snaps, chats or comments directly to someone or to a group you are in. When you publish something on your ‘’my story’’ and you have your settings in a way that anyone can contact you, you will receive the comment privately to you from the person who commented. You can also create simply yes/no questions on your published story and find out the opinion of the viewers. 

What kind of metrics does the Snapchat offer 

You see how view your storys have and how many reaches you each day. You also get Demographic information. Of course you see also how many start follow or order your account. In Snapchat Ads Manager, you can launch ads, build reports, and optimize toward your goals 

How to use Snapchat in a tourism business  

It’s important to post only interesting material and keep your stories short because the app is ‘’fast paced’’, snaps are deleted after watching and stories are only visible for 24 hours, so those who came to the app are waiting for that. They don’t want to watch stories for minutes and if so, the application is kind of losing its meaning. When you keep your stories short but sweet, also customers interesting keeps and they wanna keep update. You can make it central to show ‘’behind the scenes material’’. Show something that you wouldn’t post for example on Instagram. It’s good to keep in mind that the app users can’t comment your posts on a public page or see other people’s comments.  

Here are some tips  

• Show ‘’glimpses’’ of, for example, a travel destination or special event (remember authenticity) 
• Successes and failures (humor) 
• Make the content fun, edit with stickers and filters 
• Create a Snapchat ad to help find new customers (ads shown between stories) 
• Snapchat users can share your stories with their friends, so try to make the content unique and make it something people want to share! 
• Target ads to a specific audience 

Till example Tjäreborg have Snapchat account where they share holiday moods around the world. Their account is tjareborg. It isn’t common but you can find some tourism accounts in the application.

Special tips: 

Your should definitely utilize Snapchat trend section which you can find at:

https://trends.snapchat.com/?utm_campaign=FI_G_Search_Brand_Alpha-snapchatbusiness&utm_content=whysnapads2&utm_medium=PAIDB2B&utm_source=GoogleSEM&utm_term=FI&lang=en-US 

You should do collaborating with Snapchat creators maybe they can be the guest Snapchatter for one day.  

Our own impressions  

I like snap chat myself. I have never used a snap chat business account. However, it doesn’t seem so difficult. If the target group in marketing were young people, snap chat would be a good way to market. Snap chat is easy to use and creating an account is not difficult either. Some people use snap chat to write texts. I personally like to send pictures and videos. I also like using  filters.  NINA 

In my opinion Snapchat is all about capturing moments. Sending snaps is low threshold, because they are deleted right away or within 24 hours. Of course it’s important to keep in mind that people can take screenshots and -recordings, so the content can’t be any kind, but the unnecessary embellish of things and thinking about the general look remains less. TIIA 

In my opinion Snapchat is good application I like use it. It is capturing moment and a easy way to connect with others. Would I use it for marketing I am not sure. ESSI 

Links to tutorials

https://help.snapchat.com/hc/fi/categories/5685832477716

and

How to create a business account