With hundreds of million daily users, several companies have wanted to try their luck on
Snapchat. The channel allows brands to communicate with a target audience in real-time by posting engaging content. But even if there is a lot to gain, it can be difficult to succeed.
Below are some of the biggest challenges for brands that want to use Snapchat for marketing.
Geofilter and AR lenses. What should you choose?
Recently, several brands have started experimenting with both geofilters and AR filters. Both tools are effective for building a brand identity, but you should read a bit before deciding what is best for your brand.
If we ignore the cost, then geofilters are only truly successful for companies that have a basic understanding of their own target group. If there is no substantial budget to spend on the campaign, it is better to start small-scale. Fortunately, Snapchat has made it easier for companies that want to create unique geofilters in a short time, through their On-Demand service. And it doesn’t have to be very expensive either, depending on how long you want the geofilter to be available.
One trend is that brands create exclusive geofilters that, for example, are only available in connection with the brand’s store. What makes this so effective is that you manage to package messages in a fun and engaging way without feeling like advertising. Consumers will then be more likely to voluntarily use the filter in their snaps. These exclusive geo-filters have almost become the word-of-mouth of the digital age.
Building an audience
Creating and entertaining your audience on Snapchat is tough. Unlike on other social media, one cannot promote one’s posts to appear in users’ feeds. This means that you, as a brand, have to rely on people themselves choosing to follow you.
Recently, however, it has become increasingly popular with “cross-promotion”, where companies promote their exclusive Snapchat content on their existing social media. Whether it is behind the scenes or a preview of a new product, brands are finding new ways to give their followers what they want in return for following them on Snapchat.
Snapchat is a great tool for creating authentic content. If you want to create high-quality movies and pictures, there are other platforms that are better designed for it.
For example, content can only be produced via the phone, which means that the quality can be lower than it might otherwise have been. And although a Story on Snapchat can be any length, the individual movie or image can never be longer than ten seconds.
Some brands may be scared to embrace these limitations while others throw themselves in the head before. Not least, many fashion brands have used Snapchat in recent years. These brands that radiate luxury give Snapchat their followers the opportunity to feel that they are part of something that is otherwise perceived as exclusive and difficult to access. It helps to create a more authentic image of the brand.
