Facebook and Twitter capture a lot of attention for social media campaigns, but there’s another platform worthy of our attention. Snapchat has quietly gained steam over the past few years. It boasts more than 100 million daily users and is valued at a whopping $20 billion. That’s a lot of untapped potential. Learn how to target your Snapchat followers and turn them into business leads or even loyal customers.
Who’s Using Snapchat?
Once an app reserved for the very young, the demographics of Snapchat are changing. A recent survey found half of Snapchat’s users are older than 25, and the percentage of growth of those 35 and older is actually faster than the 18–24 demographic.
In short, Snapchat is an effective way to reach millennials, the single largest source of buying power in today’s market. Here’s how to draw them in.
Get Them to Join Your Email List
Snapchat doesn’t allow clickable links, so you must use bit.ly to make a memorable link. Have followers snap you back, where you can send it to them via direct message. Alternatively, encourage users to screenshot the link and take a look at your content. Promote your content, newsletters, and specials to collect email addresses, which is a more effective medium for selling.
Move the Relationship Beyond the Snap
People generally don’t use Snapchat to buy, so it’s not an ideal place to sell. Instead, use it as a jumping-off point in your relationship – establish a rapport, then include calls to action such as having a Skype meeting, meeting for coffee, even offering a free trial of a product. Keep in mind this tactic works best for smaller businesses.
Give Them an Action Shot
Snapchat is a great platform to show the brilliance of your product or service in action. If you’re in a service-based business, share stories about other clients or highlight certain employees. If selling a product, show how it’s used, how it’s made, or how people benefit from it. This “show, don’t tell” approach is effective because it doesn’t come off as salesy. The more stories you tell, the more relatable you are to your followers – and the more likely they are to see the value in your product or service.
Snapchatting, when done well, can be a valuable tool in your marketing arsenal. It can also help you capture leads from younger buyers. Use it as a springboard for other platforms, ultimately leading to a sale.
Need social media consulting? Be sure to contact us at SteerPoint.