You may have heard of the app called Snapchat. I have a couple of other blog posts in the works about certain Snapchat features, but we decided to give an overview of this app for those of you who have not been introduced to it.
TechTarget provides a short and sweet definition: Snapchat is a mobile app that allows users to send and receive “self-destructing” photos and videos. Photos and videos taken with the app are called Snaps. As one of the fastest growing growing apps, Snapchat reaches about 41% of 18-34 year olds and has over 100 million active users (source). Is that insane or what?
Using one of the filters, this is me posing as a cat lady. Why? Because I think it’s hilarious.
You can show your personality. Snapchat encourages creativity, cultivates imagination and inspires humor. You can express your silly side without fear of backlash. With other social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, you do not have as much control as to who is able to view your content. It can be a very judgmental place. However, Snapchat allows you to choose whom you send your Snaps to or if you want to post it in your story (I will follow up on this in another blog post). This way you can share your photos and videos
The majority of snap chat users are under the age of 30. So if you are looking to spread the word about your organization to young people, Snapchat might be worth looking into. Since there is only a certain amount of time to view a Snap, attention span is heightened which means you have a better chance of your audience understanding your message.
Another nifty function of this app is that you don’t know what the Snap contains until you open it. There a sense of mystery with snaps which intrigues the viewer. And with a longer attention span, you’ll be able to get your message across loud and clear.
Since your photo or video disappears after a certain amount of time, you can try different marketing techniques with a low risk for failure. You can use Snapchat as a Litmus test to see what works and what doesn’t work, so you can collect data for other marketing strategies. So get creative!
Snapchat is something to consider incorporating into your marketing plan (at no cost!). Show your followers a different side of your organization and inspire the younger crowd to get involved in your cause. Next time, I’ll explain and discuss the benefit of Snapchat Geofilters.