You know from being a business leader how important your online presence is for any business’s success. Nowadays, everyone’s online, and that’s where they get their information about what businesses to trust. You’ve already mastered so many aspects of social media, from hitting up the right influencers on Instagram to engaging on Twitter with your biggest fans and customers. When it comes to designing a beautiful website, you’re all set. You’ve even worked with lawyers like Aaron Kelly; MarketWired shares that he has created a whole new system for legally advising startups at an affordable price.
But when it comes to Snapchat, a social media app that’s suddenly become popular among your younger customers, you aren’t entirely sure where to start. That little ghost on the app seems to be mocking you, despite the lack of expression on its face. But there’s no need for you to worry–all you need is to take a few steps, and you’ll be a Snapchat master in no time:
1) Make connections
Like with any social media platform like Facebook or Instagram, when you first start out your Snapchat business profile, you aren’t going to be super connected. And because Snapchat is a much simpler layout than these other platforms, it can be a challenge to start a search. With Facebook and Instagram, you can simply search topics related to your businesses, scroll through, and check out what profiles have something in common with yours. With Snapchat, on the other hand, you usually need someone’s username to connect, which can be tricky.
Sure, it’s a challenge, but Snapchat has 187 million daily users, many of them millennials and Gen Zers, it’s worth the effort. According to Think Business, you can find Snapchat usernames “by performing a Google search to see if an individual brand is using it. Another way to track down usernames is by searching for the keywords ‘follow on Snapchat’ on Facebook or Twitter as most brands will, at some point, have asked their followers to connect with them there. Snapcodes can also be a useful source for finding related users to follow.” Then, you can get them to follow you back, building up your numbers.
2) Interact with your connections
Once you’ve made a good number of connections, you can start showing them what you’ve got to offer. The most basic of these options is creating a snap, a quick video or photo that you’ll send directly to other users. Don’t forget to have fun, using cool filters (many of which are updated daily) and writing funny messages on the screen. If you aren’t sure where to start, brainstorm with your team on what you think your aesthetic and sense of humor is at your company–and don’t forget to check out this list of the best brands on Snapchat to get inspired.
Just remember: 71 percent of Snapchat users are under 34 years old, so don’t be afraid to have fun. And you’ve got other options other than ordinary snaps, too. According to PostCron, viewing and responding to users’ stories, instantly messaging your followers privately, and sending “Snapcash,” which is when you send money, for example, to an influencer.
3) Partner up with an influencer
Snapchat is inherently more personal than more public social media platforms. This means if you really want to get the word out about your brand, it’s smart to partner with an influencer, especially because Gen Zers are so averse to advertisement. According to mediakix, they want “authenticity and realistic narrative in advertisements. This is evidenced by Generation Z’s preference for influencer marketing. 63 percent of Generation Z would prefer to see social media influencers in advertisements where only 37 percent of Generation Z would prefer celebrities.”
Generally speaking, one of the best ways to connect with influencers is by building your audience enough to show your business is legitimate and then offering free swag in return for reviewing your products. Additionally, go to networking events where you can meet them in person.
4) Combine Snapchat with your other social media profiles
Finally, once your Snapchat has started getting popular, and you’re snapping regularly enough to know what your image on the platform is, combine Snapchat with your other social media profiles. According to Tech Advisory, the best way to do this is by using the “Add Me” Snapchat URL on your other social media platforms, as well as promoting your Snapchat username in your social media profiles. That way, your Snapchat is just a click away.
In 2017, Snapchat was opened 18 times daily by its average users–so if you want to be constantly connected with your customers, this is one of the best platforms for it.
The fact is, Snapchat is the future when it comes to social media, and using it for your business is going to improve your connections with customers now and as they get older. Ultimately, it’s important to be as aware as possible of every change in social media, because that’s how you can show just how great your business is.
What elements of social media strategy do you find challenging?
