Snapchat has always been a sort of cryptic social media platform. Just as the pictures sent on Snapchat vanish after ten seconds, the whole concept of the platform can be difficult to grasp, especially for brands seeking advertising opportunities.
Snapchat is unique from other popular forms of social media in that it’s not a constant feed of posts. Instead, it allows users to share time-sensitive pictures and videos with one, several, or all of their friends on the app. It has become a favorite social platform for many, and now has over 150 million daily active users. Clearly there’s an audience to be reached on Snapchat, but how does that translate to brand engagement? Here are some Snapchat success stories that have taught us a thing or two about using the platform effectively.
Taco Bell
One business that has been successful on Snapchat is Taco Bell, which joined back in 2013. The restaurant chain made its first appearance when it announced via Snapchat that its popular Beefy Crunch Burrito was coming back – but not before first teasing the news to its Twitter followers. That was enough to start growing its Snapchat following, which is now over 200 thousand. The brand really made a splash on Cinco de Mayo last year when they sponsored a Snapchat lens that let users transform their face into a taco. As simple as it was, the lens set a Snapchat record with 224 million views. The amount they paid for that specific ad hasn’t been released, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was at least $700 thousand (the starting rate for sponsoring a lens on a holiday). Considering that Snapchat users play with Sponsored Lenses for an average of twenty seconds, this campaign was highly valuable for Taco Bell. And although its actual return on investment is hard to measure, the Cinco de Mayo filter – along with Taco Bell’s Snapchat presence in general – has definitely helped keep the brand modern and trendy in the eyes of its fans.
Gatorade
Taco Bell isn’t the only brand that has used Snapchat advertising effectively. Gatorade has also found success in Sponsored Lenses, specifically a Gatorade dunk lens that it sponsored for the Super Bowl last year. The lens virtually dumped a cooler of Gatorade on Snapchatters, and received 165 million views. Gatorade actually refreshed the concept for this year’s Super Bowl by letting Snapchatters choose their team’s color for the Snap filter. Although the brand doesn’t actually have its own Snapchat account, it’s still able to maintain a presence on the platform through engaging advertising. Snap Ads’ swipe-up rate (swiping up on a Snapchat ad lets you see a full ad or get more information from the advertiser) is five times the click-through rate of ads on similar social platforms. Unlike more conventional advertising, Snapchat ads give brands the opportunity to engage with audiences in a more casual format.
Disney
Ultimately, Snapchat is used for entertainment purposes, so the most Snap-savvy brands find ways to become part of the entertainment. One such company is Disney – which has started producing original shows for Snapchat’s Discover section. These shows are shorter than traditional TV episodes, but still air regularly and run in series. Disney’s first series is called “Watch Party: The Bachelor” and began on January 3rd. It features former Bachelor contestants and other popular personalities who react as they watch episodes of the current season. Disney has plans to continue creating shows for Snapchat, although it’s keeping quiet about the details – after all, the surprise factor is one of the most valuable elements of Snapchat. NBC, ESPN, and NFL are also producing shows, and Snapchat itself even created a political commentary show called “Good Luck America.” The social media giant is definitely trending toward more original content, and even more subtle and entertaining advertising options for the future.
As Snapchat continues to grow and evolve with its audience, so will opportunities for brands to influence the millions of people who use the platform. Need help snapping into digital opportunities for your business? Give us a shout!
