If you ask any agency executive about their social darling these days, the synonymous answer would be “Snapchat”. The value of the marketing platform could be measured by its popularity, users, and brand fit.
Why so popular?
Let’s start with some numbers. Snapchat has 100 million daily active users who share more than 400 million snaps per day. The platform is one of the fastest growing social/messaging apps at 57%. It’s a huge hit amongst youngsters with a median age of 18 years with a majority of users between 13 and 25 years of age.
It attracts teens and young adults for reasons like privacy and Facebook is now getting crowded with parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and acquaintances. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are more public in nature and invades the privacy in one way or the other. After playing around with these platforms for years youngsters have realized to be cautious while sharing their personal lives on social platforms. Snapchat, with its feature of disappearing photos and videos, is a perfect playful environment for millennials and ensures privacy for them. In fact, Snapchat is so serious about privacy, it notifies the user regarding screenshot taken by friend.
Story Chatting
Snapchat, unique platform, smartly holds its users with features like Snapchat stories which is a collection of snaps, short videos which users can create. These stories have a shelf life of 24 hours and can be shared with as many as friends user wants. It is based on a simple insight that every human loves storytelling and listening to them. This feature empower users by removing inhibitions of privacy and let them decide who they want to share with.
Snapchat also makes user stars by allowing Snapchatters who are at the same event location to contribute snaps to “Our Story”. Another innovative feature of Snapchat is the Discover feature which let users consume content from publishers like Vice, CNN, National Geographic and more. The content disappears in 24 hours which is the DNA of this app.
How Brands can play
Snapchat is a playful medium and Brands should keep the essence of this medium to connect with the audience. Take advantage of Snapchat stories feature like covering an event, sharing nuggets about your company. Snapchat could be used for a soft launch of a product or brand with short teasers or sneak peek to Snapchat contacts. The users which have added your brand would feel part of the community and creates a feeling of exclusiveness.
Brands could inform its customers every time there is special sale or event. Promote behind the scenes photos and videos which are intriguing for the customers and a clever marketing tool which stands the tests of the time. Snappy discount offers which has expiry date with a self-destruct feature which would create a sense of urgency in customers and users would have an incentive to remain updated about company latest offers. A popular frozen yogurt brand, 16handles, successfully launched the SnappyNewYear campaign where they encouraged users to snap a picture of them eating yogurt and receive discounts at cashier’s desk.
Final Dessert
Snapchat is all set to join the elite club of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as it has a great user experience. All it needs to figure out is the analytic part of the game which is currently a miss for this platform. It’s a platform for the young brands who want to connect with younger audience. The future looks bright and funny for Snapchat. Keep Calm and Keep Snapping!
-Karan Mehta
Follow @ChutneyGluttonyDisclaimer: All company names, trade names, trademarks, trade dress, designs/logos, copyrights, images, content and products referenced in this blog are the property of their respective owners. No company referenced sponsored this blog or the contents thereof.
Agency Insider 
yeah its snappy,, good article
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