As a small business owner trying to connect with customers online, decoding youth slang can sometimes feel like an impossible task. One of the most ubiquitous acronyms on Snapchat currently is “WYO.” So what exactly does WYO mean, and how can entrepreneurs use it to effectively engage their audience?
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What Does “WYO” Mean on Snapchat?
WYO stands for “What You On?” and is Snapchat slang for asking someone about their availability and plans.
According to surveys, nearly 85% of Snapchat‘s 186 million daily active users are between the ages of 15 and 25. For this demographic, WYO has become a popular way to casually initiate conversations and make spontaneous plans.
The Rise of WYO
While WYO has been around for several years now, it really took off in popularity around 2019. According to Google Trends data, searches for the term “What does WYO mean on Snapchat” have grown over 700% since 2018.
So what explains the rapidly increasing usage of WYO? A few key reasons:
- It‘s quick and casual – WYO is efficient communication shorthand tailor-made for fast-paced mobile messaging.
- Promotes spontaneity – Asking “WYO tonight?” encourages last-minute, spur-of-the-moment plans.
- Fosters connection – WYO helps Snapchat users feel involved in their friends‘ lives and plans.
How People Use WYO on Snapchat
People integrate WYO into Snapchat in a variety of ways:
- Direct messages (e.g. “WYO this weekend?”)
- Snapchat Stories (e.g. “Bored AF. WYO tonight? Let‘s chill”)
- Commenting on friends‘ Stories (e.g. replying “WYO?” to a post)
- Captions on Snap images/videos
- Bitmoji stickers and geofilters
Based on Snapchat‘s 2020 metrics, there were over 5 billion Snaps created with geofilters alone last year. It‘s safe to assume a hefty percentage included WYO stickers!
Why WYO Creates Marketing Opportunities
So now that we‘ve broken down this popular acronym, how can small businesses capitalize on its ubiquity? WYO presents several creative marketing and engagement opportunities:
Humanize Your Brand
Adopting youth slang like WYO makes your brand feel more relatable. When used strategically, integrating terms like WYO into your Snapchat marketing campaigns humanizes your company and resonates with Gen Z consumers.
Foster Connections
WYO is a conversation starter. Asking followers “WYO this weekend?” on a Snapchat Story post nudges them to respond and engage. This helps build rapport with your audience.
Enable Spontaneity
The casual spontaneity embodied by WYO gives you license to promote last-minute deals, flash sales, or special events to followers. WYO helps spur-of-the-moment purchases.
Promote Products
A Snapchat Story post saying “Bored tonight? WYO?” provides the perfect opportunity to suggest relevant products, services, or activities from your business to fill that boredom gap.
Build Hype
WYO lets you generate excitement around new product launches, remodels, expansions, etc. Teasing “We‘ve got something big coming…WYO next week?” builds anticipation and intrigue.
Tips for Businesses Using WYO on Snapchat
As a small business owner, here are my top tips for effectively integrating WYO into your Snapchat strategy:
Get Visual
Leverage Bitmoji stickers, custom geofilters, videos, and other visual elements to creatively incorporate WYO into posts. This increases engagement and memorability.
Provide Context
When using WYO, provide relevant context, like “WYO tomorrow? We‘ve got a big sale happening!” This gives helpful details to prompt action.
Be Consistent
Use WYO regularly to make it part of your brand‘s natural Snapchat vocabulary versus a one-off gimmick.
Monitor Responses
Pay attention to engagement and response rates on WYO posts. This can reveal optimal timing, relevant topics, and other insights to refine your approach.
Emphasize Spontaneity
Highlight the spontaneity embodied by WYO when promoting last-minute specials like flash sales or seasonal deals to capture the magic of spur-of-the-moment commerce.
Decoding Snapchat to Connect with Customers
As Snapchat continues evolving as a marketing platform, staying on top of popular slang provides an edge. For young demographics, terms like WYO are part of their cultural lexicon.
By taking the time to understand acronyms like WYO, entrepreneurs can craft resonant messaging tailored to Snapchat users‘ preferences and behaviors. While intimidating at first, ultimately Snapchat provides innovative ways to engage our ideal audience. WYO helps capture the casual, spontaneous, and visual communication style that makes the platform so powerful.
