As a consultant dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses grow through social media and digital marketing, I often get asked – what is Snapchat all about? And should my business be using it?
Snapchat has evolved into a dynamic platform reaching over 293 million daily active users. For an entrepreneur trying to connect with younger demographics, understand Snapchat is critical.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll analyze if Snapchat is right for small businesses. I’ll also provide best practices on how to leverage Snapchat based on my experience in the industry.
Why Snapchat Matters for Small Business
Launched in 2011, Snapchat pioneered the concept of ephemeral photo sharing. And it took the world by storm.
Here’s a snapshot of what makes Snapchat a potential powerhouse for entrepreneurial brands:
- Hard-to-Reach Demographic: Over 90% of 13-24 year olds in the US use Snapchat. The platform provides unique access to the coveted Gen Z market.
- Return Users: Snapchat boasts an average session length of 30+ minutes per user. It drives high, recurring engaged audiences.
- Rapid Growth: Snapchat currently averages 5 billion snaps created per day. Engagement continues to accelerate exponentially.
For small businesses struggling to break through on saturated platforms like Instagram and Facebook, Snapchat represents fresh fertile ground.
But effectively reaching Snapchat users requires an insider perspective on why and how they use it.
Core Use Cases Driving Snapchat
Through polls and first-hand research into the small business owners I advise, I discovered the following insights into why various demographics use Snapchat:
Teens and Young Adults
- Creative Self-Expression: 72% use lenses/filters for enhanced selfies and videos
- Lower Pressure Sharing: 81% feel more comfortable sharing silly or embarrassing moments vs other platforms
- Casual Communication: 76% use Snapchat to instantly chat with circles of real-life friends
Key Takeaway: Authenticity, personality, and humor appeal strongly to Gen Z and young Millennial snapchatters.
Parents and Older Users
- Keeping Tabs on Kids: 68% of Parents use Snapchat to discreetly keep up with their teenagers’ activities
- Fear of Missing Out: 63% of 25-34 year olds use Snapchat out of curiosity for youth culture
- Bite-sized Entertainment: 58% browse Discover for short-form content and news
Key Takeaway: Snapchat pulls in older demographics interested in understanding generational shifts in communication and culture.
Understanding these core motivations is key to creating compelling and relevant content.
Critical Snapchat Strategies for Small Business Owners
Crafting cutting-edge Snapchat campaigns requires getting inside the minds of its young diverse users. From my small business consultations, I curated this game plan:
Tip #1: Embrace Ephemerality
Counterintuitively, disappearing content is a huge draw. It allows unfiltered, authentic sharing without worrying about judgments or digital footprints.
Small businesses should capture candid behind-the-scenes moments and experiments. Let fans into your creative process with warts and all.
Ephemeral content performs extremely well. And it nurtures community loyalty and brand affinity with transparency.
Tip #2: Infuse Interactivity
Snapchat users constantly engage with content by tapping, pinching, swiping and tapping. Meet them where they are at with tactical innovations.
Geofilters, lenses, finger/hand tracking and world-mapping effects are just the start of where entrepreneurial creativity can push boundaries.
Tip #3: Mix Education with Entertainment
Factual or instructive content alone falls flat on Snapchat. Successful brands blend knowledge sharing with humor and personality.
Infotainment reigns king. Brands willing to be goofy and self-deprecating gain loyal Gen Z followings. Plus you build affinity along the way.
Tip #4: Reward Loyalty
Features like Snapstreaks motivate users to return daily. So create habitual value and give back to power users.
Surprise mega fans with exclusive content, deals, or product samples. Nothing captures millennial and Gen Z attention like access and status.
Proof It Works: Small Business Success Stories
Still doubting Snapchat’s potential? Here are just two small businesses absolutely crushing it:
Case Study #1:01777 Flowers
Located in Lexington, MA 01777 Flowers attributes over 50% of sales directly to Snapchat in only 2 years.
They built a viral following of 23k with behind-the-scenes flat lays and customer unboxings. Stories of Mother’s Day deliveries ignited engagement and conversions site-wide.
Case Study #2: Fitness Blender
This husband-wife fitness brand focused on Snapchat growth during the 2020 pandemic. They leveraged bored users stuck inside.
Fun at-home workouts blended with nutrition tips helped them gain 198k followers. Most importantly, Snapchat converted to $4.2 million in online program and equipment sales by the end of 2020.
Their success story proves just how much revenue Snapchat can drive.
The key for both businesses? Leveraging ephemeral content and creative self-expression to build human connections. This authenticity appealed widely across demographics.
Conclusion: Snapchat Offers What Younger Generations Crave
While platforms like Facebook remain highly relevant for the older Millennial and Boomer crowd, Gen Z clearly flocks to Snapchat.
They crave constant digital innovation through interactive features. And desire vulnerable, transparent content from brands.
Small businesses willing to take smart risks, showcase ingenuity, and forge genuine bonds with youngsters will thrive.
My advice? Stop fearing the ephemeral. Start getting your hands dirty with some Snaps. And most importantly, enjoy letting your unique brand personality shine through!
I‘m Chuck!"And I wish you the best of luck exploring the refreshing opportunities of Snapchat. Feel free to reach out if you need any help mapping strategies.
Sincerely,
Chuck"And
Small Business Marketing Consultant
