If you think Snapchat is just for kids, think again. The extremely popular social media platform is gaining traction with savvy brands and marketers, but is it a fit for your company? Consider the advantages the platform offers to determine if adding Snapchat to your social media arsenal makes sense.
Ability to reach a younger audience
First, a few facts. Snapchat is hottest among the millennial and Generation Z demographics, with over 70 percent of users under the age of 25. Young people with a smartphone are likely on Snapchat; in fact, more than 60 percent of Americans ages 13 to 34 with a smartphone are already there. What does this mean for your company? Essentially, if you’re marketing your products or services to a younger audience, you should go where your audience is and give the platform serious consideration.
A growing audience of older users
You’re not off the hook if younger people aren’t your target market. Just like many other social media platforms, as Snapchat matures, the platform’s users are skewing older as well. In fact, it is growing fastest among users over 35, with a 224 percent growth rate in the last quarter of 2016 when compared to 2015. While Snapchat might not be a part of your marketing strategy next quarter, it likely may be next year.
Less competition
While many brands have been on the bread-and-butter social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for years, Snapchat is less popular (although growing rapidly) among businesses. Competition for your audiences’ attention is fierce on the conventional platforms; Snapchat could offer a window of opportunity to go where your competition isn’t.
It’s different
Snapchat goes beyond likes and comments to a new and creative realm of social media. Custom geofilters and stickers allow you to promote your brand and special events to users in pre-determined locations. A lens can be customized with creative ideas to promote your organization. Your story is a fun way to give users an inside look at your business. While content on the platform is only temporary — snaps and chats disappear after they have been viewed and stories only hang around for 24 hours — this limitation can be a fun challenge when developing new content ideas.
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