How GhostCodes is Changing the Way We Use Snapchat
Until recently, discovering new people on Snapchat required that you had someones username or their Snapcode, a unique identifier that can be scanned within the app to add new friends. However, both of these things are often kept private, and can only be accessed if this information is posted publicly on social media platforms, or given out directly. Basically, it’s extremely difficult to find new people that you aren’t already connected to — until now, that is.
GhostCodes is a new app that is revolutionizing the way people and businesses are connecting on Snapchat. Available exclusively for iPhone until the Android version is released in early to mid-May, this app — which is essentially a Snapchat directory — now gives users the opportunity to create a small profile, select a category that best fits their niche, and set out into uncharted waters in search of new followers and brand recognition.
Having discovered the invite-only app only a few days after its release, I was able to jump on the GhostCodes bandwagon and build up a fairly robust following — one that has increased my daily followers by over 250% in less than a week and is still growing — and I didn’t even have to try very hard!
As much as it aims to inform, this article will also serve as a guide to help Snappers old and new to navigate this fast-growing platform. **Android users will benefit especially as they will have all of this information at their fingertips the moment their version is released.
Before We Begin
If you want to make any sort of impact on GhostCodes and thus Snapchat, there are some fundamentals that you should understand before getting started.
Your visibility on GhostCodes is dependent on how you rank. Your rank depends on how many ‘kudos’ — or ‘likes’ — you’ve been given by others. The ultimate goal is to get people to give you kudos and download your Snapcode, which can then be scanned in Snapchat. The more kudos you have, the higher you move up in rank and the more likely you are to have others see you, download your Snapcode, and add you. If you’re just starting out, it’s especially important to understand this so that you’re not at the bottom of the ranks for too long.
Ok, let’s begin.
PART I — THE BASICS
Your Profile
Your GhostCodes profile is the first impression people will get when they discover you, so it’s vital that you create the best impression possible. Here’s how to make the most of this.
Picture
Whether you have a profile picture set on Snapchat or not, GhostCodes allows you to upload a photo into your Snapcode. This is highly encouraged as it is the very first thing people notice when they come across your profile. It can be a selfie, your brand, or a display of your work — don’t leave it blank!
About Me
Like any social media site, there is a small space within the app to include who you are and what people can expect from your stories. A blank About Me doesn’t tickle anyones fancy, so don’t expect much interaction if this is you. You don’t have to develop a mission statement or be the voice of a generation! Just say hey, show that you’re a human, and let everyone know what you like to do. Pretty simple stuff:)
Social Links
One really awesome feature is that GhostCodes allows you to connect many different social links to your profile, giving potential followers the opportunity to visit your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Youtube accounts in addition to downloading your Snapcode (hoping for Medium and Spotify in the future).
Interests — Last but not least, you can add up to 10 interests that can be found at the bottom of your profile. Having interests listed allows other ‘Ghosters’ to find you on more than just the category you choose to call home.
PART II — PLAYING THE GAME
Give Kudos & Downloads Generously
The GhostCodes community is extremely supportive, and keeping that vibe across the board means everyone does their small part at keeping Snapchat awesome. Keep in mind that success on GhostCodes is entirely dependent on kudos, which are represented by purple hearts — a gesture of appreciation to fellow Ghosters that says, “I see you, fam.” It doesn’t cost a thing, and it goes a long way in terms of connecting with awesome people and getting some love in return!
Search All Categories
Depending on which category you choose to feature yourself in, it’s obviously important that you interact with audiences that are most relevant to yours. However, don’t forget to search through all of the categories that GhostCodes has to offer. Just because you may be a Foodie doesn’t mean you can’t give the Marketing or Photography community any love! Who knows if there’s a food photographer looking to collaborate with someone like you? Same goes for virtually any one of these categories. The bottom line? Go outside your own interests and really see who’s out here. You never know who you might discover or what could happen!
Promote and Market Yourself
Once you start to see an increase in activity on your feed (and you will), it’s up to you to retain these followers. A lot of people, perhaps the majority, are really just passing by. Like you, they’re adding tons of people and quickly scrolling through their stories to see if they’re worth following in the long term. If you post infrequently, or your feeds end up being something other than what you market yourself to be, you will most definitely see a swift decrease in followers. This isn’t to say that you should expect to retain 100% of your new followers however. Losing followers here and there is perfectly natural, so don’t get worked up if you’re seeing your numbers fluctuate. If nothing else, these are great indicators to help you improve on the way you curate your stories.
Search Your Interests and the Interests of Others
In addition to searching by username or categories, you can also find and be found by interest searches. This can be done by either clicking on your own interests listed in your profile below the social links, the interests of others on their profiles, or in the ‘Search’ section of the application. From there, a list is generated by rank of all the people on GhostCodes who have listed said interest as one of their own. Pretty cool!
Switch Your Category to Get in Front of As Many People As Possible
One of the best things you can do is hop around and place yourself in different-yet-still relevant categories every so often. For instance, if you are a photographer, you might also do well in the Artists, Interesting, or Cool section. By using this nomadic strategy and putting yourself in different categories periodically, you increase your chances of being seen by similar audiences throughout the app as a whole, potentially falling in front of many more eyes over time and getting discovered that much more. I started out in the Photography section, but after a while moved into the Artists section, then to the Vlog section, and now dwell in the Cool section. I will switch again and again without a doubt, and so should you!
Ghostcodes Clubs
As with any social tool, online or otherwise, some early adopters have used GhostCodes as an opportunity to create tribes dubbed “clubs” and/or “teams” as a way to both market their brand as well as create collective communities within the app. If you’re looking to network and collaborate with other like-minded Snappers, this is a great option! It’s also a sure way to make new friends and potentially steady followers.
Don’t Forget That It’s a Business
At the end of the day, don’t get overwhelmed by how different the world of Snapchat becomes once you’re plugged in — it is a business after all. What was once a quiet realm of close friends and silly filters quickly becomes filled with give-aways, shout-outs, and even sales & promotions. With Snapchats new payment feature, you can send money directly to other users just like Venmo or Facebook, and you can bet that this opens a whole new door for exclusive access to everything from business webinars to paid promotional services, etc.
Now that you have a pretty good sense of how this works, let’s move on to some tips to assist you in getting started!
PART III — Helpful Hacks
Watch Your Fingers — When you’re scrolling through GhostCodes and giving kudos/downloading Snapcodes, you will (at some point) accidentally miss your mark and end up clicking directly onto someone’s profile. No harm done, right? Nope. When you go back , the page will refresh and start you back up at the top of the list, which will require you to scroll down until you get back to where you were. So — watch your damn fingers, people!
Turn Off Live Notifications — Very much in the same way, if you have Live Notifications turned ON, the page you’re on will refresh every time you get a kudo or download, which gets extremely annoying when you’re makin’ it rain kudos. To solve this problem, go into the app settings and simply change it so that they are off. You’ll thank me later!
Greet Your New Followers — When you see that you have new followers, greet them; even a simple hello and thank you let’s others know that you’re not above taking the time to say what’s up.
Shout-outs — Give shout-outs to your favorite new followers and even your current friends. This helps boost their traffic, and you will almost often get a shout-out in return!
Don’t Forget About New/Existing Followers — Even if you end up with hundreds or even thousands of new followers, you’re still Jenny from the Block — and don’t you forget it! You’re never too cool to respond to messages, and you’ll find that being fun, responsive, and charismatic goes a hell of a long way in retaining current and new followers, and maintaining lasting connections.
Check In Consistently — Don’t forget to check into GhostCodes at least once a day to see who’s given you love so that you can reciprocate. With that being said, be sure to keep Snapping on a consistent basis— the pressure is on now!
Throughout my journey, I’ve met (and will continue to meet) some really awesome people and reconnected with existing friends as well. Below are some of my favorite Snappers so far. Screenshot their Snapcodes and scan them in Snapchat to add them instantly — and don’t forget to show them some love on GhostCodes!
Ok, I think that should do it. I’m sure that I haven’t touched upon everything, but I’ll keep checking back and updating this as needed. Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve found this guide insightful and that you’ll use what you’ve learned to make the best of this exciting new platform.
If you’d like to learn more about me or the work that I do, connect with me here on Medium or on one of my other platforms. Snap you on the flip side!
Paz e amor,
Brandon (Breisil)
