Time To Change The Way Brands Use Snapchat Profiles

Snapchat was released way back in 2011. Since then, its popularity has absolutely skyrocketed, nearing around 200 million active users in 2015 and recording a whopping 6 billion video views per day. With numbers like that, you’d think Snapchat profiles would be a social media branding paradise.

So why is it so hard to make it work?

Snapchat’s unique “10-seconds and gone” format has yet to be solved by social media experts. But perhaps we’re thinking about things the wrong way. Perhaps there’s a reason the way we try to build relationships with our audience here isn’t effective. Is there a better way to leverage our Snapchat profiles??

Want to find success marketing on Snapchat? Here’s a brand new way to approach the popular social network.

How You’re Doing It Now

What works for other social software should work on Snapchat, right? It’s easy to assume that the way you’re producing content elsewhere is the natural way to do things here. You could produce short, 10-second videos of your brand’s service or product and release them throughout the day. You could post content that gets people interested in learning more.

Even better: Since users can be notified of snaps from accounts they enjoy, you won’t have to worry about posting multiple times a day. People can just get notifications every time you post! It’s the perfect way to make sure that every snap you create is seen by your entire audience! It’s perfect!…isn’t it?

Why You’re Probably Doing Things Wrong

Unfortunately, this grand plan probably isn’t going to work out the way you think it will. Why not? To understand, you need to understand two things: What information a Snapchat profile contains, and what Snapchat users are looking for when they use the app.

First of all, a Snapchat profile isn’t like a Facebook profile or a Twitter profile. The information you’ll find is incredibly basic–in fact, you’ll essentially only be able to see a person’s name and profile picture.

This means that even if your snaps are a hit, there’s really no good way to get your users to come back to your site, read your blog, click links, or interact in any meaningful way. For marketers and social media experts, this spells trouble. You’ve only got 10 seconds to get your message out, with no way to follow up!

Plus, since the videos are deleted right after they’re viewed or may last up to 24 hours if it’s on your story, there’s no reliable way to document anything you’ve created. This means that it may not be worth it to fully produce a video.

But what about the users? Why do people love Snapchat? A 2014 University of Washington study found that most Snapchat users are there for funny or interesting videos, or to share selfies. In the midst of this kind of content, a video made to advertise will stand out like a sore thumb. It’ll look like a formal piece of content in the middle of an informal network, making it lose a lot of its impact.

How Brands Are Using Their Snapchat Profiles Right

Since this all seems pretty impossible to use as a social media hub, should we just give up on Snapchat profiles? Not at all! Instead of abandoning the site, we need to make a fundamental change to how we use it: We need to stop viewing our Snapchat profiles as media hubs. We need to start viewing them as supplements.

A Snapchat profile is best not when it’s used to get a message out, but when it’s used to strengthen a message that’s already being delivered on another network! That’s why the best way to make use of Snapchat is in tandem with another social network, like Facebook, Google+ or Twitter. You can also follow other Snapchat profiles to learn how it’s done.

You can use your snapchat as a tool to:

• Offer special deals to customers through other networks
• Provide fun behind-the-scenes content showing how products are made or how your brand operates
• Highlight fun, informal features that show why your brand is different from similar brands
• Offer live footage of relevant events

You can promote every snap using your other social media accounts, allowing the audience to get special extras they wouldn’t get anywhere else. In this way, Snapchat isn’t the hub for your social media, it’s a tool used by your other networks. It supports those networks by helping you stay in touch with your audience in a brand new way.

The temporary nature of snaps can even work to your advantage! Since snaps expire, a sense of urgency is added. Your audience will know that if they want to see your content, it’s now or never!

Have you given up on Snapchat? With millions of active users and explosive growth in 2015, now may be the perfect time to give it a second look. Create a plan to have your Snapchat profile support your Facebook, Twitter or Google+ profiles, and you’ll have a brand new way to build your online presence!

How Will You Start A Fire?

If you’re ready to stop spending endless hours curating content and receiving little to no credit, Start A Fire can amplify your social media strategy with the click of a button.

Join Start A Fire today and get the full value from your shared content.