Snapchat Updates Ad Platform, Rolls Out “Snapcodes” That Open Websites

What Happened
Snapchat launched a revamped ad platform on Tuesday with some nods to the ad tech platform of Facebook. Snapchat first opened up its ad API in October to enable brands advertisers to purchase ads at scale, conduct A/B testing, and receive real-time analytics. The new ad platform adds six new API partners as part of this announcement, bringing the total to 15. Snapchat has also inked partnerships with five third-party ad tech providers, including mParticle, Kochava and LiveRamp, to facilitate audience-matching campaigns.

In related Snapchat news, the messaging app also updated its “Snapcode” feature to allow all users to generate the proprietary QR-codes that now can not only ink to Snapchat profiles, but also opens designated web urls via an in-app browser. Whenever users take a “snap” of a Snapcode, a pop-up window prompts them to either open the ink. Snapchat will also provide in-app analytics for Snapcodes that are scanned for more than 100 times, including the total number of scans over the past three months, as well as the percentage of people who opened the link after scanning it.

What Brands Need To Do
Snapchat introduced the Snapcodes for user profiles in January 2015 to let users add each other without having to type out usernames. Soon, many brands and publishers started using Snapcodes in their social media profiles to draw attention to their respective Snapchat account. Throughout 2016, brands like Sprite, FOX network, and Universal Pictures featured customized Snapcodes in their billboard ads and packaging to drive mobile users to check out more branded content on Snapchat. Therefore, this expansion of Snapcode functions should come as a welcome addition to brands as it opens up more possibilities for brands to incorporate it in their campaigns to bridge the print ads and the digital assets.

According to Snapchat Chief Strategy Officer Imran Khan, the average Snapchat user opens the app 18 times per day and spends 25–30 minutes a day in the app. Now with the added support for ad buying, Snapchat took another big step in improving its ad products to match its rapid growth. Brands need to consider getting on Snapchat to reach its young-skewing users via not only standard video ads, but also more unconventional ad units such as custom Geofilters and branded selfie lenses.

Source: TechCrunch & Marketing Land