Snapchat is so much more than a simple picture-sharing app for mobile-obsessed teens. It also provides an excellent platform for brands to reach a younger audience and foster a close-knit community. And, with more than 616 million users, there’s plenty of opportunity for that.

While the public-facing social proof you get from having tens of thousands of likes on a Facebook page or thousands of followers on Instagram can do a lot to contribute to your credibility and make your brand look more legit, Snapchat’s value comes in another way.

Instead of building a huge follower count, Snapchat lets you engage a smaller community of your biggest fans—people who are genuinely interested in what you’re doing.

These fans are more valuable, not just because an existing customer is 60-70% more likely to buy than a new one, but because these people are more likely to become advocates of your brand.

This comprehensive guide will help you get started and develop a Snapchat marketing approach which will reach and engage your business’ target audience.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a social media platform that allows users to send photos, videos, and text messages on a one-to-one basis or to a group of people. The differentiator is that content disappears within 10 seconds, making it the perfect place to share authentic snaps.

There are several features brands can use to their advantage, including Snapchat Stories (which don’t disappear after 10 seconds and can be replayed for up to 24 hours), Memories (that can be saved for future viewing), and Snapchat filters and stickers.

Why is Snapchat good for marketing?

Snapchat is good for marketing because its “walled garden” attracts only your most engaged followers, provokes their fear of missing out, and creates an authentic relationship like no other platform can.

There are plenty of other benefits that also make Snapchat marketing a no-brainer:

Free Reading List: Social Media Marketing Tactics

Want to learn more about how social media can help drive sales? Download our free, curated list of high-impact articles.

Get our Social Media Marketing Tactics reading list delivered right to your inbox.

Almost there: please enter your email below to gain instant access.

We’ll also send you updates on new educational guides and success stories from the Shopify newsletter. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe.

Thanks for subscribing. You’ll start receiving free tips and resources soon. In the meantime, start building your store with a free 3-day trial of Shopify.

Snapchat for Business: How to Start

Getting started with Snapchat Business Manager

Snapchat’s Business Manager feature is available for brands all over the world. You can set up Snapchat ads, get deeper analytic insights, and unlock new marketing features

To get started, you’ll need a regular Snapchat account (follow the handy steps above). You can then set up a Snapchat business account. Log in to your Snapchat account using your usual username and password, enter your business name and business email address, and choose the country you’re in, as well as the currency you want to use. Click “Next” and your Snapchat business account will automatically be created.

Build and carry out your Snapchat marketing strategy

Snapchat is great for growing a community and building deeper connections with a younger audience. Consider how you’ll use the platform to achieve your overall business goals, whether that’s increased engagement, more site traffic, or better brand awareness.

First, plot out a top-level Snapchat marketing strategy focused on:

Next, follow these seven key steps to maximize the Snapchat marketing opportunity:

1. Generate your custom Snapcode

Scratching your head at the term “Snapcode”?

Like other social media platforms, people can follow you once they know your unique handle, so share your handle on social media or add it to your bio.

Better yet, every Snapchat account has a unique Snapcode that lets others add you simply by “snapping” it. You can make your Snapcode your profile picture for a brief period to draw attention to your Snapchat presence. Or you can share it as an image post with a call for other Snapchatters to follow you.

2. Access your Snapchat analytics

Your Snapchat business account gives you access to deeper analytics so you can track what’s working and what’s not.

Snapchat has three main metrics from which you can gain insights:

You can see specifically who among your followers views each Snap in your Story, which offers some nice insight into who your truest fans are.

And though you can’t generate outbound clicks through Snapchat, you can try including shortened URLs in your captions that you can track through bitly and other services, or use Snapchat-specific promo codes for more measurable results.

3. Create engaging content

Snapchat has released a number of engaging features since it emerged, giving you ample opportunity to create content that’s interactive and engaging. Snapchat’s 2022 investor presentation showed that 250 million Snapchat users engage with the platform’s augmented reality features every day.

Consider experimenting with some of these:

Snapchat also gives you the chance to share exclusive, creative Snaps with only your most loyal fans, such as:

4. Experiment with Snapchat ads

Snapchat ads let you target specific Snapchat users based on their location, interests, age, language, and even the type of device they use. The location targeting is particularly powerful, with its multi-country, metro, or point radius options that let you target users who are close to a specific address.

Snapchat advertising offers a range of ad formats to choose from, including video ads and Snapchat Stories. You can create ads like on other social media networks through your Snapchat business account.

5. Get local with custom Geo Stories

Want to generate more footfall in your brick-and-mortar store? Snapchat’s custom Geo Stories can help ramp up your marketing efforts. You can tag a location (like a town, city, or neighborhood) or input a specific address with a point radius around it to capture users who are near your store. This is a great way to run local Snapchat marketing campaigns for specific audiences—for example, you could run different campaigns in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

6. Share behind-the-scenes stories

The ephemeral nature of Snapchat has made it the “behind-the-scenes” platform. Content doesn’t stick around, so you can afford to get real and authentic with it. This builds trust and credibility and creates deeper connections with your fans.

Consider sharing behind-the-scenes footage of your products, including how they’re made and what your team gets up to, offer exclusive sneak peeks of new lines, or showcase a big reveal to your most loyal fans.

7. Partner with Snapchat influencers

Sixty-one percent of consumers trust influencer recommendations, compared to just 38% who trust branded content. Incorporate influencer marketing into your Snapchat strategy by partnering with relevant influencers who can promote your brand and products.

Here are some tips for a successful Snapchat influencer campaign:

Get started with Snapchat marketing

Content marketing in all its forms is usually a long game, and being authentic is how you win it.

You could start a blog, post photos on Instagram, or do any number of things to grow a large following elsewhere. But if you know you have people who are fans of your brand, consider taking it to the next level on Snapchat.

Anyone who’s willing to climb the wall and join you on the other side on Snapchat is easily many times more engaged than someone who followed you in the hopes of being followed back.

Set up your Snapchat for Business account, then plan your Snapchat marketing strategy to determine who your target audience is and how you can reach them. From there, you can explore sponsored content in its Discover section, and use Snapchat ads to market yourself without compromising the integrity of the platform.

Like with most social platforms, your success with Snapchat marketing will come down to getting creative, engaging your audience with regular activity, and using analytics to double-down on the content that works.

Snapchat marketing FAQ

Can Snapchat be used for marketing?

Yes, Snapchat is a great marketing tool. Its engaging features help you create interactive posts and connect one-on-one with your most loyal fans.

What are the benefits of Snapchat for marketing?

Increase brand awareness Build trust with a younger audience Communicate one-on-one with customers Share authentic content Creative and engaging editing options Use custom geofilters to target customers in specific locations Powerful ad targeting options

Why is Snapchat good for advertising?

Snapchat’s powerful targeting capabilities and engaging range of content filters and lenses make it a great way to reach customers in your target audience.

Why is Snapchat difficult for marketing?

While Snapchat doesn’t have detailed analytics like other social media sites, it is still a great platform for engaging and connecting with your most loyal customers.