Snapchat, a favorite social media platform of millennials, offers major public relations opportunities. Companies now mainly use Snapchat to break news, introduce new products and connect with audiences for public relations purposes, according to researchers at Brigham Young University.
Snapchat’s storytelling and interactive features offer brands an excellent way to engage millennials, points out the study by Dr. Chris Wilson and Dr. Pamela Brubaker.
Key findings of the study include:
- Industry experts predict that Snapchat use among millennials will increase by 13.6% in 2017.
- Brands target its millennial users because they will later become customers with spending power.
- Because Snapchat is perceived as more transparent and authentic, it allows brands to be more genuine with their audiences.
- Snapchat generates engagement so that users help spread a brand’s PR and marketing message.
Common PR & Marketing Tactics
Effective tactics for promoting content on Snapchat include working with influencers and creating geofilters, according to researchers.
It’s important to understand the platform’s features. Snapchat “filters” or “lenses” are stickers, frames, images and movement-sensitive animations that can be added to any image in layers, as 5W Public Relations explains. The base layer is the original image itself. The Snapchat editor has many stickers that can be added to the image, as well as a variety of fonts. With this feature, you can add flashy stickers and text to the image to make it stand out.
Experts suggest some specific ways to use Snapchat for PR.
Allow a takeover. Give control of the brand’s account to a social media influencer. “With the right social media influencer in play, a Snapchat takeover has the potential to increase brand awareness in a way that feels like entertainment, rather than marketing,” says social media specialist Elin Van Atta. For best results, plan your brand’s takeover around exclusive events, product launches, or other unique experiences. When cosmetics producer Shiseido partnered with lifestyle and beauty blogger Jen Chea (@frmheadtotoe) on Snapchat, the company gained 100,000 impressions.
Do Snapchat surveys. In a Snapchat Screenshot Survey, marketers ask followers a question and ask them to “screenshot” their selection or signal a “yes” answer with a screenshot. Marketers at Urban Decay use the surveys effectively by designing them to entertain, Van Atta explains. They asked viewers to select a favorite product in three categories – lipstick, eyeshadow, and blush. After calculating results, they did a follow-up Snapchat story that featured a makeup artist applying the winning products to a model.
Deals and discounts. Millennials love deals like other age groups. 16 Handles, a frozen yogurt shop, rewards fans with a discount every time they share a snap of themselves eating a 16 Handles yogurt. It’s one of the many brands to share promo codes and other offers through the app, notes Michelle Han at Crenshaw Communications.
Previews and behind-the-scenes peeks. The HBO series Girls is well known for using Snapchat to offer previews and teasers. During the Lena Dunham takeover of its channel, it released the trailer for its fifth season. Savvy brands cross-promote Snapchats previews on other channels to tell followers on Instagram, Twitter and other networks to visit Snapchat for the exclusive.
Bottom Line: Snapchat offers creative options for public relations campaigns. Brands can use the innovative features of the messaging and photo-sharing app to increase awareness of their company and products and ultimately increase sales.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
