“Should I use Snapchat for my business?”
That’s probably a question asked more than once by plenty of businesses since the social media platform launched.
Snapchat is in the news everywhere (at least right now, this very second, since so much changes so quickly when you’re marketing your business online).
So…how do you know?
Should you use Snapchat for your business?
If you’ve read my posts about Buyer Personas, then you probably already know the answer, which is…
It depends…
Should you use Snapchat to promote your business?
Who are your ideal customers?
Are Your Ideal Customers Millennials?
The primary users of Snapchat are Millennials age 18-34.
In fact, 37% of Snapchat US users are between the ages of 18-34.
Also, 26% of all US 13-17 year-olds are also using Snapchat.
Do You Have Time?
As you know from my post, 6 Social Media Best Practices for Small Business, one thing businesses should always be conscious of is creating a “social media wasteland”.
If Snapchat isn’t clearly filled with your exact target customers, don’t feel pressured to open an account only to not have the time to keep in updated.
That’s the great thing about having the foundation of knowing your Buyer Persona. When you have a clear picture in your mind of your Buyer Persona – and you target all of your efforts on that Persona with laser-focus – you won’t be tempted to chase after the latest and greatest marketing tools.
Do You Have Money?
Right now, if you want to advertise on Snapchat you need to spend at least $100K in advertising. However, if your target audience IS on Snapchat, you can still create your account and then engage organically. Just make sure you follow best practices.
Follow The Tribe
If your ideal customers ARE on Snapchat, then it probably makes sense for you to look around and see if it’s the right tool for you to use to market your business.
If you’re not familiar with the platform, join and then watch. See how the users interact – what’s expected, how other companies are engaging with users.
Be prepared to create a lot of video content – in Bloomberg News reports that Snapchat delivers more than 7 Billion videos to users each day (as a comparison, Facebook delivers 8 billion).
Rely On Your Foundation
If you’re a business trying to figure out if you should be on Snapchat, just look back on the timeless principles that should guide all of your marketing decisions. Are your customers there? Will your products serve their needs? Are you prepared to speak to them in a language that converts?
If your answers are “yes”, then jump on in! Have fun! Use the platform in a way that will educate, entertain and delight your customers!
And if you’ve tried Snapchat – let me know how it went for your company in the comments section!
