Snapchat is a powerful photo and video-sharing platforms for reaching a younger audience. If you want to build your brand faster without intense competition, you need to embrace Snapchat today.
With 453 million daily active users. About 45% of them are under 34. Snapchat provides a unique space for brands to engage with a demographic that values authenticity, creativity, and entertainment.
For example, L’Oréal engaged beauty-conscious users on the platform, which led to an 81% ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) for the brand.
How to Build a Snapchat Selling Machine
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Another great example is Dunkin’ Donuts, which uses Snapchat to create limited-time offers and interactive content, boosting brand awareness and customer loyalty.
These innovative campaigns have resulted in massive engagement, driving both online and in-store traffic.
This guide will walk you through the essential steps to build a compelling brand on Snapchat, ensuring you tap into its full potential for growth and engagement.
Branding on Snapchat vs. Other Social Media Platforms
What makes Snapchat different from Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok in terms of approach and branding? The table below illustrates it:
| Snapchat | Short-lived, intimate content. | Use AR filters, behind-the-scenes, and real-time engagement. Keep it raw and authentic. |
| Community-driven, long-form content. | Focus on building communities and posting curated content. | |
| Visual aesthetics, high-quality content. | Share more spontaneous, less polished content. Avoid overly curated posts. | |
| TikTok | Viral, trend-based, short-form videos. | Keep content exclusive and interactive. Leverage AR filters for fun, unique experiences. |
Key Takeaways:
- Be authentic: Keep content raw and relatable, not overly polished.
- Post frequently: Focus on ephemeral content with a sense of urgency.
- Use AR features: Engage users with unique filters and lenses.
- Engage instantly: Respond in real-time to foster personal connections.
- Share exclusives: Offer behind-the-scenes content and sneak peeks.
- Prioritize mobile: Create content optimized for quick, mobile-friendly viewing.
Creating a Snapchat Brand Strategy
Building a Snapchat brand requires a structured approach to establish your brand voice and authority on the platform. Here’s how to do it effectively:
Step #1. Define Your Brand Voice & Goals
Defining your brand voice and goals on Snapchat is crucial because it shapes how your audience perceives you and ensures that your content is aligned with your brand identity.
“Your brand voice is key to being memorable.” ~ Jamia Kanan
Here’s exactly how to define your brand’s voice:
- Understand your Audience: Start by analyzing who your target audience is on Snapchat. Are they Gen Z, millennials, or a broader age range? Knowing this will help you determine whether to use a playful, professional, or casual tone.
Lilly Singh, an influencer on Snapchat, targets Gen Z users. As a result, her loyal fan base has led to the production of an independent documentary, “A Trip to Unicorn Island.” It got so successful that Coca-Cola had to sponsor the world tour. It all started with Snapchat.
- Clarify your brand’s mission: Write down your brand’s core values and objectives. Are you aiming to drive traffic, increase sales, or build brand awareness? Keep these objectives in mind when creating your content.
- Create a voice guide: Establish a consistent tone across all your Snapchat content. Whether it’s informal, humorous, or inspirational, your brand voice should be recognizable.
For example, brands like Gucci use a luxurious and aspirational voice, while Wendy’s uses a sarcastic, witty tone that appeals to a younger crowd.
- Set SMART Goals: Outline specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. For instance, “Increase Snapchat followers by 20% in the next 3 months by posting daily engaging content.”
Step #2. Optimize Your Snapchat Profile
Your Snapchat profile is the first impression many users will have of your brand, so it needs to be optimized for both aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Follow these tips to optimize your Snapchat profile properly:
- Choose a strong Profile picture: Use a high-quality image or logo that represents your brand clearly. Make sure it’s easy to recognize even in smaller formats, as many users browse on mobile.
- Create a catchy username: Keep your Snapchat username simple and on-brand. It should be memorable and easy to spell, making it easier for people to search for your brand.
Example: Simply Nails.
- Craft a compelling bio: Your bio should briefly describe what your brand offers and what users can expect from following you. Include a call-to-action (CTA), like “Follow us for daily style inspiration!” or “Snap us for exclusive deals.”
- Add your Snapcode to marketing materials: Make it easy for users to find you by promoting your Snapcode on your website, email signatures, and social media channels. This will help drive more followers to your Snapchat account.
- Enable location-based features: If your brand has physical locations or hosts events, make sure to enable location-based features like Geofilters and Geotags to engage users in specific regions.
How to Build a Social Media Selling Machine
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Creating and Sharing Interactive Content
Content is the #1 ingredient for succeeding on Snapchat, just like every other social media platform.
You don’t need fancy or expensive equipment to create engaging content on Snapchat.
In the Modern Brand Guide, a white paper published by Snapchat, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Realeyes, “Today, video production can be captured in the moment or shot by a creator on their phone.”
Interactive content is a great way to spark engagement and get your audience involved in real-time.
Snapchat is built around this kind of interaction, so it’s crucial to take advantage of it by creating fun, engaging experiences for your followers.
There are several ways to make your content interactive on Snapchat, including:
- Incorporate Polls & Quizzes: Snapchat offers interactive features like Polls and Quizzes that are perfect for engaging your audience. For example, you can create a poll asking followers to vote on a new product design, or a quiz to test knowledge about your brand. This not only encourages participation but also gives you valuable insights into your audience’s preferences.
- Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC): Snapchat thrives on user-generated content. Encourage your followers to create content by running challenges or contests. For example, create a challenge where users post snaps featuring your product or service and tag your brand. You could even offer prizes for the best submissions. This boosts brand awareness while creating a sense of community around your brand.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Partnering with influencers to create interactive content is another great strategy. Influencers can create Snapchat Stories or Snap Ads that encourage their followers to engage by voting in polls or sharing their own stories using a branded hashtag or filter. For instance, a beauty influencer might host a Snapchat makeup tutorial using your product and encourage followers to share their own looks.
- Use AR & Lenses for Fun Engagement: Snapchat’s AR lenses allow users to interact with your brand in creative ways. Custom lenses can be used for special promotions, seasonal campaigns, or even limited-edition products. For example, L’Oréal created a “virtual makeup try-on” filter where users could experiment with different beauty products directly on their faces, blending engagement with entertainment.
Engage with Your Audience in Real-Time
Real-time engagement is what sets Snapchat apart from other social media platforms.
Whether it’s replying to messages or participating in live events, Snapchat’s features make it easier to engage with your audience on a personal level.
This builds a connection with your audience and shows that your brand is approachable.
How to engage with your audience in real time:
- Host live Q&A sessions: Snapchat’s Stories and Chat features allow you to connect with your audience in real-time. Hosting live Q&A sessions via Snapchat Stories can be a great way to engage directly with followers. You can answer their questions, provide valuable insights, or even have a behind-the-scenes peek into your brand. For example, Lush Cosmetics often uses this feature to show how products are made and to answer customer questions in real-time, which helps build brand trust and loyalty.
- Respond to direct messages & mentions: Be proactive about responding to followers who reach out through Snapchat’s chat or mention your brand in their stories. This demonstrates that you’re accessible and attentive to your audience’s needs.
- Real-time event coverage: Use Snapchat to share live coverage of events, product launches, or campaigns. This helps build excitement and anticipation around what’s happening right now. You can give followers a sneak peek into behind-the-scenes moments or provide exclusive content they can only access on Snapchat. For instance, Coachella has successfully used Snapchat for years to provide exclusive backstage access and live performances, generating real-time buzz and engagement.
- Host flash sales & exclusive offers: Engaging in real-time also means offering limited-time opportunities that get your audience to act fast. For example, you can post a limited-time promo code via Snapchat Stories, giving users just a few hours to redeem the offer. This creates urgency and rewards followers for staying connected with your brand at the moment.
How to Build a Snapchat Selling Machine
Answer a few questions and we’ll email the playbook right over.
Leverage Snapchat’s Unique Features
Snapchat offers a variety of features that can help your brand engage with users in creative and interactive ways.
Taking full advantage of these features can set you apart from competitors and allow you to craft a dynamic, memorable experience for your audience.
Here are some of the unique features to leverage for your brand’s growth on Snapchat:
1) Use Lenses & Filters
Snapchat’s lenses and filters are a fun and creative way to engage your audience. You can create custom lenses or use popular ones to make your brand more relatable.
For example, Taco Bell created a custom lens that allowed users to virtually try on taco hats, generating tons of user-generated content (UGC) that spread awareness for the brand. Get creative with your brand’s product or theme and think about how you can use this feature to entertain your audience.
2) Create Story Highlights (now Saved Stories)
Snapchat’s Stories are perfect for posting time-sensitive content, but you can also use Highlights to keep your best content front and center. You can create Highlights for specific campaigns, events, or product launches.
For example, a fashion brand could create a “Spring Collection” Highlight to showcase their latest pieces, or a beauty brand could show off customer reviews and tutorials in a series of Highlights.
City Boutique, a local fashion brand based in Los Angeles, uses Saved Stories to engage its fans on Snapchat. This makes your content easy to find for new followers and keeps your brand top of mind.
4) Utilize Geofilters
Custom Geofilters are great for local businesses or events. By creating location-specific filters, you can engage users in a particular area or at a specific event.
Carney, social media marketing company uses Geofilters to create brand awareness and promote its services.
Another great use of Geofilters on Snapchat is for promoting your brand at events.
For example, if you’re hosting a pop-up shop or event, creating a custom filter for that location can generate buzz and encourage event attendees to share their experience with their followers.
This also helps you track engagement and location-based interest in your brand.
5) Snap Ads
Don’t forget about Snap Ads — the full-screen video ads that appear between Stories.
These are a powerful way to reach a broad audience with video content, especially with the option for swipe-ups to drive traffic to your website or landing page.
Take advantage of this feature by creating short, compelling ads that resonate with your target audience.
For example, Champ Sports teamed up with Nike to launch dynamic Snap Ads to promote their new product drops. At the end of the campaign, the team reported a 32% increase in ROAS and a 3.69% lens share rate.
Turning Your Snapchat Presence into Business Growth
Snapchat isn’t just about visibility; it’s about converting your engagement into tangible opportunities. Here’s how to turn your Snapchat brand into business growth:
- Create Exclusive Offers for Followers: Incentivize your followers with limited-time offers, discounts, or special promotions through your Snap stories.
- Direct Traffic to Your Website: Use your Snap Ads and Stories to drive traffic to your website or product pages. Be sure to include clear calls-to-action.
- Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage your followers to share their own Snap stories with your product and tag your brand. Sharing user-generated content not only builds social proof but also encourages others to engage with your brand.
Final Thoughts
Many businesses haven’t embraced Snapchat as a social media platform. The earlier you do, the faster you can grow your brand.
This fast-moving, personality-driven platform allows you to truly stand out. From defining your voice to using native tools creatively, every step should be intentional and aligned with your business goals.
But with Snapchat’s unique culture and features, the difference between blending in and breaking through comes down to having the right strategy in place. That’s exactly what we help brands with at Influicity.
How to Build a Snapchat Selling Machine
Answer a few questions and we’ll email the playbook right over.
