Snapchat is one of today’s fastest growing social media platforms and is super popular with millennials. In fact, on any given day, Snapchat reaches 41% of all 18-34 year-olds in the United States. If these consumers are part of your target market, you may want to consider advertising on Snapchat.
Today, there are six different ways to advertise on Snapchat. A few of these options will be reserved for large companies and media conglomerates due to the price tag. However, there are few options for the small guys like you and me.
First, let’s get the big three out of the way:
Snapchat Discover
Discover is a tab on the app that features trending stories, viral topics, and event coverage – provided by brands (NFL) and magazines like Cosmopolitan, websites like Buzzfeed, and major news outlets. These features cost upwards of $50,000 each, and reach most of the app’s users.
Sponsored Lenses
Sponsored Lenses appear when you take a photo or a selfie with the app, and are located in the targeted location. Hold you finger on the screen and some different lenses will pop up that can change you appearance, your voice, or add some animation to your photos and videos. These are the most expensive ads on Snapchat, and cost at least $500,000 PER DAY. Sponsored lenses are so expensive because they cover huge areas, and get a ton of impressions, as everybody likes to try them out and send photos or videos to their friends – sometimes multiple times. These ads are generally used by upcoming movie releases, government elections, and other high-budget projects.
Nationwide Sponsored Lenses
Nationwide Sponsored Lenses are relatively new. McDonald’s ran one last week that changed your face into a box of french fries. These appear on the app for everyone across the country, and the cost is still unclear. We’re willing to bet they are a few hundred thousand dollars to launch.
Now that we’ve reviewed the big three advertising options on Snapchat, here are a few options that might come closer to meeting your needs (and budget) as a small-medium sized business.
Snap Ads
Snap Ads pup up in between features on the Discover tab, while the user is consuming content. A Snap Ad consists of an up-to 10 second video, with the option to swipe up for access to more content (longer video, article, app install, etc.). This option provides the best mobile video ads achieving 5x the click rate of similar ads on other social platforms. Snap Ads blend right in with other snaps, so by the time you realize you’re viewing an ad, you’ve already watched it. These cost about $1,000 to run.
Snap To Unlock Filters & Codes
Snap To Unlock Codes are also very new, so we don’t know too much about them yet. They basically work like a QR code, and when you scan the Snapcode (the yellow ghost with dots around it), you gain access to special offers or filters. These can be connected to limited edition filters, coupons, deals, etc. The cost of Snap To Unlock Codes is unclear, as the feature is so new.
Local Geofilters
Local Geofilters are a great advertising tool for events and brick and mortar locations. You setup a filter that is designed around your event or business, and can activate the filter for a certain location. The cost of this option depends on the size of the area, and the duration that the filter will be live. These can also be setup for stores, venues, neighborhoods, or whatever location you’d like, and are a relatively inexpensive way to gain brand exposure.
We ran a Geofilter for our digital marketing conference (M2Con) in Lake George this past fall. The filter was live from 9am – 5pm, and covered the grounds of Fort William Henry Hotel and Conference Center (the venue where we held our event). The filter cost about $7 to run (not including design).
Start Advertising on SnapChat Today!
Snapchat is a fun way to get your brand on the mobile phones of 18-34 year olds. Since they are constantly looking at their phone anyway, what better place advertise?
Wondering how to get started with SnapChat advertising? Contact Us now for a free marketing consultation!
Curious about other ways to get the word out about your business on social media? Learn more about developing a social media strategy for your business here!
