​How We Grew Our Snapchat Following

June 30, 2016

With over 100 million active users, Snapchat remains as one of the top social apps. Initially a platform to exchange photos exclusively between friends, Snapchat has grown into a business platform with newer features like My Story, Discover, and Live. You can now promote your business in a way unique to Snapchat, as Snaps only last 24 hours after posting. This gives your followers a sense of urgency to view your snaps for the latest and most exclusive updates.

With that being said, how do you get started and grow your Snapchat following? This is how we did it:

 

1)We Know Who We’re Snapping For 

Like every social platform, you have to know your audience. With Snapchat, understand that your viewers will be on the younger side: likely in the teens and 20s. At Jelly, we realize that our audience includes digital marketing professionals. To present to this niche group, we like to show off our office culture, the success of our events, and the other events that we’re involved in. Future posts for us could include quick digital marketing tips, social media news, and client features. Due to the casual nature of Snapchat, be sure to fill your Snap story with engaging content that shows off your business’ fun side.

2) We Give Insider Looks 

People love behind-the-scenes looks. Give viewers a peek at what’s happening in your office, give a “how its made” tour, or a glimpse into an event. Be sure to notify users that this content will be live on your other social media channels, and give a more exclusive look beyond what your other social media platforms will. Insider clips are for your business to show authenticity, and to show your customers your personality.

 

 

3) We Share to Other Platforms 

If you’ve already got a following on your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, promoting your Snapchat account is simple. Include the handle in your bios on other platforms, and post about it regularly. Be sure to alert social followers each time an offer will pop up exclusively on Snapchat, or post a snippet of the Story that includes a how-to that will be valuable to them. Because Snapchats disappear, you can draw customers to your Snap Stories by creating a sense of urgency.

You can also make it easier for users to add you on Snapchat by sharing your Snapcode. This is an image that Snapchat users can scan within the app to automatically add or follow you on Snapchat.

For example, here’s ours for you to add:

 

What might also work for you:

Influencer marketing is a key player in digital these days. Partner with influencers relevant to your brand, and allow them to take over your Snapchat for the day. Those who closely follow these influencers will be inclined to view the Stories if a familiar face is featured. This will also drive some traffic from their own following, gaining new followers for your business.

Engaging with your followers can be a little trickier on Snapchat, given that messages last for 10 seconds maximum. You can allow your followers to participate by asking them to screenshot your Snap Story, doodle on it, and swipe up to share it with you.

Make it an experience. If you’re a local business, try running a scavenger hunt via Snapchat! Present live clues, and let users find them through your My Story.

Have you tried Snapchat for your business yet? Let us know what you think about it. Tweet us at @JellyMarketing!

 

by Tiana Marconato