As a Cheshire based web-design agency, we are always exploring various social media trends to see how effective they can be as a potential lead to customers. I’m sure the majority of you reading this that have an iPhone or Android device will have come across the teenage photo-sharing phenomenon Snapchat.

Inside our blog, we will provide an introduction to Snapchat and review how small businesses can stay on trend.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat allows its users to firstly take photos and record short videos then add text and drawings before sending them to a controlled list of recipients which are known as “Snaps”. When sending photos and videos, users are able to set the time limit ranging between 1 to 10 seconds as to how long recipients can view their latest “snap”. After the snap has been viewed, the photo or video is then deleted from the company’s servers.

Snapchat Stories

When adding a “Snap” users can choose to add snaps together which create your Snapchat Story! When adding a snap to your story, it lives for 24 hours before disappearing to make room for the latest story snap. Your Snapchat story never ends and will always play forwards. For more information on Snapchat Stories, please visit this insightful Snapchat Blog

Is Snapchat suitable for your small business needs?

If you are considering Snapchat for your small business needs, consider the following points to see this social media platform is suitable for you…

• Most popular Snapchat users range between 16-25 years old… If you have products that appeal to a younger customer base, snap away!
• Treat your Snapchat community as friends rather than customers
• Unique platform to deliver time-efficient offers to your customer base
• Stand out from your competition. Most businesses are not a part of Snapchat so be unique and ahead of the trends first

How you can take advantage of Snapchat

Preview New Exclusive Products

Everybody loves a sneak peak of what they can’t have just yet… Let’s say your business has a new seasonal

 clothing range or perhaps a new recipe for your new menu, customers will always be intrigued! Using curiosity to your advantage, as a small business, Snapchat is the perfect tool to share exclusive items with your customers.

Across the pond, brand chains such as Taco Bell have used Snapchat effectively to promote new products which has seen an average open rate of over 80% which is more successful than any other email marketing method.

Tell Your Brands Story

As previously mentioned, Snapchat recently added the ‘Stories’ feature. As a small business, why not take advantage of this and send out a combination of images and 5-second video’s to tell a story to your customers. As a Cheshire web-design agency, this would be the perfect tool to share and promote our work by sharing before and after photo’s of websites that we have rebuilt.

Reward Customer Loyalty

Because of the nature and exclusivity surrounding Snapchat, your friends list is actually consists of potential customers who are showing interest in your products and services… To provide an incentive to reward customers for viewing your snaps, coupons or promotional offers tick all the boxes to encourage more opens and more friends…

New York based frozen yoghurt and smoothie chain 16 Handles actually gained mainstream popularity for their take on rewarding Snapchat customers. When visiting the store, the chain would send customers a unique and varying discount once purchasing an in item. The customers didn’t know how large of a discount they received until they returned to the stores and opened the snap from the company at the register. The customer didn’t know how large of a discounting they were receiving until they were about to pay for their yogurt. Genius!

Gain Customer Leads

As with any social media platform you are a part of, the more you encourage your customers from current social media websites to add your brand to Snapchat, the more you expand your reach and generate more leads. Tying these points together, the more you share snaps that interest the customer, the more chance you have of gaining any potential leads.

Completely free to download on Apple and Android devices, if you feel your business can appeal to a younger audience then I would encourage that you would give the app a shot.