Believe it or not, it’s been five years since the birth
of Snapchat! Maybe that doesn’t mean anything to you if you’ve never heard of Snapchat. After all, Snapchat’s largest demographic is made up of 18-29 year-olds. Likely, if you’re a B2B owner or marketer, you’re inching further away from that target age group every day.
In this post, we’ll look at:
- The fundamentals of Snapchat
- Whether or not you should use Snapchat in your B2B marketing
- How to market your B2B on Snapchat
Snapchat FUNdamentals
Yes, first and foremost, Snapchat is known for being the fun platform. Here’s how it works:
Each user is assigned a QR code that features a selfie in the middle which can be animated as a GIF. This is your unique code and looks something like this:
If you’re a B2B, you’ll probably want your GIF to be a combination of your logo and other company-relevant images.
Once you have established your business account, you can then add friends from your contacts. As a business, you’ll want to keep your account open and visible to the public, whereas an individual might prefer to keep things private.
Now you’re set to snap quick videos and photos to share either in your feed, called Your Story, or to share privately with another person. These images are available only for a limited time before they disappear forever (unless the viewer snaps a screenshot). Sounds pretty simple, right?
So, you might be wondering what makes this platform so special? Why is Snapchat any cooler than Instagram or Facebook?
Perhaps this video can clear things up for you:
Did you get that? Basically, Snapchat is designed to highlight who you are in the moment. It allows you to create picture-based conversations that have an element of immediacy, almost like catching a glimpse of something in a window as you pass by.
Should Your B2B Marketing Plan Include Snapchat?
You may be wondering, though, if your 13-year-old daughter is using Snapchat, should you really bother trying to use it as a marketing tool for your B2B?
The short answer is: maybe, maybe not.
Your cloud-based data storage software is obviously not targeting teenagers. However, you need to remember that it’s not just tweens and teens using the platform. Check out this graph from comScore, reposted by businessinsider.com:
More than half of Snapchat’s users are over age 25. And with Millennials starting to dominate the B2B world, and the workforce in particular, it may make sense for you to join the Snapchat movement.
In fact, an increasing number of Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are making B2B buying decisions:
However, your industry may not lend itself to having an audience on Snapchat, and that’s OK too. There’s no need to waste time creating content that won’t be seen.
If you’d like to give Snapchat a shot, though, I’m happy to provide a few tips on how to best use this platform in your B2B marketing.
How to Market Your B2B on Snapchat
The first step is not to think in terms of marketing, but think in terms of how to fit in. As Amy Schmittauer, of Savvy Sexy Social says:
“Whenever we join a social media platform, it’s a cocktail party that we need to fit into.”
So don’t go into Snapchat thinking it’s a great way to display your latest product or to get customer feedback. Wrong.
Rather, Snapchat is best used as a fun place to hang out and give your contacts hidden peaks into things they really want to know about.
Let’s check out some ways you can do that:
1. Coupons and Giveaways
This is probably the most current business use for Snapchat.
Tell customers to snap a screenshot of the coupon code that you send. It could be for a free trial of your product or service, or a discount code for 20% off.
Make sure you promote your giveaway on other social channels, such as Facebook and Twitter (“Don’t miss our giveaway on Snapchat later today. Follow us at…”)
2. Trade Shows and Events
The great thing about Snapchat is that it plays events chronologically. So if you’re at a trade show, go ahead and snap videos or photos of your day as it unfolds. You can even add a Geofilter that lets everyone know where you are.
3. Product Sneak Peeks
Launching a new product? Lucky for you, Snapchat is all about the thrill of the moment. Grab your smartphone and snap some photos or videos featuring behind-the-scenes peeks about your upcoming launch.
Create a story behind the launch so that viewers feel they are part of the whole process.
4. Get Your Followers Involved
Followers don’t want to hear all about you. They want to be part of the story, so why not let them?
Encourage users to post pics of themselves using your product and start a dialogue about what they love, or even what they don’t love, about your product.
Be careful about this one, though. Remember McDonald’s? It wasn’t prepared for the backlash of responses that were less than complimentary.
5. Have Fun with it!
My last tip is to make sure your personality shines through. Have fun with Snapchat and get a little silly. Corporate nonsense has no place in Snapchat!
When all is said and done, only you really know if Snapchat is worth your time. However, there are plenty of tried and true social platforms that yield big results for B2B companies. What’s the biggest lead generator of them all? Without a doubt — LinkedIn.
Did you know…
About 80% of all social media leads come from LinkedIn?
That’s huge! Want to get in on the action? It all starts with a killer LinkedIn Company Page. It’s the best way for prospects to take you seriously and to let your brand expertise shine.
Want to get one of those killer LinkedIn Company Pages?
Get your FREE ebook: How to Create the Perfect LinkedIn Company Page. Inside, you’ll learn about how crafting the perfect description, adding stunning images, and maintaining your company page will land you more leads.
Go ahead and enjoy your free copy on the house!
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