Is Snapchat Okay for Business Events?

This is one of our favorite New Yorker cartoons about Snapchat around the SED offices. It perfectly sums up how many of us feel about this — and many of the — newfangled social media sites. But Pinterest and Instagram are one thing. Snapchat, as the cartoon indicates, might just make your head explode. So, what is Snapchat, and can it help you extend the reach of your next business event? Here are a few things to consider when using Snapchat for a business event.

Casual, Young, and Fun

Overall, the tone of Snapchat is casual and funny. If this is in line with the tone of your event, then Snapchat might be a great addition. It’s also important to note who is using the app. Studies show that Snapchat is growing quickly, with 26 million users in the United States. 77% of college students use Snapchat daily. 58% of college students say they would purchase a product if they received a coupon on Snapchat.

Know Your Audience

Snapchat can be useful in making your business stand out to current users of the app. But the feelings might not be as happy-go-lucky if your event attendees aren’t familiar with the application. If your event’s attendees aren’t familiar with using Snapchat, you may want to build in some training time or re-think your use of the app.

Appropriate Content

What is unique about SnapChat are the Snaps which are actually short videos. Once created, a Snap doesn’t go anywhere until it is watched, then it disappears about 1 to 10 seconds later. This is a great way to show behind-the-scenes snapshots of your company or really short tutorials with your product. Viewers watching your content feel special and valued because of the singular and fleeting nature of the Snap. A great way of creating buzz is to ask users to share pictures or videos of them with your product then in turn, you can share snaps featuring them.

Keep the Social

Keep the social in your social media efforts. Snapchat shouldn’t be 100% promotion from your end. Make sure to reply to a Snap now and then and be sure to share a Snap or two from an industry leader or other bit of relevant info. It’s also a good practice to follow others on Snapchat. This lets people know that there are in fact real people behind the brand.

On-Demand Geofilters

Geofilters are perfect for a business event as they are a way to share your message and drive attendee engagement. A geofilter is basically a photo overlay which is surprisingly affordable at $5. You can choose to use a company logo or design something unique. Simply upload the design and pick the dates, times and the area. As the owner of the geofilter you are allowed to set up the parameters so you are able to hone into the time and place of your event. It is a good idea to build in a 15-minute buffer before and after event in order to troubleshoot and test out your filter pre-event.

There are the basics of Snapchat for a business event. When used properly, Snapchat could be a great match for the right business. For more business event advice please give Strategic Event Design a call.