Businesses looking to exact social media strategies generally look to the big three: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These are the platforms that dominate the market and advertising dollars of most businesses but Snapchat is emerging as a platform worthy of consideration.
Snapchat is a messaging app that allows users to caption and send image and video ‘snaps’ that are viewable for a set duration before they self-delete. It is quite different from the big three, which means it can be intimidating to those who are unsure how the platform can be used to connect with consumers; however, in the right hands, Snapchat marketing works.
Using snapchat to soar
According to Snapchat’s most recent financial report, there are 178 million people using Snapchat. That’s a tasty number but fine-jewellery retailers might argue that the majority of Snapchat users are too young to be targeted.
Statistica reports that more than half of all Snapchat users fall between the ages of 18 and 34. Although this might seem a bit young, what is known about young adults in that age range is that they like to get engaged.
With this in mind, it feels like any jewellery business not using Snapchat will miss out on a great marketing opportunity.
Businesses already know from Facebook that new followers don’t automatically become new customers so here are a few ways retailers can use Snapchat to up their marketing game.
Snapchat followers
On Snapchat, users create stories, which form the equivalent of the Facebook news feed – followers can check in and see what a business is doing.
Unlike Facebook, however, retailers are advised against lengthy messages. Retailers should be taking fresh snaps and adding them to their business’ story often, focusing on flashy, visually-interesting pictures of aesthetically-pleasing product.
Some businesses use Snapchat to showcase the voice and culture of their organisations, and there’s nothing wrong with posting a picture of staff members on a Friday morning with a fun filter applied. Snapchat is fun and followers want to have fun when they are using it.
Filter mania
Everyone loves a good filter. It was a fact of life in 2017 and a trend that will likely continue to evolve as the novelty of specific filters wears off and new ones appear.
A filter, for those new to social media, is a style that users can apply to their images to alter a photo’s appearance. Filters may change a photo’s colours, add a frame, apply a design change or provide countless other alterations.
Snapchat’s website allows users to upload custom-design filters and then choose, for a reasonable fee, when and where to make this filter available to users. Businesses purchasing a filter distribution – also known as a geofilter – can select where they want their custom filter to be available for users, fine-tuning locations right down to even one specific building a business may wish to target.
If jewellers are hosting a VIP in-store event, they can create a custom Snapchat filter to commemorate the event and distribute it only to those in attendance.
This not only allows potential customers to interact with the business in a modern and trendy way but offers a certain exclusivity to those who attend. Additionally, consumers will be helping to spread brand awareness by sending out snaps that feature the jeweller’s own filter and logo to friends and followers across the globe.
Snapping it all up
Consider this scenario: the team is at a tradeshow stocking up on new product for the Christmas period, interacting with other retailers and suppliers and having an all-around great time. One of the staff members has created a custom filter that is being shared with fellow jewellers from the buying groups and suppliers. No one can help themselves and everyone takes a few snaps to try out the filter, thus growing the business’ brand awareness.
While this is going on, the team has been taking snaps and feeding them to the business’ Snapchat story, beaming to loyal customers all of the fun and productive buying that is occurring at the event. Some customers may have even spotted some jewellery that they wish to purchase immediately and orders are taken. In the end, everyone is a winner.
Snapchat is a unique platform that allows jewellers to generate business by doing what they do best – showing jewellery. For this reason alone, it should be considered in any social media marketing mix.