Introduction to Snapchat

Snapchat is a free video and picture messaging app with over 100 million daily users. The mobile app is unique in that it allows both individuals and businesses to share fun, vibrant, and personalized content in the form of images, videos, captions, and drawings. To get your content seen by others, those users must be following your account. The more visually interesting and engaging your content is, the easier it is to gain new followers excited in what you share.

People of all ages, demographics, and background use Snapchat as well as local, national, and international brands. Snapchat is used by many businesses and public figures as a form of marketing, sharing a more personal, behind-the-scenes view of their day-to-day lives and company lifestyle.

Business Accounts on Snapchat: Snapchat allows businesses to create accounts with unique, 15-character usernames. A business owner can connect with the contacts already on their phone by syncing their contact list, or can connect with users who share their snapchat information or who, through advertisements, follow the businesses' snapchat account. Sent messages, called "snapchats" (or simply "snaps") can be either still images, or short 10-second videos. Both of these types of media can have captions added to them, as well as drawings (created by the user) added to them. Snapchat also has a feature called 'stories'. When you create a new Snapchat image or video, you can add it to your story (a collection of snapchat messages, instead of a single one) and it will be available for your followers to view for 24 hours.

Content on Snapchat: Most companies use Snapchat to deliver a behind the scenes look at the company, its production techniques, and its employees. This works to humanize the brand and lets followers develop a deeper connection with the business. Captions can help make content and images more engaging while drawings and emojis (small photo icons) help to liven up the content, making it more fun for users to view. Some businesses use Snapchat as a way to drum up excitement before a big sale or product release- giving sneak peeks at products featured in the sale or release. Nars Cosmetics used Snapchat to release an early sneak peek at the Guy Bourdin color cosmetics collection, only giving access to the release to those who followed the company on Snapchat. Businesses will often alert users that they will soon Snapchat big news, encouraging users to continually check back, and follow the Snapchat account more closely.

Local businesses use Snapchat to grow their relationships with current customers as well as establish trust amongst new prospects. Unlike Twitter or Instagram , Snapchat creates a sense of urgency for followers, since snaps only last 10-seconds. Snapchat is also used frequently throughout the day, and you send your snaps to specific users, so users know you sent them a snap and will view it. Although content is shared with followers on Instagram and Twitter, it can often get lost in the sea of content that fills their home feeds.