GUIDE TO SNAPCHAT

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCONTENTS

1. Setting the scene2. Platform overview3. How does it work?4. Messaging tools5. Why is Snapchat’s toolbox interesting for brands?6. Building a following7. Content publishing8. 10 creative suggestions9. Test and learn10. Ads11. Focus on Snap Ads12. Ad Targeting13. Impact and Measurement14. Case studies

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATSETTING THE SCENE

100M+The number of

daily active users in 2016

10bnThe number of

daily video views

25-30mins

How long the average daily

user spends on the app

60% Share of daily active users

creating content at least once

every 24hrs

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATSHOULD BRANDS USE IT?

Question: Snapchat is ephemeral, messages typically disappear just seconds after being opened. So, why is this attractive to marketers, who have traditionally insisted building a brand takes time?

Answer: Explosive growth in its audience and engagement levels – coupled with the increasing number of features provided for consumers and brands – make a strong case for Snapchat to become part of the marketing toolkit ... Especially when brands need to engage young audiences and move them to participate with branded content.

Their new ad products and targeting options coupled with a robust measurement framework, for assessing brand and business impact, mean that Snapchat is no longer a channel to be overlooked in the social media marketing mix.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATHOW DOES IT WORK?

1. Download and sign up

The app is available on iOS and Android – there is no desktop version as this is a smartphone camera

app

2. Add your phone contacts

This is optional but can help you quickly build you friend

base. To add friends, tap the plus sign.

3. Add more Snapchatters

You can add other people/brands by username, Snapcode (similar to a QR code and unique for each

user) or nearby users.

4. Create and share Snaps

Capture a photo or video, add filters/captions/icons, set a

time limit (1-10 sec), save (if you wish), and share with one

or many in your friend list.

5. View received Snaps

Friends can send you messages. The timer in the top-right corner shows how long you can view the snap.

When the timer ends, the snap is gone permanently

6. Create and send Stories

Snaps can be joined together to make a Story, which last

for 24 hours and can be viewed by friends on their

Stories feed.

7. Live Chat

You can also have real-time conversations which will clear

once you leave the screen. You can tap the conversation

to save it.

8. Discover

Press the 3 circle icon (bottom right) to discover news from

publishers, live stories (curated by Snapchat) and stories from

the people you follow.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATMESSAGING TOOLS

• SNAPS: images and videos which can be sent to a friend (or multiple friends).

• STORIES: a string of snaps that are joined together and can be viewed for 24 hours. As with snaps, stories can be accessed by everybody if privacy settings allow but as recipients are often handpicked, Snapchat has been described as a more personal communications platform than Facebook or Twitter.

• LIVE STORIES: a compilation of snaps from certain locations and events, curated by Snapchat.

• DISCOVER: these news channels are run by publishers like CNN, BuzzFeed and Vice. Brands can also create "sponsored" channels for 24 hours.

• FILTERS: images or animations can be overlaid on snaps and videos by consumers. Brands are able to create "sponsored" variants, too.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATMESSAGING TOOLS

As part of an update unveiled in early 2016, Snapchat launched or augmented several other features:

StickersOver 200 emoji like icons,

which can be added to messages and videos, were

introduced.

Video NotesUsers can send or reply to messages with video clips that play in a loop.

Video/Audio CallsUsers can call one another even if they are not chatting

on the app.

BitmojiCreate personalised cartoon

versions of yourself, send them in messages or place

them on snaps.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATWHY IS SNAPCHAT’S TOOLBOX INTERESTING FOR BRANDS?

Snapchat has figured out how to pull every way humans communicate into a single interface — video, audio, text, symbols and, drawing. On Snapchat conversations can evolve on the fly, whereas on other chat apps communications often feel confined into siloed buckets. 

In the most successful branded filter campaigns we see Snapchat users interacting, playing and sharing brands with their friends at a time when social sharing and active engagement are dropping on many other channels.

It does everything full-screen, mobile, and vertical. Whereas Facebook and Twitter feeds are filled with white-space and text and Instagrams are only around half the height of your phone.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATBUILDING A FOLLOWING

In order to make an impact on Snapchat brands will need to consider how they will build an audience of Snapchatters. In order to build a fan base brands can try the following:

• Promote the Snapchat account on their website

• Promote the Snapchat account on other social channels

• Promote Snapchat content on other social/digital channels

• Notify contact within their CRM database

• Leverage social influencers/talent to promote the Snapchat account

• Run an ad campaign

*Source: Auto Brands Lag Behind on Snapchat, L2

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCONTENT PUBLISHING

The types of content which the channel naturally lends itself to include, but are not limited to:

• Live event• Product reveal• Competition• Behind the scenes• Targeted video ads

The frequency of content publishing does not need to be as high as on other social channels as Snapchat advise a lower cadence, at least to begin with. Brands should plan Snapchat events/moments on their content calendar and pinpoint any significant time gaps (>6 weeks).

GUIDE TO SNAPCHAT10 CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS

1. Strategic approach: As with any social campaign we must consider our campaign objective, who our content is reaching, and where it is running to inform production style, key messaging, and length.

2. Design for Snapchat: Bespoke content designed specifically for the platform is recommended. Rather than adapting TV ads or digital video, offering exclusive content can make a major impression with "super fans".

3. Native content: Keep creative simple and concise. It may be a creative challenge for a brand that is known for big budget, high quality ads to pivot to raw, unpolished content.

4. Snapchat’s 3Vs model: All Video creative is Viewed full-screen, Vertically, and with sound on (silent videos are not accepted).

5. Branding: Avoid opening an ad with the brand/logo on an intro slate, as it appears jarring for viewer. However, logo should be introduced within the first :02 of an ad.

6. Audience behaviour: The Snapchat experience is largely based on being fun and frivolous, brands must consider this when creating content and campaigns.

7. Working with influencers: Partnering with influencers who have proved their popularity and content creation expertise represents a potential short cut to achieving scale.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHAT10 CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS

8. Grab attention early: Snapchat is dedicated to short -form communications so it is imperative our content has an instant hook. Content must capture attention in the first 2-3 seconds.

9. Engage in two-way conversation: Snapchat's primary purpose is messaging. Holding competitions where users send in snaps to win prizes, as an example, can encourage such a two way process.

10. Test and learn: The younger audience base should not put us off testing Snapchat. We should leverage Snapchat as an opportunity to interact with the newest generation of car buyers and, by including it in our social mix, we can gain an understanding of the channel which will help us get ahead of the curve and assess how social might evolve.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHAT10 CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATADS

To achieve scale beyond your Snapchat followers brands can either partner with talent/influencers or trail the following ad options:

1. Snap Ads – Campaigns can be seeded across Live Stories, Discover channels or between User Stories. Video can be up to 10 seconds long and users can swipe up to read/watch more – see overleaf.

2. Live Story Takeover - A Snap Ads Live Story Takeover consists of buying 100% share of voice of advertising within a single Snap Ads Live Story.

3. Sponsored GeoFilters - Allow brands to take part in one-to-one communications within a chosen geographical area(s).

4. Sponsored Lenses - Sponsored Lenses allow brands to take part in in one-to-one communications, delivering engagement through immersive brand experiences.

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATFOCUS ON SNAP ADS

Whilst Live Story, Geofilter, and Lens ads allow brands to make use of existing channel tools but with increased scale and targeting, Snap (video) ads offer four ways to engage users for longer by swiping up to read/watch more content.

Long Form Video Web View Article App Install

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATAD TARGETING

Snapchat now allow brands to target ads by:

• OS and device• Gender and age• Lookalikes• Context• Carrier• First party audiences (Q3 2016)• Interests (Q3 2016)• Location (Q3 2016)

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATIMPACT AND MEASUREMENT

In response to the demands of brands and to ensure competitiveness Snapchat have introduced a suite of measurement tools, partnering with data and research companies to prove impact.

Burberry

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCASE STUDIES

At the end of 2015, in a fashion first, Burberry live streamed their Spring campaign shoot. It was shot by Mario Testino and available exclusively on Snapchat for 24 hours only. At a time where content overload has made it tough for brands to achieve cut-through this beautifully shot campaign capitalised on the ‘urgency’ which is ingrained into Snapchat campaigns.

“We wanted to play with the traditional format of an advertising campaign to make it much more immediate and accessible, just as

we did with our runway show last month. Creatively this is incredibly exciting as we are totally focused on capturing the energy and the

rawness of the shoot and sharing it the moment it happens." ~ Christopher Bailey, Burberry's Chief Creative & Chief Executive

Officer

Gatorade

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCASE STUDIES

Gatorade showed how a Snapchat activation can help brands tap into major events by using an "animated filter" where users "dunked" a virtual cooler of the sports drink over video selfies. The 165M impressions yielded by this campaign could be compared with the 115M people that tuned in and watched the big game.

Call of Duty

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCASE STUDIES

A Snapchat Easter Egg was hiding in the game in the form of a “hack”. It meant that players on the Xbox and PlayStation suddenly found Snapcodes were hidden inside the game, giving them the chance to view hints about Black Ops 3. The campaign delivered:

• 6M engagements with the "tease" content

• 50M views on YouTube as fans spread and discussed the content

• 1.3B earned impressions in 5 days

Audi (US)

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCASE STUDIES

Audi of America wanted to champion its A3 vehicle among young, female buyers through a partnership with "Pretty Little Liars", a series on ABC Family that was named as the No.1 show for 18–34 year old women, and which generates huge volumes of social traffic.

Working with the show's producers, Audi provided a mix of "exclusive clues, commentary, puzzles and star access" on Snapchat each week. The campaign mixed paid, owned and earned media, used targeted promoted tweets aimed at fans of "Pretty Little Liars" on Twitter, and tapped influencers to spread the word. The headline results included 9.8Mviews of its snaps and 487M Twitter impressions.

Netflix House of Cards Faceswap

GUIDE TO SNAPCHATCASE STUDIES

Netflix, the video -streaming platform, has shown that Snapchat can enhance traditional advertising formats. Using the messaging app's "face swap" tool – where users can place their face on someone else's body – the brand let French consumers stand in front of Out Of Home ads and use the app to superimpose their head on the shoulders of stars in shows like "House of Cards".