Snapchat has been in the news a lot recently primarily due to its dramatic redesign. This has been the focus of endless discussions on Twitter, however, surprisingly it has actually caused an increase in downloads! Snapchat has reportedly experienced a 55% week-over-week increase in first-time downloads following the release of the new design. It seems the phrase “any publicity is good publicity” is actually true.
The increase in downloads is also particularly surprising as the new update also coincided with a high profile celebrity claiming they never use Snapchat anymore. On 21st February, the incredible influential Kylie Jenner tweeted “sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me… ugh this is so sad.” Although, while the ultra famous Kardashian’s tweet did not affect the number of downloads, it did cause a massive drop in Snapchat stock, proving how much influence celebrities can have.
In the wake of all the controversy around Snapchat, we ask should you invest in adverts on Snapchat?
Snapchat is still on the rise
According to the social media app, they have 178 million daily active users on average and it remains one of the most popular social network sites in the world. When Instagram introduced Stories, many speculated that Snapchat’s users could be dramatically affected as Instagram now offered the whole package. However, clearly this was not the case as their weekly downloads have continued to increase.
Snapchat was built for organic content
The biggest factor you should take into account when looking to invest in adverts on Snapchat is that this social media site was built on natural, organic content and this remains its primary use today. Content is often unedited and allows users to show real-life activities and an almost behind-the-scenes look at their lives.
This means, that some may argue, that paid advertising has no place on Snapchat.
Types of adverts
Despite Snapchat being built to favour organic content, there are a number of ways you can advertise on this platform. Advertisers can create their own filters, one of the biggest uses of Snapchat, can create Snap Ads, full screen video adverts, and finally, you can create lenses. Lenses are filters users see when they take a selfie and they can alter your appearance or add features to your face.
Snapchat adverts performance
According to eMarketer, compared to the success Facebook and Twitter are having, Snapchat is struggling massively. Snapchat does have a high number of active users, but nowhere near as many as Google, Facebook and Instagram and this could be the source of its problems. A recent survey also showed that 69% of Snapchat users “always” or “often” skip adverts they are shown.
However, having said that, if your target market is very active Snapchat, it can’t be a bad option. This is because, the lenses and filters encourage active engagement with your adverts and encourage users to share your adverts with their friends and family. Therefore, while results might not be high, when users do engage with your ads, they are doing so in a powerful way.
What do you think the future will bring for Snapchat? Do you see the social media platform continuing to grow?