Snapchat has been a mainstay in the social media landscape for nearly a decade and continues to grow in popularity. With over 363 million daily users as of December 2022, Snapchat is one of the largest social media platforms and may be a key tactic in your media mix. Younger generations can’t get enough of the platform – Snapchat reaches 90% of 13 to 24-year-olds and 75% of 13 to 34-year-olds in the US. If you’re an advertiser, it’s important to know why Snapchat is a behemoth among Gen Z and millennials and how you can leverage its user base to reach your target audience.
Fun and Interactive Ad Experiences: Snapchat offers Sponsored Lenses and Geofilters, which are augmented reality filters that let users interact with and share branded content with their friends on the platform. These unique ad formats create exciting and shareable experiences that help build brand awareness and engagement. And let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to try on a sponsored lens and see themselves as a cute animal or have a funky design added to their photos?
Privacy: Snapchat allows users to send short-lived messages and photos that disappear after they’ve been viewed, which provides a sense of privacy that other social media platforms don’t offer. Privacy is a growing concern for younger users, and Snapchat’s approach keeps the platform front-of-mind for younger users.
Camera-First: The first thing you’ll see when you open Snapchat is yourself. That’s because Snapchat is a camera-first social media platform, which means that users can capture and share moments from their lives in real time. Snapchat’s camera-first approach makes it easier for advertisers to reach younger audiences in the moment, when they are most likely to be engaged and open to new experiences.
Influencer Marketing: Younger people are more likely to trust influencers because they view them as relatable and authentic sources of information. Influencers on Snapchat often have a large and dedicated following, which they have built through consistent engagement and genuine connections with their audience. Brands that partner with these influencers can tap into the trust that they have built with their audience, which can result in higher levels of engagement and conversions.
Snapchat has come a long way since its surge in popularity in 2014. In the past decade, the platform grew from a messaging-only app and has proven itself to be a constant innovator within the social space. By utilizing a feature-rich, immersive approach to its interface, Snapchat was able to cultivate a vast younger user base. By understanding why younger users prefer Snapchat over other social media sites, you can develop advertising strategies that resonate with this demographic and achieve your goals.
Written by Digital Media Planner & Buyer, Grayson Senner
