What started as an overnight trend is officially a phenomenon, and quickly became one of the most popular social media outlets. Snapchat originated as a class project, but it quickly developed into a social media powerhouse. Snapchat is identified by its iconic yellow loading screen and ghost-like logo, capturing the attention of anyone and everyone. Snapchat has been on a continuous upward trend since its launch in 2011, thanks to its genius mix of old-school and new-school traits. When designing Snapchat, founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy stumbled upon an excellent combination of modern technology and a grade school favorite (think invisible ink). Similar to the infamous invisible ink, Snapchat enables its users to share self-destructing photos, videos, and messages which disappear after a certain amount of time (0-10 seconds). Snapchat was destined to become popular among adolescents and millennials, but its recent popularity with businesses was never expected. The app literally caught the world by storm, especially Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg offered to acquire Snapchat in 2013 for a reported $3 billion, but was ultimately turned down due to the app’s immense success.
One of the reasons why numerous businesses are using Snapchat is because of its constant and impressive growth. It was quickly become of the most-used and popular applications, resulting in excellent iTunes and Google Play rankings. With more than 8 billion (take a few seconds to let that sink in) daily video views, Snapchat has proven to be an effective method for businesses to connect with existing and potential customers. Snapchat boasts 100 million daily users, providing businesses with a large and growing audience. Smartphones and tablets have undoubtedly conquered the digital world, allowing Snapchat to continue its growth. Snapchat was designed specifically for mobile devices, and with 2 billion smartphones worldwide business have the perfect outlet to promote their brand and content. Snapchat’s aesthetically appealing layout encourages viewers to interact, causing prominent organizations such as National Geographic, Vice, CNN, Cosmopolitan, and MTV to create channels.
Snapchat is a great instrument for businesses to express their voice, allowing them to act less formal than usual. The app is extremely casual and social, and enables businesses to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at their daily operations or events. Snapchat’s primary age group is 14-34, providing the perfect opportunity for businesses to connect with a younger and trendier demographic. Users are capable of capturing those candid and less-than-perfect moments, and that’s exactly why users love it. Businesses can connect with viewers on a personable level, immediately becoming much more likable and approachable.
Depending on your industry, your business can definitely benefit from joining Snapchat. In addition to the other platforms you’re currently using, Snapchat will give your customers another outlet to engage with your business.