One of the most rapidly growing social networks out there, Snapchat has taken the world by storm and is winning the hearts and minds of the millions who use it. Its dynamic format that allows users to chat and share photos with one another in real time makes it a pretty refreshing take on an old concept, but most have written it off as a playground for teenagers. Savvy marketers know when an opportunity arises, so it comes as no surprise that the best and brightest have begun using Snapchat to promote their brands and businesses. How can you utilize Snapchat in such a fashion? We’ll discuss three great ways that you can create marketing potential in the following article.

Create Hype

Once you have established a Snapchat profile, you can then use it in a number of ways. We highly recommend that you use the power of mystery to generate hype, which many brands have done by posting photos that elude to a new product or service. While you may be used to pinging search engines with every possible detail for building an audience, social media works a bit differently. With a mysterious aura surrounding it, your audience will be more likely to share and interact with the content. The cherry on top when it comes to the big finale is to release the final details on Snapchat as well, so your followers know to check often for the latest updates and events.

Hold Contests

Successful promotion usually originates with a happy customer or positive experience. One of the best ways you can drum up new supporters and excite your existing base is to hold contests via Snapchat. How can you do this? It all begins with an idea and a request for photos. Your brand can create the framework for a contest (who can draw the best such and such), and have users submit their photos to your Snapchat account. After careful and considerate review, you’ll be able to select one and provide the winner with a bit of attention and/or a tangible prize. It is the least you can do, after all, for driving a successful marketing campaign alongside such a contest.

Timely Discounts

Whenever the holidays roll out, the businesses with the best deals tend to do the most business. Why should your Snapchat be devoid of this concept? Even though the most profitable holiday season only comes once per year, there are plenty of other holidays in which you can consider holding special sales or discounts for customers. Not only can you be pinging search engines with your latest offerings, but you can also increase sales and boost exposure on this relatively new social network. Growth in all areas is the key objective of marketing: when you speak to someone’s wallet, you generally get their attention.

Conclusion

Snapchat is a rapidly growing network and now is the time to make your impression. While social media can require dedication and activity in order to succeed, Snapchat is still new enough that you can influence others and build a relatively large following pretty quickly. For those who want to take advantage of this dynamic in the here and now, you should create hype with photos, hold contests that encourage interaction and provide your users with incentives such as discounts, giveaways and coupons.