Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, oh my! With so many social media platforms being launched every time you turn around, you may find your head spinning a bit. You’ve probably been hearing all of the buzz about the popular app, Snapchat, but may not know what the heck it is, how to use it or why it’s even relevant. With Snapchat’s rising popularity, we’ve complied a step-by-step beginner’s guide to help you navigate the ins and outs of this social media sensation.
What exactly is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a content platform that allows users to create disposable photos or videos and send to friends who also use the platform. The content becomes unavailable after it’s been viewed by the recipient or if it remains unviewed for a certain amount of time. Users can save their content under the Snapchat “Memories” feature. According to Bloomburg, nearly 150 million people use Snapchat each day, making it more popular than Twitter. Nearly 63% of Snapchat’s users fall in the 18- to 34-year range.
“According to Bloomburg, nearly 150 million people use Snapchat each day,
making it more popular than Twitter.”
How do I find and add friends?
Snapchat makes it super easy to find fellow Snapchatters and offer multiple ways to connect with your friends.
To add contacts:
- Select the little ghost at the very top of the Snapchat homescreen
- Select “Add Friends”
Username
If you know the username of the friend or brand you’re looking for, simply select “Add by Username” and input the name.
Address Book
After you give Snapchat permission to access your contact list, your friends who have signed up for Snapchat will appear in a list. Simply choose the friends you’d like to connect with by selecting “+ Add.”
Snapcode
Snapchat allows users to create custom “snapcodes.” You might have seen these posted by friends or brands on your favorite social media networks. To add a user by snapcode, follow these few simple steps:
- Take a screenshot of the snapcode using your smartphone
- Open Snapchat and select the “Add Friends” screen
- Select “Add by Snapcode”
- Your camera roll images will populate, including the screenshot you took of the snapcode you want to add. Select the snapcode image and Snapchat automatically scans the image and adds the user to your friend list.
Add Nearby
This feature gives you the ability to find other Snapchatters who are near your location. Their username will appear on the screen. Just select the user and they’re added to your friend list.
Quick Add
Any new contacts you recently add to your phone (and who also use Snapchat) will appear in the Quick Add option.
What can I share on Snapchat?
You can take photos and :10 videos directly in the Snapchat app.
Enhancements you can add to your snaps
Filters
After you create the photo or video, swipe right on your smartphone screen to apply a variety of filters to your image including time, temperature, color correction, and even graphical elements based on your location.
Text
Add text to your photos or videos. You can adjust the size, color and style.
Hand drawings
Use the magic of your finger to add fun doodles to your snaps.
Stickers
Snapchat offers users a fun assortment of stickers to add to your snaps. You can also add the standard emojis, as well.
How do I share my snaps?
Snapchat gives you two options of how you can share your snaps. You can send them directly to a specific friend or friends using the blue arrow or you can send them to “My Story,” which compiles all of your snaps. Anyone who follows you can view all of your snaps through “My Story” for 24 hours.
Why brands should consider using Snapchat
Snapchat is on the rapid rise to social media stardom and deserves consideration in your social media strategy. While there are many platforms to share content on, Snapchat can be used differently for business purposes.
Think of Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, etc. as a feature movie and Snapchat as the bonus material. It’s a totally unique way to give your audiences the behind-the-scenes happenings of your company and tell your brand’s story.
Companies can also take advantage of advertising opportunities on Snapchat. From geofilters to mobile video ads, brands can leverage the nearly 10 billion videos watched every day to gain additional exposure. Learn more about advertising on Snapchat.
Still have questions about whether Snapchat is right for you? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to review your social media strategy and see if Snapchat is a good fit for your business!
