Snapchat’s unique targeting features have a lot to offer, enhancing your marketing strategy. You just need to know the best ways for using and making Snap ads.

Snapchat is one of the top social media apps out there. After all, an estimated 210 million people around the globe use the app every single day. And these users dedicate half an hour or more to the app each day.

That’s a total of 3.5 billion Snaps taken daily!

As a business owner, you might want to consider using Snapchat for your ads and marketing. Because if there’s one thing these numbers are telling you, it’s that Snapchatters potentially make up a huge pool of your target audience.

That said, keep reading because, in this article, you’ll learn the best practices for using Snap ads to create customers and increase traffic to your site.

But before we dive into what these best practices are…

Let’s first see if Snapchat ads are even worth it.

Are Snapchat Ads Effective?

If your brand is targeting the younger Gen Z crowd that consists of 18- to 24-year-olds, then Snapchat is perfect for you. That’s because 84% of Snapchat users are below 35 years old. And around 75% of this millennial and Gen Z population use the app daily.

Using Snap ads in your marketing strategy can give you a huge boost in customers within this age group. Snapchat advertising is especially effective in engaging audiences and providing high conversion rates.

There is also a huge untapped market in Snapchat. After all, over one-third of its users aren’t on other social networks like Instagram or Facebook. You can use this to your advantage and target potential customers that aren’t on your competitors’ radar.

It’s also worth mentioning that 70% of the app’s users are women. This is a valuable market that could work for your brand, particularly if you’re in retail and e-commerce.

A majority of Snapchatters, or around 60%, are also more likely to make impulse purchases after seeing ads from brands. Impulsive audiences can definitely make it easier for you to increase sales and engagement.

But if your business isn’t in the retail category and doesn’t cater to young people or women…

Then Snapchat might not be such a great platform for you.

How Snapchat Ads Work

As you know, Snapchat ads are full-screen vertical videos that appear in between watching users’ snaps. And they usually run for 10 seconds or less.

To interact with your ad, users can swipe up on their screens. They’ll then be redirected towards a specific action you want them to take, like completing a sale, watching a video, or installing an app.

What differentiates Snapchat from other social platforms is its powerful targeting features. It offers granular audience insights that let you target users by different criteria. These include interest, demographics, customer lists, and geotargeting.

You can also narrow down your targeting to specific operating systems, like Apple iOS or Android.

What’s more, you get access to granular insights once you’ve started running ad campaigns. These will allow you to collect data on the user interest with first and third-party audience information.

All these insights let you create relevant audiences that you can activate, save, and learn more about. It then becomes easier to improve your marketing strategy based on your campaign objectives and to achieve your business goals.

You can start advertising on Snapchat for only $5 a day. And to stay within your target ad spend, the platform gives you the option of setting your own daily and lifetime budgets.

That said, Snapchat also has goal-based and automated bidding features. These let you optimise your ads to meet your specific goal at the lowest price.

The 7 Best Practices for Snapchat Ads

Staying on top of the current best practices for Snapchat ads is super important if you want your campaign to deliver the best results.

You also want to make sure that whoever’s managing your ads is applying those best practices diligently. That’s why hiring an expert marketing agency like GMS would be perfect for that.

To get ahead when it comes to the trends, here are some top tips that our team uses for getting the most out of Snapchat ads:

1. Focus on the first 2 seconds

Snap ads that feature the promotion pop-up in the first 2 seconds get better results. Following this recommendation can let you outperform other brands who usually place their promotion at the end of their ad.

2. Use a visual call to action

Like with any other ad, your call to action matters a lot in Snap ads. You can drive users’ conversions by using an engaging CTA in your ad’s opening frame.

Remember, Snapchatters are highly impulsive. And having a strong visual CTA can propel them to take action quicker.

Make sure to also maximise sound and music as 60% of users use the app with sound on. You can include voiceovers in your ad to further drive emotional engagement.

3. Lead with strong branding

On top of having a visual CTA, your ad should also start with a strong brand identity. Introduce who you are immediately to increase awareness in your target audience.

This will let users immediately understand who you are and your value proposition.

Of course, this doesn’t mean opening your ad with your logo and product only. Instead, come up with a dynamic intro to hook your viewers in while also sharing your brand and its benefits.

4. Mirror organic content

A typical Snapchatter will share small and direct messages when communicating in the app. Your ads should mirror this practice so they’ll fit in seamlessly with your target audience’s user experience.

Use clear and simple messaging in your Snap ads.

5. Refresh your ads

Ensuring strong ad performance in Snapchat involves making small changes in your creatives.

Our team recommends that you refresh your Snap ads regularly – at least every 2 weeks or every month. It’s because these “newer” ads tend to do better with Snapchat’s algorithm.

6. Keep your ads short

We found that the ideal length for a Snap ad is five seconds or less. These tend to produce the most impact on viewers.

7. Test various images and video ads

Experiment with different formats – videos, stills, gifs, or cinemagraphs in your Snap ads. Find out which of these works best for your target audience.

Just be sure to test one image or video type per ad set to give you more accurate insights into your ad performance.

Do More with Snap Ads

Snapchat continues to rise in popularity among women, millennials, and Gen Z. So, if your brand is looking to target those demographics, then it’s a good time to maximise your Snap ads.

You’ll get access to the app’s powerful granular targeting insights and increase user’s conversions. And, you’ll achieve results that align with your overall business objectives.

But just like any other social media app, Snapchat also goes through a lot of changes in its algorithm and app features. So, it’s important that you constantly stay up to date with the latest trends.

Now, if you’re unsure about what to do, the best option is for you to partner with an expert that has proven results in Snapchat advertising.

GMS Media Group is that expert. We can help you do more with Snap ads so you can increase engagement and drive users to take action.

If you want to get started, go ahead and schedule your free consult with one of our GMS experts.