E-Commerce is Coming to Snapchat – Here's How to Get Your Business Ready

by Japs Buidon, Guest Contributor

In 2011, Snapchat was launched, and since then it has shown incredibly rapid growth. At present, this social platform is taking the online world by storm and plans to develop its own e-commerce platform.

​When that happens will your business be left behind? 

​If you're unfamiliar, Snapchat is a social media platform where users can share raw or embellished photos, videos, and messages known as Snaps to others. But, what makes Snapchat different from other social platforms is that everything is temporary.
 
Every Snap can be shared, but rarely saved. They only last anytime between one to ten seconds. Once it gets viewed, the Snap will disappear forever. However, a Story, which is a collection of Snaps, can be re-watched within 24 hours after posting.
 
The Snapchat application promotes in-the-moment or real-time interactions and connections between people.

​The Snapchat app by the numbers
 
According to Snapchat’s internal data, more than 60% of U.S. smartphone users aged 13 to 34 are Snapchatters. If reaching out to 13- to 34-year-olds is your goal, Snapchat is the best social platform to invest in. 13- to 34-year-olds love Snapchat because of three factors:

• Perspective. Snaps provide users and their friends a more personal avenue to show how they see the world.

• Real-time stories. Snapchat Stories are raw, updated in real-time, and can only be viewed within 24 hours.

• Self-expression. Through Snaps, users can show the world who they are in the exact moment.

 
Although Snapchat’s majority of users come from the younger generation, 12% of 35- to 54-year-olds and 2% of 55+-year-olds are also Snapchatters. In fact, every single day, there are more than 7 billion views on Snapchat. And, there are nearly 100 million active Snapchatters that use the application every day.
 
The figures above show how Snapchat’s huge population can bring your brand or business a huge audience that can turn into potential customers. Especially when their own e-commerce platform launches.
 
Snapchat’s e-commerce move
 
A few weeks ago, Joanna Coles, Cosmopolitan’s Editor-in-Chief and one of Snapchat’s board of directors, revealed at a Re/code conference that mobile shopping and e-commerce are coming to Snapchat. Recently, Snapchat worked with Hearst to create Sweet, a Snapchat channel that will be morphed into an e-commerce platform at some point.
 
The said e-commerce platform aims to give users a convenient way of shopping without needing to leave Snapchat.. It would work directly with Snapchat’s Discover feature which is built to improve the engagement between media companies and users. However, Snapchat’s move into e-commerce is not entirely new. In 2014, Snapchat launched Snapcash, their money transfer feature which allows Snapchat users to receive and send money through the application.
 
Although the video messaging app will move from content to e-commerce to attract a wider audience, including Millennials, its core service and feature, the peer-to-peer messaging, will remain unmoved. 

Leveraging Snapchat for business
 
Snapchat is a promising addition to your business’s social presence, but if you want to reap the impending e-commerce benefits of Snapchat, check out these actionable tips inspired by marketers Sujan Patel and Everette Taylor:

• Feature special live event coverage. Take advantage of Snapchat’s real-time features and give your audience direct access to your special event and keep them updated, no matter where they are. Also, it’s much better to build their anticipation through announcements before a special event takes place. 

 
In 2014, NBA leveraged Snapchat to give their fans direct access to the Draft Picks, All-Star Games and Finals, and the Slam Dunk Contest.

• Tease your audience. When you have new products or services, launch teaser videos and pictures on your Snapchat profile to create a buzz across social media. Because Snaps only last up to ten seconds, it can build up curiosity, anticipation, and create a fair amount of buzz around your new products or services.

 
Mid last year, KFC Australia used Snapchat to launch their latest zinger taco. And, with just three hours, the Snaps were viewed for almost 3000 times.

• Keep your content fun and engaging. Considering that the majority of Snapchatters are around age 13 to 34, you must make sure that every content you post is appropriate for the general audience. Be professional, yet still fun and engaging. Be creative and give the type of entertainment your audience is looking for.

 
Get inspiration from the Snaps of renowned brands and personalities like CNN, CoverGirl, Amazon, BirchBox, MLS, Steve Aoki, and Food Network.

• Post behind-the-scenes Snaps. Behind-the-scenes photos and videos help create a more personal connection between you, your brand, and your audience, which can help build a strong following. Give your audience a look at what goes on inside your company "behind the curtains" – such as the average work day, parties, or outings.

 
Everlane, a fashion retail brand, uses creative storytelling by sharing behind–the-scenes Snaps to engage their customers and attract more sales.

• Share your Snaps on other social media. Because Snapchat does not have a public feed, it will be better to share screenshots of your Snaps to your other social media accounts as well to build an audience. If you are doing something exciting, you can tell your followers on other social networks to follow your Snapchat to see more. 

​To make your Snapchat profile visible elsewhere, set up a pinned Facebook or Twitter post, add a follow icon on your site, or message fans directly.
 

• Host giveaways or offer incentives. Everyone loves giveaways and incentives. These classic types of offers can give you real foot traffic and engagement. You can offer promo codes, discount coupons, and other incentives – and ask fans to view, like, share, retweet, or participate for a chance to win something big. Think out of the box.

 
Sephora’s first sweepstakes on Snapchat asked fans to upload and send a picture of themselves doodled with fake brows on their Snapchat account and upload them on Instagram with a #SephoraSnapsSweeps hashtag to win a $500 gift card.
 

• Create Snapchat performance metrics. Lastly, you should determine whether your Snapchat strategies are yielding e-commerce conversions. There are four essential metrics to help you get started:

 

• Total unique views. This metric shows how many people opened up the first frame of your Snapchat Story for at least one second.

 

• Total story completions. A Snapchat Story can take up to a hundred Snaps long. To measure the total number of Story completions, determine the number of people who have viewed the Story up to the last Snap.

 

• Screenshots. There are no like, share, or comment buttons in Snapchat, but users who took screenshots of the Snaps can be measured. Record the number of snapshots your viewers took to determine the results.

 
There's no easy way to measure Snapchat analytics for now, however, through performance metrics, you can understand your audience a lot better.
 
Snapchat has many promising benefits to offer businesses – and more are sure to come. Consider adding Snapchat to your business’s social arsenal, and follow the above guidelines to get proficient so you'll be ready when their e-commerce platform really takes off!
 
Japs Buidon is a Social Media Specialist and SEO from Always Open Commerce. He loves hiking as well as electronics.

IMAGE CREDIT: YUKO HONDA