3 Things to Consider Before Launching a Snapchat Presence
Be sure to check this out in the June 2016 issue of At Your Service, North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association's quarterly, news and information magazine.
With more than 100 million users worldwide, there’s no doubt Snapchat is a great digital tool, allowing brands to engage with new audiences. For those new to the game, Snapchat is a social media platform used for sending photos or short videos referred to as "snaps," viewed for a sender-specified length of time before they vanish. These messages can either be sent to individuals or posted on “My Story” visible to all your followers.
With only a 10-second window to share your message, many of the old social media rules go out the window when launching a Snapchat presence. Before creating an account for your restaurant or hotel, use these three considerations to identify whether Snapchat is the right platform to bolster your social presence:
1. Who are you trying to reach? With any marketing tool, it’s important to consider your target audience. Has your traditional marketing mix struggled to reach the millennial generation? For now, most users on Snapchat are under the age of 25. As the app grows in popularity, this age is expanding to include a slightly older demographic, so Snapchat is a great fit if you’re looking to target those under the age of 35.
2. What will you share? Compared to other social platforms, Snapchat allows for brands to let their hair down in a less formal sharing environment. Users provide a little more leeway when it comes to experiencing real-time moments, they actually expect posts to be somewhat unscripted. This doesn’t mean that proper planning goes out the window, but it does mean that you should identify key events, milestones, seasons or holidays and personnel to profile on your account. Anything “behind the scenes” makes for great exclusive content, for example, working with your chef to describe a new seasonal menu item as it’s being plated, chatting with one of your best bartenders or servers to describe the latest cocktail or local beer on tap, or talking up your outdoor amenities on a particularly beautiful day.
3. How will you maintain your presence? It’s important to consider who will manage the Snapchat account and how often you’ll post to maintain a steady drumbeat of snaps and stories. The service and hospitality industries are extremely busy catering to real-time needs, but likely the busiest time of day can result in the best snaps for eye-catching visuals. “My Story” is a great feature, but works best for telling a narrative over an extended time period. Some brands choose to have one person or a social team committed to maintaining the account, others turn the reins over to trusted “guest snappers” to share a special event or “day in the life” experience with viewers. Regardless of the owner, set expectations and define parameters for the type of stories you want to share to ensure it aligns with your brand values and voice.
Snapchat is a great tool for restaurants looking to engage with new audiences or make their customers feel personally connected to the brand. Just make sure you have the correct audience, adequate time and appropriate staffing to make your Snapchat the talk of the industry.
For more information about PR, social and digital media best practices, visit www.largemouthpr.com.
