Have you used Snapchat filters or heard someone rant about losing their Snapchat streaks anytime in the last few years? Chances are, your answer (and that of many other people around the globe) is yes! At the rate that Snapchat's popularity is growing, the app is a goldmine for brands to gain visibility and drive sales. 

So if this is your first time considering Snapchat for your ecommerce business, or you've tried out some marketing strategies on the app but still need guidance, keep reading.

Our take on Snapchat ecommerce and top tips for success will help you reach new customers and build long-lasting relationships with your audience in no time!

An overview of Snapchat ecommerce

Snapchat is a popular social network. With an average of 375 million daily active users and most of their global audience aged 13-34, Snapchat is an excellent platform for brands to reach younger audiences with fun, creative campaigns.

By creating Snapchat ads, stories, product links, coupons, and more, ecommerce brands can leverage the platform to drive sales.

Why you should promote your ecommerce business on Snapchat

Promoting your ecommerce business on Snapchat has many benefits. Snapchat allows you to reach a younger, more social and tech-savvy audience (especially Gen Z!) It also offers an immersive experience for users, as they can see your product or service in a Snapchat story or ad, watch behind-the-scenes footage, and participate in polls and quizzes.

Some important benefits of promoting your ecommerce brand on Snapchat include:

  • Reaching a wider audience: Snapchat's user base of primarily young adults allows brands to reach new and untapped markets by advertising their products on Snapchat.

  • Building relationships with customers: By taking advantage of Snapchat's features, such as snaps and story ads, brands can build customer relationships. They can also study consumers to understand better what works and or doesn't when it comes to product promotion and advertising.

  • Increasing brand awareness: Snapchat is an excellent platform for ecommerce businesses to drive awareness and build a highly engaged follower base on the app.

  • Generating more sales: With Snapchat ads, ecommerce businesses can get their products in front of potential consumers and drive purchases through product links or coupons.

How to reach your target audience and drive ecommerce sales on Snapchat

Now that you understand the advantages of using Snapchat for ecommerce, let's look at how you can get started. When using Snapchat to drive purchases, the key is to get creative and personalize your content.

Here are some best practices for boosting your Snapchat ROI.

Use Snapchat Stories

Snapchat stories are a series of snaps (photos or videos) that users can view for up to 24 hours. Looking to showcase your products and highlight special discounts and coupons? This feature is for you!

Posting snaps will promote a sense of exclusivity that will get your Snapchat viewers engaged and enticed to buy from your online store. You can also use stories to share behind-the-scenes footage and keep followers up-to-date on your business.

Create Snapchat Ads

Snapchat ads are an effective way to reach and convert potential consumers. Snapchat displays ads between stories, on the app's Discover page, or within curated content sections. They come in different ad formats like:

  • Single image or video ads

  • Collection ads—carousels that can feature several products)

  • Story ads containing anything between 3-20 images and videos

  • Commercials that can be as long as 3 minutes and are unskippable for the first 6 seconds

Snapchat ads are also great for increasing brand awareness, reaching new customers, boosting website traffic, and creating engagement campaigns.

Prioritize video ads

Video ads are a great way to capture the attention of Snapchat users. Unlike static ads, video ads have the potential to be more creative, engaging, and visually appealing. Create short, attention-grabbing videos highlighting your product and incentivizing customers to take action with discounts or coupons.

Set up a Snapchat Store

Another great way to reach and convert your target audience on Snapchat is to set up an in-app shop. This feature lets you list your products and allow customers to purchase them directly within Snapchat. In-app shopping makes it easier for customers to find and buy products and reduces the number of steps in the purchasing process.

If you haven't set up a Snapchat store, you can still create seamless shopping experiences by adding a clear CTA in your ads to prompt users to check your site or product page. Just make sure to add the snap pixel to your website so you can track the effectiveness of your Snapchat advertising efforts.

Work with influencers

Influencers have an engaged and large following on social media apps, including Snapchat. As with other social platforms like Instagram and Facebook, working with Snapchat influencers can help ecommerce brands reach a wider audience and sell products faster. 

When looking for influencers to collaborate with, ensure that they create relevant and engaging content and that their style matches your brand. Want to learn more about influencer marketing for ecommerce brands? Check out our guide: How To Get Started With Ecommerce Influencer Marketing.

Take advantage of Snapchat Filters and augmented reality (AR) lenses

Using Snapchat filters and AR lenses is an excellent way to get your Snapchat audience interested in your products. You can create custom filters that include your logo, product images, and more. AR lenses also let you offer users virtual product try-ons so they can see how it fits into their lives before buying.

By using Snap filters and AR lenses to promote your products, you'll be able to stand out from the crowd and get your audience excited!

Create engaging content

Creating engaging content is essential for any Snapchat campaign. Your Snapchat content should be interactive and fun, with exciting visuals and info about your products. You can also use Snapchat features like polls, quizzes, and filter games to create a personalized customer experience.

When you target Snapchat users, speak directly to them in a friendly and approachable tone. Also, don't be afraid to use humor to capture your audience's attention.

Interact with your Snapchat audience

If you want to sell out your products on Snapchat, interacting with your audience is key. Make sure to engage your followers and viewers by responding to comments and answering questions. Engaging with your followers and viewers strengthens your relationship with them and creates a loyal following.

Promote user-generated content (UGC)

User-generated content is an integral part of building a Snapchat presence. It increases customer engagement and helps build trust, credibility, and loyalty.

Encourage users to post snaps featuring your products, and when they do, repost them to your stories to show appreciation. This simple act will also show Snapchat users that your company is active and relatable.

Run contests or giveaways

Contests and giveaways are perfect for engaging your Snapchat follower base and driving traffic to your ecommerce shop. Prompt users to submit content, use unique hashtags, or purchase your products to enter a contest or participate in a giveaway. This strategy will help you spread the word about your products—and boost conversions.

Track and optimize your Snapchat metrics

Social media shopping is the future of ecommerce sales--and Snapchat is a leading player in the game (along with other platforms like Facebook and Instagram). With Snapchat's content creation and marketing tools, you can reach new customers and boost loyalty.

But the key to success with Snapchat ecommerce is tracking relevant metrics and adjusting your strategies accordingly.

Ready to make Snapchat a priority for your ecommerce business? Check out the Emotive guide to Snapchat metrics.