Looking to add an exciting new dimension to your paid social campaigns?
Snapchat could be the answer.
This unique platform offers e-commerce advertisers a number of benefits. Engaging ad formats, innovative features and impressive audience sizes are all accessible through Snapchat campaigns.
So how can you make the most of these advertising opportunities?
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By following some best practices for Snapchat ads, you can launch campaigns that maximise the potential of the platform and deliver exceptional results for your brand.
Let’s run through the Snapchat fundamentals, and equip you with the knowledge you need to smash your performance goals.
As a specialist Snapchat ads agency we can help you with your campaigns just get in touch for a free consultation.
Create ads that feel organic
Snapchat is a unique social platform. To achieve optimal results, advertisers need to approach campaigns with a tailored strategy.
You need to ensure that your ads feel native to the Snapchat platform and non-intrusive for prospects.
That means blending in seamlessly with ‘normal’ content to boost engagement. Snapchat recommends running video ads that are 5-6 seconds long to swiftly capture attention and drive action.
It’s also recommended to incorporate UGC into your advertising. Influencer content is very common on the app, so ads that replicate this format are more likely to succeed.
In fact, UGC assets (or ads that take inspiration from organic posts) typically see higher engagement rates than super-polished ads, so don’t be afraid to keep your production simple.
A natural and conversational style of ad can work wonders.
Establish your brand early
Since shorter video assets tend to perform well on Snapchat, you don’t have much time for complex creative messaging.
What does that mean for your ads?
You need to establish your branding and products early.
Including strong branding within the first couple of seconds of an ad will help customers to quickly understand your proposition. At the very least, it ensures that your target audience acknowledges your brand name!
However, that doesn’t mean that you need to open with a plain logo. This isn’t likely to excite your prospects.
Genuine bursts of personality and emotion, or catchy hooks like “this unique kitchen gadget got offers from ALL FIVE investors on Dragon’s Den” will do a much better job of grabbing your audience’s attention.
Utilise the right formats
One of the major benefits of running Snapchat campaigns is the variety of formats available to advertisers.
The platform offers more standard formats (i.e. image and video) alongside more innovative placements. Story ads allow advertisers to showcase multiple products and craft compelling narratives, while formats like branded Filters and Lenses can deliver sky-high engagement.
The key is to select the correct formats for your campaign objective.
Looking to drive sales? Dynamic ads can serve personalised product ads straight from your catalogue, while Collection ads are designed specifically for smooth e-commerce transactions.
More interested in engagement? A sponsored Lens AR Experience allows your target audience to interact directly with your ad, and can also frame your brand as an innovator.
It’s all about aligning your ad formats with your business goals.
For more details on Snapchat formats and ad specs, check out the Snapchat Business Help Center.
Use creative space effectively
Sometimes, simplicity is best.
When you’re trying to drive action from a Snapchat ad with limited creative space, you need to ensure that users are clear on your messaging.
That means framing your CTA clearly, with a simple ad design that encourages action.
Here’s a good example from Redbubble, an online e-commerce store for independent artists. The ad design is super clean and it’s accompanied by a clear CTA:
A potential customer would know exactly what to expect upon tapping the ad.
They know the product being advertised, along with the price, and there’s no clutter to distract them from the central CTA. This is a recipe for a conversion.
Here are some additional examples from CUUP, an underwear brand:
The first ad invites users to interact with a Shoppable AR Lens. The headline is intriguing, and the layout naturally directs prospects down to engage with the CTA.
The second example is a 3-second animation, including an attractive view of the product packaging and another clear CTA. Simple, but effective.
Link to the correct destination
Thinking about the full user journey is critical to boosting conversions from your Snapchat ads.
That means carefully considering the destination pages that prospects are being taken to after a click.
A disjointed user journey can be jarring for your audience, so it’s important to set up a smooth process from click to conversion. If you’re promoting an app, for example, then you’ll want your ad to direct users to an app store for a convenient download.
The 3 Types of Snapchat Ad Links
Snapchat offers advertisers three different types of ad links.
1. Web View
Aiming to drive online sales? This is the option for you.
A Web View link allows users to swipe up and instantly load your landing page. You’ll want to designate a landing page that links directly to the products or services being advertised.
2. App Install
App Install links allow you to run ‘Install Now’ or ‘Download’ CTA buttons.
These will redirect users to your app install page (e.g. on platforms like Google Play or App Store) and facilitate an easy download for prospects.
3. Deep Link
This option helps you to re-engage users who already have your app downloaded.
A Deep Link enables users to swipe up and visit a specific location or page within your app. You can use this to promote a sale, a special offer, or a new functionality.
(If a user clicks a Deep Link and they don’t have your app installed, they’ll just be redirected to the app download page.)
To create a frictionless user experience, just ensure that you have the right landing pages aligned with your campaigns and the right ad links in place.
Use the power of audio
Audio can significantly enhance the impact and effectiveness of your Snapchat ads.
Snapchat reports that 64% of ads are viewed with sound enabled, so including audio in your assets is a no-brainer.
Get creative with your audio strategy to maximise results. You can use a voiceover to share customer testimonials (utilising the UGC angle) or to outline key product details in a more compelling way.
You can even use audio to reiterate your CTA, providing customers with even more incentive to click and convert.
However, be sure to add subtitles to all of your videos.
Test, test, and test again
As with all social media platforms, testing and learning is an important part of a successful Snapchat strategy.
The number of advertising features can feel overwhelming sometimes, but that shouldn’t deter you from exploring new opportunities.
For example, you might run a split-test between two demographic audiences (using the same placements and budgets) to determine which segment delivers more clicks.
Or let’s say you have a hard sales target. You could compare static image ads against Collection ads to understand which format drives the most efficient conversions.
You’ll quickly start to gather insights about the best performing strategies, which can instantly improve future campaigns. You just need to set clear goals for your tests and measure performance closely in the Ads Manager to stay informed.
Including Snapchat in your paid social plans can open up a world of new revenue opportunities and audience connections.
You just need to approach your campaigns in the right way.
Keep these pointers in mind while you’re designing, launching and optimising your ads – and you’ll be on the fast track to Snapchat success.
