“Must-Know” Stat for Snapchat: 40% of Snapchat users do NOT use alternative social platforms on any given day.
Organic Optimization on Snapchat
Snapchat offers businesses a distinct opportunity to organically build their brand. It doesn’t require additional financial investment, it’s not time-consuming, and it offers more value than one might expect.
Getting Started on Snapchat
- Create a Public Profile on Snapchat Any dealership can establish a free and permanent presence on Snapchat by setting up a public profile. To do this, dealers need both a Snapchat account and a Snapchat Business account.
If there is no existing regular or Business Snapchat account – Sign Up here: https://accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/signup
After creating the regular and Business Snapchat accounts, dealers can log in and proceed to set up a public profile. It is crucial for dealers to enhance their Snapchat profile by adding a profile photo, bio, email, category, location, and website. To do this, they can access the “Edit Profile” option in the “Profile Management” screen. Click here to watch a video to walk you through the process.
In addition, dealers have the opportunity to claim their dealership location on the Snap Map. By doing so, they can share important details such as their location, website, operating hours, and contact information. This enables dealerships to appear on the Snap Map alongside the locations of other Snapchat users’ friends, establishing their initial organic presence on Snapchat.
To enhance a dealer’s Snapchat profile, follow these steps:
- Add a Profile Photo, Bio, Email, Category, Location, and Website:
- Access the “Profile Management” screen.
- Click on “Edit Profile” to make changes.
- Upload a profile photo that represents the dealership.
- Craft a compelling bio that highlights key information.
- Provide an email address for contact purposes.
- Select a relevant category that aligns with the dealership’s offerings.
- Specify the location of the dealership.
- Include the dealership’s website URL.
To claim the dealership’s location on the Snap Map:
- Access the Snap Map feature on Snapchat.
- Claim the dealership as a “Place Listing” on the Snap Map.
- Share important information such as the dealership’s location, website, operating hours, and contact details.
- Once claimed, the dealership will be visible on the Snap Map alongside the locations of other Snapchat users’ friends, establishing an organic presence on Snapchat.
Watch this video to see how claiming a dealership location on the Snap Map works.
Cross Promotion = Essential!
For dealerships that have already established a loyal following on other social media platforms, it’s crucial to inform their audience about their presence on Snapchat. To simplify this process, dealers should create a Snapcode, which functions like a QR code that Snapchat users can scan to instantly find them.
Here’s how dealers can create their Snapcode:
- Access the dealership’s Snapchat account and click on the settings icon located in the top right corner.
- To find their unique Snapcode, select “Snapcodes” from the dropdown menu, and then choose “My Snapcodes.”
The Basics of Snapchat Organic Presence for Dealers
How Users Discover Dealership Posts on Snapchat:
Unlike other social channels where business and brand content is mixed with posts from friends and family, Snapchat separates content from friends and content from brands into distinct sections: Friends, Subscriptions, and Discover.
The “Discover” section of the app features content from Snapchat accounts that users are not “Friends” with or “Subscribed” to. Consequently, dealerships need to build their organic presence as a business on Snapchat with a slightly different approach.
The Snapchat “Discover” Feed
Content on the Discover feed of the Snapchat app is prioritized based on a user’s interests ( i.e., if a user engages with a fitness routine video in the Discover feed, Snapchat will show them more fitness-based content next time they login).
PRO TIP: Dealers should evaluate common interests of ideal customers/target audiences or local markets, and curate content based on the interests they’ve identified.
According to Snapchat, there is no exact method for content to appear in the Discover feed, but they recommend posting 3+ Snaps at a time and creating content that doesn’t look like an ad to engage users. Here’s what dealers need to know about optimizing their Snapchat presence:
- Snapchat Account “Subscriptions”:
- Users can subscribe to a dealership’s Snapchat account, prioritizing their content at the top of the Stories feed in the “Subscriptions” section.
- The goal is to create compelling content that turns users into subscribers and encourages them to turn on notifications for the dealership’s account.
- Creating Content for Snap:
- Be authentic to the dealership brand and audience.
- Determine the goal of the profile and tailor content accordingly, whether to engage new consumers or fuel avid fans.
- Snapchat is a place to be approachable and creative, so content doesn’t need to be highly polished.
- Experiment with different content styles to develop a brand playbook.
- Optimizing Snapchat Public Stories:
- Use vertical orientation for videos and images, as Snapchat is primarily a mobile platform (9:16 ratio).
- Get creative with real-time photos and videos rather than relying solely on pre-made graphics.
- Focus on user-generated content, which resonates more with the audience than content that feels like an ad.
- Experiment with different content styles, such as account takeovers, behind-the-scenes glimpses, contests, and first-person point-of-view content.
- Have fun with graphics, emojis, filters, and utilize hashtags to position the dealership’s brand in the Discover feed and search bar.
- Optimize the opening of a story to capture attention within the first few seconds and consider posting longer Stories (3+ connected Snaps) to tell a cohesive story.
- Consistently post and encourage viewer engagement, such as asking for votes or interactions.
- Add stories to the local “Snap Map” to reach users browsing the map around the dealership’s location.
- Promoting OEM’s Snapchat Lenses:
- Lenses are augmented reality experiences that transform users’ appearances or their surroundings.
- Dealerships can leverage Lenses in their Snaps to make content eye-catching with 3D effects, objects, characters, and transformations.
- Some OEMs have created AR versions of vehicle models with virtual walk-arounds and color customization, which can be found by searching the “Explore Lenses” app.
PRO TIP: Want some ideas to inspire dealer content? Try these to start: account takeover, behind the scenes, contests and 1st-person point of view content.
Utilizing Snapchat Filters:
Dealerships should take advantage of Snapchat filters, which are creative effects or design overlays that can be added to their Snaps. Here’s how dealerships can use and create Snapchat filters:
- Adding Filters:
- After taking a Snap, dealerships can enhance it by applying filters such as location filters (displaying the dealership address under “Places”), GIFs, current time, and more.
- Creating Geo-Filters:
- Dealerships have the opportunity to create their own geo-filter for specific events or locations associated with their dealership.
- By creating a geo-filter, anyone on Snapchat in the chosen location can use that filter on their own Snaps, generating additional brand awareness.
To learn how to create and use a geo-filter, refer to our “How to Create a Snapchat Geo-Filter” guide. For more comprehensive guides on how dealerships can promote their business on Snapchat, visit https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/local.
In Summary: How Auto Marketers Can Maximize Organic Snapchat
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