Snapchat stopped being “just for sending pics to friends” a long time ago.
The platform has evolved into a real marketing channel. While it doesn’t dominate headlines like it once did, there are still plenty of smart ways to monetize attention and drive measurable results.
If Gen Z is in your target mix, Snapchat is essential. More than half of Gen Z uses it daily, and it remains among the top platforms for this generation.
And while Snapchat is best known with teens, its U.S. reach still includes a meaningful slice of Millennials.
If you target audiences roughly 12–34, Snapchat belongs in your channel mix. Keep watching adoption curves too—older segments continue to experiment with the app.
Snapchat’s audience remains massive worldwide, with steady year-over-year growth in daily active users. Snapchat’s daily active users continue to climb across regions.
Snap keeps investing in AR, creator tools, Spotlight, and Map—trends worth tracking for brand growth.
What does this mean for your business?
Good news: you’ve got another dependable channel to engage customers and spark conversions.
Even if you’re new to Snapchat or unsure how to apply it, the playbook below breaks it down.
Here are 15 proven ways to use Snapchat for your business.
1. Post to your story often
Once your account is live, consistency wins. Aim to add to your Story daily so your brand shows up where your audience spends time.
Stories expire after 24 hours, so regular posting keeps you visible. Think in “bursts” of 1–3 snaps rather than 10+—tight stories tend to be watched through more often.
Don’t flood feeds. Twenty posts in a day is a fast track to skips.
People follow many accounts and won’t watch every second. Front-load your key message in the first snap and use captions for clarity.
Many brands see attention peak a few hours after posting. Stagger 2–3 story bursts across the day (for example: morning, afternoon, evening) to catch different audience windows.
That cadence keeps engagement up without overwhelming followers.
2. Promote your Snapchat account on other marketing channels
You need followers to make Snapchat work.
Invite your existing audience over. Share your Snapcode and @handle everywhere you already have reach.
Snapchat now makes cross-platform promotion easier with more cross-platform linking.
Especially for new accounts, no one will know you exist until you tell them.
Promote Snapchat from Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter). Mention it in YouTube videos and descriptions, too.
Ask your email list to follow you and add your Snapcode to your website footer and contact page.
The more touchpoints you use, the faster you’ll grow relevant followers.
3. Create a sponsored lens
Filters and AR Lenses are core to Snapchat culture.
Branded location filters (Geofilters) and custom Lenses can expose your brand to large audiences in a playful, native way. Well-made custom filters routinely earn strong reach and shares.
Snapchat’s built-in library is fun, but your own effect is more memorable. Think on-brand colors, product tie-ins, and subtle CTAs—keep it playful, not pushy.
Many video filters can even tweak voice or add interactive elements for extra delight.
Filters work because they’re entertaining and easy for people to share with friends—free distribution with brand recall.
Keep your Snapchat demographic in mind when you design: what would your audience genuinely use?
Here’s a classic example from Taco Bell that nailed playful branding.
Yes, the effects are silly—that’s the point. They create brand awareness and high engagement when the creative is on-brand.
Big tent-pole moments once cost six figures for sponsored filters, but you don’t need that. Start with lightweight AR effects and test distribution through Ads Manager with modest daily budgets; scale what works.
Today you can run self-serve placements without huge minimums, and then ramp spend once you have proof of ROI. Learn about Snap ad budgeting and set goals before you spend.
4. Let social influencers take over your account
Social proof moves attention. Creators already have trust and reach—borrow both.
Invite a relevant creator to “take over” your account for a day around a launch or event. Their audience gets introduced to your brand in a natural voice.
Compensation varies; align on goals, deliverables, usage rights, and disclosure. Provide a simple shot list and brand guardrails, then let them be themselves.
Pick creators whose audiences map to your ICP. A giant athlete won’t help a B2B SaaS brand—relevance beats raw follower count.
5. Feature user-generated content
Ask followers to share snaps of themselves using your product or at your locations.
Reshare the best to your Story (get permission first). UGC is authentic social proof and fuels a steady content pipeline.
Contests help. Prompt people with fun challenges, then reward participation with prizes or features.
Grubhub ran its SnapHunt series to great effect—daily challenges, daily winners, lots of community energy.
They saw follower growth and strong participation—proof that simple, well-structured UGC campaigns can perform.
Bottom line: it’s engagement gold when you make it easy and fun to join in.
6. Offer discounts and promo codes
Not sure what to post? Give people something useful.
Share limited-time discounts, bundles, or early-bird offers with a clear CTA.
This drives sales and makes following you feel rewarding. Forever 21 regularly uses promos to move inventory and reward fans.
Keep your business goal in focus. Promos should serve a conversion objective, not just impressions.
Revenue pays the bills.
Use unique, expiring codes to track lift from Snapchat and prevent offers from leaking.
7. Take over another account
Flip the script and take over a partner’s account—retailers, brands, campuses, media, or creators in your niche.
With you on their channel, the audience doesn’t need to do anything to see your content. Your job is to win them over.
Bring strong hooks and value: demos, quick tips, behind-the-scenes, or Q&A.
Even if they don’t follow you afterward, you still earned brand awareness with a fresh crowd.
8. Promote a new product
Use Snapchat to tease launches, share first looks, and collect waitlists.
Build hype with short, visual bursts—feature walkthroughs, FAQs, and quick “why it’s different” angles.
Most people won’t check your website daily, but they do check Snapchat. Meet them where they are.
Don’t rely on one channel’s announcement to carry the day. Repurpose and reinforce across platforms.
Here’s a simple example from McDonald’s: quick, visual, and to the point.
Follow their lead: keep promo snaps simple, branded, and benefit-first.
9. Provide exclusive access
Your audience can’t walk into your office, but you can bring them in with behind-the-scenes snaps.
Show how products are made, give a desk tour, or share backstage at events.
People love VIP-feeling content. It builds connection and trust.
Rotate hosts on your team to keep POV fresh and highlight different roles.
10. Reply to your followers
Stories are the main stage, but DMs matter.
Followers reply to stories and send messages—treat those like a priority inbox.
Unlike public replies on Instagram or X (Twitter), no one sees whether you answer on Snapchat—making it easy to ignore. Don’t.
Responding makes people feel seen. Ignoring makes them feel ignored—and people leave brands that don’t seem to care.
Set simple response guidelines and time windows so your team can reply quickly and consistently.
It’s a small effort with big loyalty upside.
11. Post relevant content
Don’t just post product shots. Show that your brand understands what your audience cares about.
Share your charitable work, sustainability wins, employee spotlights, or community involvement when it’s genuine and on-mission.
Here’s a thoughtful example from Dove on self-esteem.
Their story included interviews with women and psychologists to foster an open conversation about self-image.
Authentic, mission-aligned topics resonate. Just avoid jumping into divisive issues that don’t fit your brand.
12. Promote an upcoming event
Hosting or attending an event? Bring Snapchat along.
Post the when/where, behind-the-scenes setup, and reasons to attend. Share schedule highlights and how to register.
Seeing events on video often nudges people to buy tickets; Snapchat stories offer a similar preview effect.
During the event, share quick recaps and speaker sound bites; after, post a highlight reel with a link to catch the full recording.
13. Drive traffic to your website
Use story links to send people to your site, landing pages, and promos. Create your snap as usual, then attach a link before posting.
Next, tap the link icon to add the URL.
Viewers will see your CTA and can open the link right from your story.
Use clear, benefit-led copy on the snap and the landing page so the click turns into action.
14. Inform your followers about an important milestone
Celebrate big moments with your Snapchat community.
Company anniversaries, key hires, awards, or media features all make for quick, positive stories.
Social milestones count too—10,000 followers, 1,000 five-star reviews, 1 million orders shipped.
These posts break up routine content and let you thank your audience for being part of the journey.
15. Mix it up
Variety keeps attention.
The tips above work—but don’t use the same two every day. Rotate formats and angles so your feed stays fresh.
Plan weekly themes (education, community, product, UGC), and experiment with Q&A, quick tips, before-and-afters, and staff spotlights.
If people aren’t entertained or informed, they’ll unfollow. Keep raising the bar.
Refresh your creative often and audit what’s earning replies, screenshots, and site visits.
Conclusion
Snapchat remains a high-value channel—especially for younger audiences. If you don’t have an account yet, create one and start posting.
Then keep followers engaged with consistent stories, replies, and a steady mix of promos, UGC, behind-the-scenes, and launches.
Your strategy should push brand goals forward: awareness, traffic, and revenue. Set a cadence, test content types, and scale what converts.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or leveling up an existing presence, use this guide to plan, post, and track results on Snapchat—so your efforts turn into growth.
Save this as your playbook for sustained engagement on Snapchat.