Snapchat eCommerce: How To Sell Products on Snapchat

By 2021, mobile eCommerce will account for 54% of total online sales. Companies like Snapchat are cashing in on this opportunity by offering eCommerce companies the tools they need to succeed. To help merchants like you, we’ve created this blog to cover:

• Different Snapchat ad formats
• Buying habits of users
• An exemplary success story
• Metrics
• Influencer marketing and tips. 

Read on to discover how to leverage Snapchat for selling products & services!

Why Snapchat eCommerce?

Snapchat is the largest social media platform that U.S. teens utilize. A whopping 16.4 million users between 12 and 17 years old dominate the platform, with 3.6 million more teen users than Instagram and 5 million more than Facebook. 

Additionally, 68% of 18-29 year-olds use Snapchat. As demographics for the platform continue to expand and mature, eCommerce brands have tremendous potential to leverage Snapchat advertisements to drive sales.

Types of Ad Formats Within Snapchat

Story Ads

Located in the “Discover” feed, Story Ads can include 3-20 snaps that appear when users scroll through the “For You” section. Often, these are positioned as the second snap in a user’s feed and are labeled “Sponsored.” With these ads, you can provide a sneak peek of what your business has to offer. 

Take advantage of Snapchat’s visual features - whether it be photos or videos - and display your best products to appeal to your targeted customers. Enticing, memorable visuals can make Snapchat users be on the lookout for your brand in the future.

Snap Ads

Snap Ads are full-screen videos or photos that let users swipe up to visit your business’s web page or app. Choose this ad format to show customers your brand’s story and personality or to offer Snapchat-only promotions. 

When using Snap Ads, be sure to design in congruence with the other videos that Snapchat users are watching. In other words, don’t make your ad look too much like an ad. This will cause Snapchat users to exit out before they have a chance to view and digest your message.

Collections 

Snapchat eCommerce Collection Ads are the most product-friendly option available for online retailers. This format combines four different products with a brand messaging area to promote a direct link to a product detail page.

Let’s say that you’re promoting one of your brand’s products. Underneath the image or video, users will find product thumbnails with related ads. Use this additional real estate to promote related products and demonstrate what else your brand has to offer.

Buying Habits of Snapchat Users

Snapchat users are a serious force in the eCommerce purchasing space. We’ve compiled a few of our favorite facts below to demonstrate how Snapchat users interact with eCommerce brands.

• Snapchat users are 20% more likely to make purchases on their mobile devices than non-Snapchatters. 
• Snapchat found that users who shop at big box stores typically shop twice a month on average and mainly on Saturdays. 
• On average, shoppers between the ages of 18 and 24 are more likely to shop on weekdays, while 13-17 year olds browse in store on the weekends. 
• 18 to 24-year-olds are 8% more likely to shop in the middle of the month (11th or 20th) compared to the beginning or the end of the month.

Don’t forget to take your customers’ shopping habits into consideration when deciding how to market your brand. Understanding what, when, why and how they purchase can help your brand more appropriately reach them on the platform.

Measurable Metrics to Consider

To ensure that your business is utilizing Snapchat’s ad capabilities to its fullest potential, take into consideration the following metrics:

• Delivery
• Spend
• Attachment
• App Install
• Long Form
• Conversion

To learn more about what falls under each category, please refer to Snapchat’s Ad Metrics Glossary.

Influencer Marketing 

An influencer is someone with a large social media following who posts consistent content that consumers are likely to trust. One of the easiest ways to use influencers to promote your brand is to encourage them to promote your brand’s products and story. 

This amplified word of mouth marketing approach allows your brand to reach a wider audience. Furthermore, consumers are likely to believe the influencer as long as the message comes across as honest and sincere. Consumers dislike when an influencer’s social media post looks like advertisements.

HiSmile’s Success Story 

HiSmile is an oral cosmetics company with a goal of generating website sales by increasing brand awareness. The company turned to Snapchat ads in hopes to find a new audience that it was unable to find on other platforms. 

HiSmile utilized Story Ads and created relatable and enticing content in order to connect with customers. HiSmile placed ads in the Music, Sports Fans, and Gamers categories on Snapchat and accompanied this tactic with re-engagement campaigns for users that had high purchase intentions.

HiSmile was able to propel new customers to their website, which led to a 15% increase in revenue. Snapchat has allowed HiSmile to reach more customers and spread the brand’s message and products to consumers around the world.

Conclusion

And that’s it! We hope this blog helped you learn ways to leverage Snapchat advertising for your business. If you’re looking for an eCommerce PPC agency, feel free to reach out through the form below. We'd love to learn more about your eCommerce advertising strategy and share how our team can help. Talk soon!