How to Create a Snapchat Ad

Have you ever watched a friend’s Snapchat story that is then immediately followed by an ad that actually looks as if you’re watching another individual’s Snapchat story?  Larger brands have already been using the Snapchat platform to advertise and now local businesses have the option as well (although, it is pricey!). Register your business for the Snapchat Ads Manager and follow these steps to create your first Snapchat ad:
 
1. Create an Audience

Like Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat now offers ways to target individuals based on device, demographics, and geography. When creating your audience, try to keep in mind that most people using Snapchat are teenagers and young adults, so if your audience falls outside of these parameters, it might be wise to consider advertising on a different social media platform.

2. Set Your Budget and Goals

Select your ad budget for the particular ad as well as the goal. This can either be “swipe-ups” or “installs”. As of now, the minimum budget for a Snapchat ad is $100 per day, which is much higher than daily ad minimums on other platforms. (Facebook and Instagram currently only require $1 per day per ad.) We’re hoping that Snapchat will lower the daily ad minimum once brands with larger budgets become more familiar with the platform. We saw this happen with Instagram and Twitter years ago.
 
3. Schedule

Select a duration for how long you want this specific ad to run. One week? One month? A year?
 
4. Select an ad type and upload your content

There are four types of ads: App Install, Long Form Video, Top Snap Only and Web View.

The App Install ad will send people directly to the Apple Store or Google Play to download the selected app. The Long Form Video ad is similar to a video trailer and these videos can be up to 10 minutes long. The Top Snap Only ad option is a 3-10 second video ad with no call to action.
 A Web View ad will send people to a website to purchase a product, make an appointment or read an article.  

Ready to get started with Snapchat ads? Reach out to us to begin creating these type of ads for your brand!