Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger demographics. The ephemeral nature of Snapchat, where photos, videos and messages disappear after being viewed, makes it unique compared to platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This provides an interesting opportunity for brands to connect with audiences in a different way through Snapchat advertising. But how successful are Snapchat ads really? Let’s take a closer look at some key metrics and case studies to evaluate the performance of Snapchat ads.
Snapchat by the Numbers
As of 2022, Snapchat has over 363 million daily active users worldwide. While this pales in comparison to platforms like Facebook, Snapchat’s user base still provides a sizable audience for advertisers. Importantly, Snapchat has a very high level of engagement among its users:
| Daily time spent per user | Over 30 minutes |
| Daily video views | Over 5 billion |
| Daily messages sent | Over 5 billion |
With users actively engaging with the platform on a daily basis, Snapchat provides ample opportunity to connect with audiences.
Additionally, Snapchat has a youthful user base compared to other platforms. Over 90% of daily active users are between the ages of 13 and 24. For brands targeting younger demographics, Snapchat provides a way to reach Millennial and Gen Z consumers.
Snapchat Ad Formats
Snapchat offers several different ad formats for brands:
Snap Ads
These are full-screen video ads that appear between Stories content. Snap Ads can be skipped after 5 seconds, so the ads need to capture attention quickly.
Sponsored Lenses
Brands can create sponsored augmented reality lenses and filters for users. When users engage with these lenses, they inherently become a brand ambassador by sharing with friends.
Sponsored Geofilters
Geofilters allow brands to create location-specific filters that users can overlay on photos and videos. Users engage with these filters when they want to share they are at specific locations.
Collection Ads
These ads allow brands to showcase multiple products in a Story-like format. Users can swipe through products and make purchases directly within the Snapchat app.
Story Ads
Story ads appear between friends’ stories as vertical full-screen video ads. They can be up to 20 seconds long.
Snapchat Ad Performance Metrics
So how do brands measure the success of Snapchat ads? There are several key metrics to consider:
Reach
Snap Ads and Story Ads provide data on unique views, giving brands insight into how many different users viewed the ad. This helps determine the breadth of reach.
Completion rate
The completion rate for Snap Ads shows how many viewers watched the full ad versus closing it early. Higher completion rates signal better engagement.
Swipe up rate
Story Ads allow users to swipe up to take an action or learn more. The swipe up rate indicates how many people engaged with the ad.
Screenshot rate
Sponsored Lenses and Filters show how many users take screenshots to share the experience. Higher screenshot rates mean more user-generated branding.
Try-on rate
With Sponsored Lenses, brands can see the try-on rate – how many users engaged with the sponsored lens experience.
Usage
For Sponsored Geofilters, brands can view overall usage to see how frequently users interact with the geofilter.
Conversions
Since Collection Ads link directly to Snapchat’scommerce platform, brands can track purchases and sales conversions.
Case Studies
Here are some examples of successful Snapchat ad campaigns from major brands:
The North Face
Outdoor apparel brand The North Face leveraged Snapchat AR lenses to promote their Ultra Tour hiking shoes. When users engaged with the AR lens, they could virtually “try on” the hiking shoes. The results:
| Ad Impressions | 166 million |
| Try-on rate | 53% |
| Visit North Face site | 2.7 million |
Allowing users to virtually try products drove strong engagement. It also led 2.7 million users to visit The North Face website to learn more.
HBO
To promote season 2 of the show “Euphoria,” HBO created a Snapchat Lens that allowed fans to transform into the character Lexi. Results included:
| Ad Impressions | 64 million |
| Try-on rate | 57% |
| Screenshot rate | 22% |
The branded Lens generated substantial engagement, with over 57% of users interacting with it. 22% took screenshots to share the experience with friends.
Universal Pictures
To promote the animated film Minions: Rise of Gru, Universal created a Lens that turned users into a Minion. Outcomes included:
| Lens views | 230 million |
| Try-on rate | 42% |
| Screenshot rate | 38% |
The Minions Lens went viral, generating 230 million views. Over a third of users shared their experience through screenshots.
Tips for Success
Based on the metrics and case studies, here are some best practices for running effective Snapchat ads:
Leverage AR experiences
As seen with the branded lenses, AR try-on opportunities generate significant engagement. Let users interact with branded overlays and lenses.
Incentivize sharing
Filters and lenses that users want to share with friends can turn customers into brand ambassadors. Aim for fun, entertaining branded experiences.
Reward swipe ups
Offer discounts or exclusive content when users swipe up on Story Ads. This encourages further engagement.
Retarget across devices
Use Snap Pixel and Snapchat Ads Manager to track conversions and retarget audiences across devices. This expands reach and impact.
Test iterative creative
Continually A/B test ad creative and experiences. Analyze performance data to refine approaches and maximize results.
Conclusion
Snapchat provides a unique advertising medium, but is still establishing itself compared to platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Key metrics like completion rate, swipe up rate and screenshot rate indicate how well Snapchat ads perform. When leveraged effectively through AR experiences and incentives, Snapchat ads can drive strong engagement, especially among younger demographics. Brands have seen promising results promoting products, shows and films through Sponsored Lenses, Filters and Story Ads on Snapchat. While still an emerging ad platform, Snapchat presents an important opportunity for brands targeting youth audiences to reach them in a natural, engaging way.