New Delhi [India], Mar. 23 : Oh Snap! Aren't you on Snapchat yet?

It has been six years since Snapchat was introduced as a new Social Media platform. Earlier established as a platform for teens for merely sharing pictures and videos, this app has come a long way.

An estimated active user base of 150 million, it is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. An average snap chatter spends around 25-30 minutes on this app every day. Its inception created a buzz among the users of bracket 18 to 34 years which is no longer the case, as the app has transcended the age barrier over time.

Awareness, Interest and Evaluation are three key elements of the marketing funnel and Snapchat helps in achieving the second brilliantly i.e. interest the most.

However, there have been speculations regarding its use due to new features that seem mind boggling for the marketers to decode.

Pankaj Rahul Singh, Founder and COO at TSD Corp suggests few tips for maximum engagement through customer awareness, repetitive buying behaviour and loyalty using Snapchat:

1. Build Awareness using Snapchat advertisements: The latest new feature introduced by Snapchat for brands to benefit from, is a 10-second advertisement. It is a full screen vertical advertisement that appears between stories. A choice to read more elaborated content that can be viewed by swiping up on the screen. It is recorded that average click through rate for Snap ads is higher than other social media platforms.

2. Offers and promo Codes: One of the most debatable features of snap chat is its self-destructing images and stories. One of the optimal ways to use this feature is to display discount coupons or promotional codes on snap. Expiration of snap automatically means expiration of offer. A ten second coupon of high discount percentage that self-destructs is another smart way to make your consumer experience exclusive.

3. More than meets the eye: An extremely intriguing aspect for followers is to witness real time activities of an event, celebrity lifestyle and influencers. What intensifies this interest is the fact that a viewer feels connected to the host and experiences exclusivity.

This can be exploited by marketers by collaborating with the right set of influencers and promoting the brand. The impact is strong, since its real time.

Celebrities can be collaborated with to provide insight into backstage activities to awards and events. It creates viewership, engagement and anticipation which further leads to call to action from consumer's end.

These instances are valuable "at-the-spur" moments, whose value decreases with time. LIVE streaming of sports is another practice recently used by brands.

4. Make use of Unique Features: Much like the self-destructing feature, Snapchat offers other unique features that can be utilised by the marketers in differentiation with other social media marketing platforms are as follows:

Personalised filters: A personalised brand filter helps in consumer engagement and creates a buzz. If done right, it's a #hashtag waiting to trend. A beverage brand got its personalised filter for a newly launched drink. It not only introduced the new beverage but also helped in identifying the drink and spreading the word.

Screenshots: Another way to engage your customer and get user metrics is by using the screenshot feature of Snapchat. It helps consumer create interest and the marketers gets an insight into user engagement which can further help in evaluating the intensity of future marketing activities.

5. Pre-Launch Reveal: This is one of the most effective ways to feed your user anticipation. While launching a new line of product or introducing an event, a sneak peek into what's coming up can be shared on Snapchat. This ensures awareness among user base.

The process of convincing and converting is taken a step further through it.

6. Influencer Marketing: Statistics show that viewership of snaps and stories garnera huge reach. A particular set of influencers can be targeted by brands so the reach is not only your brand's followers but also your influencer's. (ANI)