Your nonprofit should use Snapchat to target young audiences

Facebook may be the king of social media, but it’s not the one people under 30 turn to when using social networking sites. The social media platform for audiences under 30 is Snapchat. In fact, Facebook continues to lose market share to Snapchat with the younger generations.

The following are some of the statistics and facts about Snapchat.

  • Snapchat has 188 million users around the world.
  • Users spend at least 30 minutes on the platform daily.
  • 60 percent of users use the camera on Snapchat every day.
  • In the US, Snapchat is used by 41 percent of people between the ages of 18-34.

Why should your nonprofit care about Snapchat?

  • Fundraising pipeline.The number one reason your organization should be concerned about Snapchat is that your nonprofit is probably losing about 25 to 35 percent of its donors to attrition each year. That means it’s always looking for new donors and Millennials and Generation Z are the most socially conscious and activist generations. It makes all the sense in the world to attract young donors and associate them with your nonprofit, even if they are not yet ready to contribute at the levels that older generations can give.
  • Action behind the scenes.One of the best things that is a crucial aspect of Snapchat is that it is not the place for any witty content. Snapchat is all about keeping it real, and it’s a great opportunity to get in the habit of presenting your nonprofit in a genuine way to your audience. If you can appear authentic on Snapchat, you can easily translate this skill to the other social media platforms including Facebook. Snapshots are all about video, fun, and the behind the scenes look, and this is a great platform to practice the art of keeping it real and light, which is vital to grabbing the attention of young users.

What are some of the best tips for being successful on Snapchat?

  • Daily snapshots. In today’s world, where there is so much information reaching people’s eyes, you have to be on Snapchat every day. This practice will not only make you feel comfortable using the platform, but it will also help you keep your brand in the minds of Snapchat users.
  • Appreciate disappearing content. One of the best innovations, which has been copied by Facebook, is the disappearance of content because it creates a sense of urgency. When you post snaps to Snapchat, create a series that can be used for your fundraiser with content that will help drive the need for action.
  • Get creative with Snapchat stories. The stories feature allows you to compile snapshots as they are taken and give audiences a linear “story” progression or arc. This is a handy tool you can use to tell something like “a day in the life” or some other programmatic sequence, which will help you get attention.
  • Snapchat allows brands to sponsor ads, lenses, or geofilters. This will allow you to create ten-second clips, augmented reality through the lens, or filters that can only be used in specific geographic locations. All of these fun and creative tools and opportunities allow you to promote your brand and the work your nonprofit does in your community.

For brands not used to using Snapchat, it can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many articles on the internet on how to get familiar with this particular social media platform, which includes Snapchat, or this insightful article from The New York Times.

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