There’s a ton of new features and updates coming to Snapchat, and all of them will be useful for marketers, advertisers, or anyone trying to reach a target audience on Snapchat. From free ad credit, to classes on how to market on the platform, read about how Snapchat is making it easier, and more fun, for you to reach your goals!
Let’s jump in ⬇️.
Snapchat Helping Businesses with Maps Update, Free Ad Credit
In a recent update, Snapchat expanded the capabilities a user has when exploring with the Snapmaps feature. A new feature allows users to click on businesses that appear on the map and learn more about them. Whether it be a menu, their hours, or their phone number.
All this information will be connected to Snapchat via Trip Advisor. The update is rolling out soon on both IOS and Android versions of the app. In another move that will benefit small businesses, Snapchat is offering free ad credit to qualifying businesses when they sign up for Snapchat Ads.
The free $375 credit promotion began June 22 with the goal of helping small businesses reopen after temporary closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who purchase $350 worth of ads on Snapchat can qualify for the $375 credit. Simultaneously, Snapchat is offering a $75 credit for $50 spent.
Updates to Snapchat Camera and Augmented Reality
In an expansion on their March release of a lens based augmented reality tool, Snapchat is enhancing the features available to users via their online lens builder. The new update allows lens builders to implement the use of machine learning to create lenses.
The lens builder is an easy, ready-to-use tool that is meant to eliminate the need for a designer to create lenses for a business. If, however, a user was looking for some way to implement machine help or pre-programmed assistance, the new update will allow them to do so.
Also in this update, users have access to a ‘local lens.’ Here they’ll be able to interact with other users in their area via the same lens, facilitating connection between users and interaction with augmented reality via exploring the surrounding environment, decorating nearby objects, and more.
Snapchat Rolls Out ‘Snap Focus’ Classes
Snapchat rolled out their new ‘Snap Focus’ courses this week, and it consists of six classes targeted toward educating businesses on how advertising on Snapchat works. Upon completion of the classes, the user will receive a Snapchat Ad Manager certification.
This marks Snapchat’s attempt to appeal to a broader network of marketers. According to the Social Media Marketing Talk Show, over 75% of ad professionals reported no usage of Snapchat in their marketing endeavors last year. These new classes now make it accessible to learn about, and advertise on, Snapchat’s widely used platform. The move to put out more educational information on advertising services will help with any barrier to entry for those unsure of how to use the advertising tool.
Snapchat Debuts Variety of New Tools for Developers
In another big update this week, Snapchat has introduced three new features available for developers on the app. Between a new camera kit and the upcoming reveal of ‘Snap Minis,’ it’s becoming easier and more enticing for businesses to creatively advertise and reach their audience using Snapchat.
Snapchat’s new camera updates allow app developers to integrate their augmented reality from Snapchat’s online lens builder into their own apps. With the updates to Snapchat’s augmented reality experience mentioned above, this new feature may create a boost in its usage.
Snapchat also announced an upcoming feature called ‘Snap Minis.’ No release date has been set, but the tool would enable Snapchat users to access a variety of other websites, apps, and services via their Snapchat accounts. Similar to how Facebook and Google allow users to connect information across apps, Snap Minis would allow the Snapchat experience to continue on other platforms.
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