What's the Big Deal About Snap Ads?
In our last post, “What Good is Digital Advertising in Higher Ed?”, we encouraged you to consider online advertising as part of a multi-faceted approach to branding. Since choosing the most effective channels is critical, let’s shine some light on one of the most mysterious platforms: Snapchat. It turns out you don’t have to be under 25 to understand it.
While Google may lead the way in student popularity for ads, Snapchat offers some compelling new benefits.
Five Reasons Snap Ads Should Be Part of Your E-Recruitment Strategy
1. Snapchat ads are now more affordable than ever.
Until recently, Snapchat ads have had a large minimum buy-in. This priced most colleges and universities out of the platform. But that’s changed. Ads are now available programmatically, though auctions, allowing for a substantial price drop. New York-based Digiday describes the new rates as “super, super cheap . . . easy wins.” With options starting at $50/day per ad group, Snapchat is now much more accessible for smaller schools.
2. Engagement rates are high.
In stats reported by Snapchat, the platform now has an average of 188 million daily active users. The average user opens the app 25 times a day and spends more than 30 minutes a day Snapchatting. Snapchat claims its ads are reported to have a swipe up rate five times the average click-through rates on other social media networks.
3. It’s where prospective students are.
According to the new E-Expectations Trend Report, 67% of seniors and 69% of juniors are on Snapchat daily. (That’s 30% and 42% more than Facebook!)
4. Video ads drive engagement.
Using the Snap Ads Manager, you can create clever video ads that drive engagement. Snapchat says its ads offer “the magic of sight, sound, and motion in a format truly made for mobile.” Creative features such as call-to-action voiceovers increase swipe rates.
5. Effective targeting helps you focus your ad spend where it counts.
Customization allows specific targeting by age, location (including precise geographic targeting), device type, and advanced demographics like household income and parental status. Additionally, you can build custom audience groups by combining Snapchat’s data with your own data of prospective students in your funnel.
If you’re ready to give it a try but still feel like you need someone under 25 to help you make sense of it all, we’re here to help. At 5°, our digital marketing specialist is on top of the technology trends and understands your unique audience, too.
Sources:
Flynn, Kerry. “‘Super, super cheap’: Media buyers find easy wins on Snapchat thanks to price drop.” Digiday. www.digiday.com.
Ruffalo Noel Levitz & OmniUpdate. (2018). 2018 E-expectations report. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Ruffalo Noel Levitz. Available at www.RuffaloNL.com/Expectations.
