Snapchat

Marketing
Adleaks Guide to
Snapchat Marketing

1 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Table
Of contents
PART 1
Why should marketers use snapchat ads?

Part 2
Getting started with snapchat ads

Part 3
Best practices for marketing on snapchat

2 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 PART 1
Why should
Marketers
Use snapchat
ads?
Expanding your ad buying portfolio to include Snapchat serves three purposes:
• You’ll reach a growing and engaged audience that is unique to Snapchat’s
platform.
• Expanded functionality like pixel tracking and ad creation tools makes
Snapchat more effective for marketing
• Diversifying your publishing platforms opens up new opportunities and mitigates
risk

Let’s take a look at each one.

3 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Number 1
Growing, Engaged, &
218M 30+ 30x Unique social media
Average Daily active Average
daily active
Snapchat
user minutes
on Snapchat
number of
times daily
audience
users users open
the Snap
camera

75% #1 90%
Reach among Snapchat is Reach among
U.S. the world’s U.S.
population most used population
aged 13-34 camera aged 13-24
(sweet spot
for scaling)

4 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Snapchat Marketing features
1. Snapchat Ads Manager
Snapchat Ads Manager is an all-in-one tool for creating and managing
Snapchat ads. You can create, update, and view performance at the
campaign, ad set, and ad level.

Ads Manager also securely manages your ad account settings,

including members and their roles, billing, and payment information.

Number 2 2. Pixel Tracking

Code that shows advertisers what website actions Snapchatters take

Improved user after seeing your ad, including:

• ROAS • App Opens • Level
interface and • Purchase
Value
• Add Billing
Complete
• Search

capabilities • Purchase
• Save
• Add to Cart
• Page View
• View Content
• Sign Up
• Start Checkout
Snapchat has overhauled and upgraded just about everything
in their marketing dashboard in recent years. 3. Snap Publisher
Free, self-service ad creation tool for creating video assets quickly
across ad offerings.
From the User Interface to tracking and targeting options to
ad creation options, the possibilities — and upside — are • Design an ad from scratch
greater than they were in the platform’s early years. • Convert existing video from horizontal to vertical format
• Select from hundreds of pre-made templates and elements
5 JOINADLEAKS.COM
Number 3
Diversify your expanding into Snapchat Ads is a good idea if you’re only using Facebook and Google for the bulk of
your ad spend right now.
ad platforms By opening up new channels for your ads (or your clients’ ads), you’re mitigating the risk that
comes with keeping all of your eggs in one basket.

This point isn’t unique to Snapchat, by the way. running ads on other platforms like YouTube,
Pinterest, Microsoft/Bing, and LinkedIn can generate engagement at a lower cost than competitive
niches on Facebook and Google.

Worst-case scenario, you don’t see the performance you hoped for on Snapchat, but learned a
little bit about the platform and you can have an informed conversation about it.

Best case, you get great results, your clients are happy, and you use your year-end bonus to take
that hot-air-balloon ride you’ve always wanted. Not bad, right? 😉

6 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 PART 2
Getting started
with snapchat ads

Launching Snapchat Ads for the first time is surprisingly

simple, especially if you’ve run paid social ads or
eCommerce ads already.

But before you start running ads, you’ll need tracking in

place to see how your ads perform. That’s where the Snap
Pixel comes in.

7 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Sign up for Pixel:
• Log in to Ads Manager.
• Click the menu in the top corner and select Snap Pixel.

Snap Pixel
Click Create my Snap Pixel.

Enable Pixel Tracking:

• Log in to Ads Manager.
Installation • Click the menu in the top corner and select Manage Ads.
• Select the Ad Set you would like to track conversions for.
Select Edit and toggle the Snap Pixel option to Attached.

The Snap Pixel is a piece of JavaScript code that helps Verify Pixel implementation:
advertisers measure the impact of their campaigns by tracking • Use the Snap Pixel Helper to configure pixel events correctly.
how many Snapchatters take action on their website(s) after Log in to Ads Manager.
•
seeing an ad.
• Select Snap Pixel in the top corner menu.
The Snap Pixel is best suited for direct response goals like • Verify traffic activity.
driving leads, Subscriptions, or product sales. You can measure
these goals beyond what happens during a single session, or on
a single device.

Also, Snapchat’s pixel tracking isn’t far removed from

Facebook’s version, so if you’ve used that already this shouldn’t You’ll also need to enable at least one Ad Set to track
feel too unfamiliar. the Pixel or your account won’t report any conversions.

To use the Snap Pixel, you’ll need to sign up in Ads Manager, For information on third-party integrations, callouts,
parameters, and other advanced settings, check out
enable Pixel tracking, and verify that it works.
Snapchat’s Pixel Installation Guide.

8 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 eCommerce tip
The snapchat
ads Shopify app
If you’re promoting a Shopify store on Snapchat, we recommend downloading
the Snapchat Ads app on Shopify.

All you have to do is log in to the app and connect it to your store, and it
automatically syncs with your information and connects your pixel.

The Snapchat Ads app for Shopify also connects your product catalog to
Snapchat Ads, so you can run Dynamic Product Ads to new audiences as well
as product-based retargeting.

Finally, you can create ads directly from the Snapchat Ads Shopify app. You
don’t even have to open Snapchat Ads Manager to create Snapchat Ads, which
is extremely useful if you’re just getting started or want to turn new ads
around quickly.
9 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Single image or video ads Story ads Product ads
Story Ads place a branded tile in Snapchat’s Product Ads are shoppable ad formats that showcase the
Full-screen mobile ads that appear in between or after Snapchat
Discover section that opens up a collection of products, services, or experiences you sell online.
content like User Stories, Publishers, Creators, and Our Stories.
3-20 images or videos.

Types
These ads can be up to three minutes long and are enabled for photos, You can also connect your product catalog to Snapchat Ads to
Publishing Story Ads will also save every image automatically generate dynamic product ads. Snapchat Ads
videos, GIF-style creative, or cinemagraphs. You can also drag-and-drop
or video within the Ad as its own unique creative in Manager will leverage your existing feeds as an asset
calls-to-action like a link to your website or app installation.
your Creative Library. library to create image ads with a web view, install, or deep-
link attachment.

Of snap ads

Commercials Filters Lenses

Filters are stylized text and image overlays that can be Snapchatters use augmented reality Lenses to transform themselves in
Snapchat commercials are non-skippable six-second video
applied over a Snap to convey where the Snap was taken, like fun ways and place objects and animated characters in Snaps.
ads that are most effective for building awareness.
a city, shop, restaurant, event, etc.
Lenses can drive results throughout your funnel. For example, brands
Note: Snapchat commercials must be approved by the
10 JOINADLEAKS.COM platform before delivery.
You can deliver Filter ads directly to your specified target
audience via Ads Manager.
can use Face Lenses for product trials that allow Snapchatters to try
new makeup, jewelry, and more.
 1. Click Manage Ads
dropdown.

2. Click Create Ads.

3. On the Create Ads

screen, click Instant
Instant Create.

Create 4. Choose your

Advertising Goal and
Snapchat wants to make it as easy as possible for click Next.
you to start running ads. Instant Create works by

scraping your website for photos and videos that

5. Enter the URL your ad
you can drag-and-drop into ad templates.
will link to and click
With that in mind, these steps should only take a Next.
few minutes, as the system does a lot of the work Choose “import photos and
for you: videos for ad creation” to
simplify the process.

11 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 6. On the Design Your Ad screen, choose a
template and input your:

• Business Name
• Headline
• CTA
• Logo
• Text

7. Upload your image or choose an imported

photo from your website and click Next.

8. On the Delivery screen, choose your:

• Demographics (Gender, Age,

Language)
• Location

Instant • Advanced Targeting (Interests,

Lifestyle categories, Devices,

Create
etc.)
• Budget & Duration

CONT’d
• Business & Billing info

9. Click Launch

12 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 1. Click Manage Ads dropdown. Advanced
2. Click Create Ads. Create
Don’t let the name fool you -- if you’re
3. On the Create Ads screen, click
already running paid social ads on Facebook
Advanced Create. or elsewhere, Advanced Create isn’t too
advanced. However, it does give you more
4. On the Build Your Campaign options and more control over your ad
screen, confirm your Snap Pixel creation and distribution. Here’s a step-by-
installation. step guide:

5. Choose your Objective.

6. Name your campaign and choose

start and end dates.

7. Add a Spending Cap if necessary

and click Next.

13 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 8. On the Build Your Ad Sets screen, Name Your Ad Set
and choose a Format.

Advanced
Create
9. Set your audience targeting parameters, budget, ad
set goal, and bid, and click Next.

10. On the Build Your Ads screen, input your text and
upload or create visual collateral with Snap
Publisher.
Cont’d
11. After inputting your creative, click Play to preview
your ad.

12. Click Next for the Review and Publish screen.

13. Double-check your details, input Business and Payment

information, and click Publish.

Once you’ve completed the Instant or Advanced process and your Snapchat Ads are live, you can go
14 JOINADLEAKS.COM to Snapchat Ads Manager and customize your columns according to the metrics you want to track.
 PART 3
Best practices for
marketing on snapchat
Snapchat’s younger demographic and emphasis on real-time
interaction requires a slightly different approach than
other platforms.

Use these best practices for Account Management and

Snapchat Creative to get your campaigns off to a running
start.

15 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Bidding
Snapchat Ads offers three bidding
strategies:

1. Auto-bidding
2. Target cost

Account 3. Maximize bid

Manage- We recommend using target cost bidding at your desired CPA goal,
not auto-bid, especially if you’re new to the platform.

ment Target cost bidding tells Snapchat what you’re willing to pay
per customer, and the algorithm looks for people in your target
audience who they think will convert at that amount.

Target cost bid should provide the most consistent results, and
Snapchat wants to make it as easy as possible for
this method will be easiest to scale once you start optimizing
you to start running ads. Instant Create works by for purchases (see below).
scraping your website for photos and videos that

you can drag-and-drop into ad templates.

Audiences
With that in mind, these steps should only take a

few minutes, as the system does a lot of the work Broad Snapchat audiences with at least
for you: 10 million users typically perform best.
You can layer in interests and
targeting, however, for niche products.
16 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Pro Tip #1: “Season” Your Snap Pixel Before You Scale
When you start running Snapchat Ads, you’ll find that you can only optimize for top-of-funnel CTAs like “swipe
up” or website views.

The Snap Pixel has to go through a learning phase before zeroing in on your target audience. You’ll typically need
50-100 purchases to unlock the “purchase” conversion event in the Snap Ad Manager.

That said, once you can optimize for purchases you should see a better return on ad spend (ROAS) and results that
you can scale.

Pro Tip #2: Open Up Your (Attribution) Window

Snapchat Ads Manager defaults to a one-day attribution window, which doesn’t always give you a clear look at a
campaign or ad’s performance.

You can change your performance duration view in Ads Manager, however, to see more. Zoom in to look at one- or
Account three-hour performance, or zoom out to 28-day tracking for more accurate metrics.

Manage- Testing ad sets & audiences

ment Snapchat Ads variant testing is most effective if you have 3-5 ads per ad set. You should be able to generate
statistically significant data without overwhelming the algorithm or spreading your ad spend too thin.

Cont’d Similarly, you can test as many as five audiences at a time, though audience testing typically takes longer to generate
optimal results.

17 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 User-Generated Content Creative
User-generated content (UGC) is extremely effective on Snapchat. App users
expect authenticity, and a conversational, native-looking ad with someone
Best
practices
speaking directly to the camera is more likely to resonate.

Consider hiring on-screen talent like influencers or models to enhance your

message. And don’t be afraid to “augment” the video with animations, fly-in text,
music, and other elements.
Pro Tip #3
Snapchatters don’t always have their
for snap-
Ad Duration
As we mentioned above, Snapchat Ads can be as long as three minutes — but
that doesn’t mean they should be.
sound on when they’re using the app. In
fact, one study found that about 40%
chat ads
Effective ads usually run about 6-10 seconds, or not much longer than the watch ads with the sound off.
maximum length of a Snapchat commercial.

Also, you’ll need to convey your point (or “make the sale”) in the first three Adding captions to your video can ensure
seconds to keep users engaged and prevent them from swiping.
that your message gets across in your
ad — even if the audio doesn’t.
Calls-To-Action
Snapchat Ads offer numerous preset calls-to-action, so you’ll need to choose
the right one for the action you’re trying to incite.

“Swipe up” is the most common CTA for driving brand awareness, for example,
while “Shop Now” is usually a good fit for eCommerce product ads. Test
different text, button sizes, and other CTA elements to see what works.

18 JOINADLEAKS.COM
 Before
You go
If you’ve made it this far, you should have more than enough knowledge to start running Snapchat Ads by now.

Again, if you’re only running paid ads on “The Big Two” (Facebook and Google), the opportunity to diversify and reach a
new audience should be reason enough to test the waters.

And speaking of testing, don’t be afraid to test all types of Snapchat Ads, including videos, still and/or moving images,
Collection ads (where the products appear under the ad), Discover Feed ads, Dynamic Product Feed ads, etc. Keep an
open mind and a broad audience and adjust based on the results you see.

Good luck out there! 😊 👍

19 JOINADLEAKS.COM