Social media marketing is evolving at breakneck speed, and this has meant that marketing efforts need to constantly be evaluated against the newest technologies and platforms in order to ensure maximum ROI. One of the newest tools out there may have you questioning – should I be using Snapchat Lenses?

The emergence of Snapchat Lenses in marketing campaigns happened quickly, but it is steadily gaining momentum.  While perhaps relatively new in terms of usage, Snapchat Lenses are already seeing increasing popularity and it seems like they are becoming another tool in digital marketing arsenals.

What Are Snapchat Lenses?

You may already be aware of Snapchat and its ephemeral photo-sharing capabilities, Lenses is an extension of that. This allows users to add real-time special effects and sounds, with the app giving instructions such as “raise your eyebrows” to enable these effects depending on the design of the lenses.

Who Is Using Snapchat Lenses?

Using Snapchat Lenses for promotional purposes has become increasingly popular, with a diverse range of companies and brands using the tool. Most recently, the movie X-Men Apocalypse used Snapchat Lenses to create buzz for their movie and allowed users to take on faces of well-known Marvel characters – as well as offering the opportunity to purchase tickets for the movie via the app.

But it is not just movies that use Snapchat Lenses. Popular food chain Taco Bell also joined the fun, creating custom lenses to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Their campaign shattered Snapchat records, generating 224 million views and remains one of the top campaigns in Snapchat history.

This has massively increased demand for the feature, with many forecasts demonstrating its sheer popularity. Recent reports have found that, with data reinforcing the increasing popularity of Snapchat Lenses as a tool for social media marketing – this data is just one example of that:

“Demand has steadily risen and for 36 days spanning nearly all of June and the start of July, 14 brands ran sponsored lenses in the U.S., meaning that Snapchat sold the ad unit roughly once every three days.”

From beauty brands to movies and everything in between, Snapchat Lenses are a popular tool to engage with users and promote a product. The versatility of it is what makes it an intriguing choice for marketers, since it can be applied to a multitude of different products in order to create “buzz” surrounding brands and products. There is much out there that sheds light on Snapchat Lenses and why they are so popular for social media marketing by speaking with brands that have used the tool, Urban Decay’s founding partner, Wende Zomnir stated that it was its “real-world application” that motivated them to try it, saying, “it was us taking something that people are already engaging with and creating a more playful way to execute it.”

The level of engagement with users tends to be the main factor for why brands choose to market on Snapchat, because it is far more personal than other social media platforms. Users are constantly swiping and using filters for their content, and having a Snapchat Lens in play can really help create a level of organic interest in the brand that might be difficult to accomplish otherwise.

Are Snapchat Lenses Worth The Cost?

While it is difficult to ascertain the true ROI of these ads, there is no denying its visibility and popularity. It is far easier to reach a wide swath of demographics, and use the tool to drive traffic for products while providing a fun way to engage with a product. A recent article in Business Insider does shed some light on whether or not it is effective, reporting that many social media agencies that have used the lenses are continually tracking its effectiveness using “third-party research” to “assess the success of the Snapchat Sponsored Lens campaigns” that are launched for clients across the board.

Their research has found that is definitely a lucrative way to market, and findings demonstrate its far reach across demographics. Many social media marketers that have experimented with Snapchat Lenses early on have positive reports back, which makes it that much more of an appealing option for future social media campaigns.

According to some social media agencies, they found that Snapchat campaigns they have launched demonstrated that:

“We’ve been testing on things like brand lift and recall and it’s been really positive. It’s very telling, even amongst an older demographic.”

However, Snapchat Lenses come with a significant price tag, and it is important to keep in mind cost when considering using a Snapchat Lens campaign. An average Snapchat Lens campaign may cost anywhere between $450,000 to $750,000 and above for a 24-hour takeover. The price is also very dependent on what day the filter is set for, with some sources reporting that, “ad prices can dip to $275,000 on less popular days, but “those are pretty rare.””

Create Engagement by Providing the Fun Element

Many social media strategists note that its premium price tag is well worth it. Its effectiveness lies in the sheer fun of the filter itself, and it engages users in a way no other medium can. As a marketing strategy, it is more geared towards creating a buzz or interest around products and their overall recognition across different demographics. It provides a level of personality and energy that might be hard to replicate in other platforms, which is another factor for why so many brands are willing to try it. Some social media strategists have tried to better articulate its popularity and why it is such a good tool for brands that are interested in experimenting with Snapchat, especially since it is a lesser-known tool in social media marketing arsenal.

According to Jerry Daykin, the global digital partner at Cadbury’s agency Carat:

“Lenses drive significant reach of an audience you would struggle to buy on TV. When you get it right, the average time people use [a Lens] can go up to a minute; it’s very personal and very energetic.”

It also involves a much more in-depth process, as each filter must be custom designed and thoughtfully done. Social media marketing campaigns that choose to do so must be involved in every step of the process – there cannot be any repurposing of other advertisements since the filter is uniquely designed for each business. And if the filter goes viral, the payoff is potentially huge – that is why brands are willing to take the risk and spend money on designing these filters.

Should I be Using Snapchat Lenses?

Ultimately Snapchat Lenses are a unique way to reach target demographics and gain valuable exposure and promotion. There is no denying its reach, or popularity within users. However, for smaller brands and businesses, it does come with a hefty price tag compared to other social media marketing tools and must be weighed accordingly. There is a significant amount of exposure to be gained from designing and launching a Snapchat Lens but it must be done thoughtfully and carefully to ensure maximum ROI.

With more brands and organizations ramping up their social media marketing efforts, Snapchat Lenses seems to be one of the best ways to reach a wide audience in an engaging way – without bombarding them with obvious advertisements. It is one method of social media marketing that is sure to become more popular over time. Brands that are able to experiment with this form of marketing early on will likely find themselves more successful, simply because much of social media marketing is based on trial and error as you work to find the right audience for your message.

In that regard, social media marketing strategy can be a difficult one to craft, especially creating campaigns that have a lingering impact. Usually, those campaigns tend to have larger price tags attached, unfortunately. However, learning more about high-cost efforts might also give you the inspiration to create campaigns that are bold, and stand out from the rest…while still being cost-effective. It is not always about the price, but what message you are trying to convey and identifying the right way to spread that message without incurring too high of a cost.

As earlier quotes in the article have stated, the goal for Lenses is to create energy, buzz and a personalized experience. The latter is what is really differentiates it and is the key reason for its success. Having that level of personalization with the right kind of platform is what successful social media marketing strategies must keep in mind, and that must be the overall drivers of these campaigns.

The ultimate goal of social media marketing is to create an impact, that is what the strategy rests around. This is the only way to create that kind of buzz, but there are many other ways social media can be leveraged in order to create campaigns that have a similar level of interest and attention but perhaps at a lower price tag.

To learn more about Snapchat Lenses as a marketing strategy, as well as other more cost-effective ways to create a level of personalization within social media marketing that will have the same level of impact as Lenses, please contact us today.