Does the idea of doing affiliate marketing on Snapchat capture your interest?
Some affiliate marketers might turn it down, given that Facebook and Instagram dominate the social media industry. But this often-overlooked channel still has almost 390 million daily active users worth investing in.
Despite being compared with Instagram as a similar photo and video-based platform, people are dead wrong thinking that Snapchat has no business potential.
Unlike the flawless, best versions on other social channels, this app gives a raw and more personal feel regarding the presentation. If you have the right strategy, it can be a valuable tool for affiliate marketers.
Affiliate Marketing on Snapchat: 8 Practical Tips to Gain Success for 2024
Grow Your Circle
After creating a Snapchat account, you need to grow a solid following.
Unlike most social media platforms, Snapchat feels like a highly personal space. But it does not mean you cannot build a great circle.
To begin slowly (and closely), you can hit Add friends > All contacts to befriend all your friends, family members, and colleagues using this network.
If you want to leverage your online visibility and reach more Snapchat profiles, post more about your new account on other platforms and redirect them to Snapchat. Most publishers and influencers utilize Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to promote other channels.
How about the people on your email list? Try these steps:
- Tell them to search for your username on Snapchat
- Attach your Snapchat QR code to these emails, making it easier for potential customers to follow
Want something more interesting to attract new followers?
Offer your audience an incentive – ideally discount codes, if your margins allow, to motivate them to hit Follow. Or you may need to provide more value to get their attention, such as access to unique content, exclusive deals, or new affiliate products.
Pick out Appropriate Affiliate Programs
Affiliate marketing on Snapchat is a brand new approach. Be prepared to say goodbye to long stories and content on your blog or website.
All you have on this channel is 10-second videos, and you need to produce captivating content in just 10 seconds to drive traffic and convert sales. Therefore, your affiliate products should align with your Snapchat audience and impress them in a tight amount of time.
This leads to the importance of choosing the right affiliate programs. Since the Snapchat user base is relatively young, you should opt for trendy and evergreen niches to close the deal easier.
Fashion, lifestyle, DIY crafts, entertainment, F&B, etc., are popular markets that can benefit your affiliate marketing on almost all social platforms. One successful case on Snapchat for the snack brand Cheetos:
They once embedded Snapchat codes into the Super Bowl spot, allowing fans to receive a free bag of Cheetos by scanning an ad with their smartphones. After the scan, Snapchat sent users a virtual bag redeemable for the real thing.
Guess how it went.
It got 44 billion impressions and an 18.5% overall engagement rate!
Of course, you can experiment with diverse niches. But make sure you have done enough research beforehand.
NEW! Adopt AR Elements
Snapchat focuses on video content, so it comes with a resourceful library of augmented reality (AR) elements to make your videos more eye-catching. They can be texts, graphics, objects, and other exciting enhancements.
Applying these virtual lenses and filters to real-world settings can enhance user experience and increase engagement. This is proven by 250+ million Snapchat users engaging with AR lenses every day, taking up almost 1/3 of its global accounts.
An example of a branded AR lens from Manscaped, a US man grooming company:
Easy to understand if large businesses want to claim their marks and leave a strong impression on potential customers. But in your case, as an affiliate marketer, there is no need to do such complicated stuff.
When you upload snaps and stories, integrate them with popular lenses to create a familiar experience. We guarantee it will work because you give your audiences the type of content they love.
Post Multiple per Day
While you should only post once or twice daily on Instagram or Facebook, affiliate marketing on Snapchat works best with constant posting (providing valuable content, of course).
Because of the platform’s nature, it is better to upload regular posts throughout the day. This tactic will maximize its effects when you run short-term marketing campaigns or promote an exclusive deal.
According to marketing specialists, the ideal daily Snaps should be around 4-7 posts a day. Since these posts (excluding ads) disappear within 24 hours, the platform gives you more room for frequent posting.
So, when are the best time frames to get more audience engagement on this app?
- Any day. No particular day of the week or weekend appears to be optimal for posting.
- Late nights. Snapchat users are online late at night, typically from 10 PM – 1 AM.
As mentioned above about young audiences, almost 40% of worldwide users aged 18-24 have a Snapchat account. This group is less likely to have commitments like work or school the next day, allowing them to sleep later and interact with your content during nighttime.
So, your scheduling must be adjusted accordingly to match this audience.
Host live events
The integrated Snapchat feature, Live Story, is helpful for livestreaming special events. If you are planning to have a product launch, a special brand event, or visit a trade show, broadcast these live events on Snapchat.
In fact, live event marketing is a wonderful way to connect with your followers, but having that face-to-face connection with global customers is difficult. Use Snapchat to reach out to them and make these users feel they are attending events with you.
A few suggestions on popular events to go live on Snapchat:
- Gifts and discounts. These are perfect for new product launches, as you can give them presents or limited discounts on buying the item.
- Event activities. Send invitations to your guests via Snapchat and inform them of any transformation in preparation. BTS footage is also worth livestreaming about, such as a stage rehearsal or guest registration.
- Live Story. This built-in feature is awesome for music festivals or sporting events. It allows users in the vicinity to post to the story and be viewed by worldwide Snapchat accounts.
Try Multiple CTAs
The best part about affiliate marketing on Snapchat is the diversity of call-to-actions (CTAs) you can use.
This platform allows you to deliver different marketing messages across your content and in any form possible (big thanks to the supportive policy!). Most affiliate marketers incorporate CTAs into affiliate links on their snaps or stories, such as “Sign up here” or “Get your coupon codes.”
3 simple ways for direct linking using Snapchat:
- In regular snap posts. These posts are quick snippets of your life (and promotion) that can be shared instantly and get your audiences to interact with them.
- In snap stories. You should display limited vouchers and special discounts within these 24-hour stories. It encourages people to make a purchase faster.
- In personal chats. The app can delete chats after seen messages, in 1 or 24 hours. Again, make use of this disappearing message feature to offer exclusive deals.
Remember that Snapchat is not a place to bombard people with too many details. Keep your messages sweet and concise, going straight to the point.
For instance, “Buy now” is the ideal CTA for physical product promotion. State the benefits they can get if you advertise a service or something abstract.
Run Snapchat Ads
One undeniable fact through time: how cheap Snapchat advertisement is compared with most social networks. It is a significant advantage for those doing affiliate marketing on Snapchat.
Understand that Snapchat users do not want to see “ads.” Feel free to include direct affiliate links in your videos, but make them informative and entertaining so they do not come across as salesy.
Once you have convinced your followers about a product/service, they will likely make a purchase.
Snapchat Ads have proven effective by boosting a 12% higher conversion rate than other paid media sources for Wego, a renowned travel marketplace. So, you can rely on this method to power your affiliate marketing campaigns and diversify traffic sources.
What are the basic steps to run a Snapchat advertising campaign?
- Create a Business account with your current one.
- Choose an ad type: single image, video, AR lens, filter ads, etc.
- Select a goal: website visits, app installs, getting leads to contact, etc.
- Choose a budget > Publish campaign.
Monitor Performance & Adjust Strategy
After all the hard work you have put into Snapchat affiliate marketing, do not forget to keep track of your performance. It ensures you do not waste unnecessary time with the wrong marketing method.
Take a look at these insights to know how you perform on Snapchat:
Snap views, screenshots, and completion rates. Snapchat provides data on each of your video views, screenshots, and shares by users. This information lets you know whether your content compels your audiences enough to save and share with others.
User engagement. You can assess this rate by tracking metrics like story replies, link clicks, and swipe-ups of your affiliate links. This data measures the number of users taking specific actions with your posts.
Analyzing these metrics shows your audiences’ attention and intent toward your content and affiliate products.
A/B testing. Try various marketing approaches, such as CTAs, content formats, and promotional deals. Experiment with A/B testing to compare how each strategy performs. Then, analyze their results to see which drives more conversions and engagement.
ROI calculation. ROI stands for “return on investment.” Calculating ROI for marketing campaigns means comparing the revenue from affiliate sales to your marketing costs. It helps you learn the profitability of your methods and where to improve.
What is Snapchat Affiliate Marketing?
An affiliate marketer makes commissions through referrals generated via unique tracking URLs, and the same goes for Snapchat.
But how can they begin this journey when most social media networks limit users from posting affiliate links?
Affiliate marketing on Snapchat will require much less effort as this app lets you insert direct links in anything you post – posts, stories, or videos. This means better opportunities for you to spread the word on the latest product launches, exclusive deals and offers, etc.
Snapchat is popular for having a highly engaged audience willing to click on affiliate links. Thus, affiliate marketers should not sleep on its potential to convert sales from its young user base.
Reminder: You do not need to reach a certain number of users to post affiliate URLs. One less concern about affiliate account restrictions, right?
As mentioned above, there are 3 easy ways to place affiliate links in your snaps or stories. Once a user clicks on them and buys the advertised product, the brand will pay you a revenue share.
Basically, it is no different from affiliate marketing on other social platforms. However, Snapchat has a more supportive policy allowing you to reach target audiences directly.
Pros Vs Cons of Doing Affiliate Marketing on Snapchat
Affiliate marketing on Snapchat has its pros and cons. Understand these factors before diving into the platform:
| Advantages | Downsides |
| High, active engagement from youngsters | Declining platform growth |
| Supportive affiliate policy in promoting links | Smaller user base than other networks |
| Low-budget advertisement | Requires selected niches for young audience |
In terms of the advantages you get from this social channel, we cannot miss the high engagement level. Despite most of them being nocturnally active, you will be surprised by how frequently they use the app.
A recent Snapchat survey shows active users opening the platform 30+ times daily with a 30-minute average usage time. Over 5 million snaps are delivered daily on this app.
In addition, Snapchat is very supportive of posting monetized links. Feel free to add links to your content without worrying about being banned from the channel like some other social media.
Again, the cheaper ad costs than other advertising platforms are 100% the best benefit.
Take full advantage of this asset to expand your reach to a broader audience.
On the other hand, you also need to consider the following issues when doing affiliate marketing here:
With the recent global rise of TikTok, Snapchat’s growth has experienced slowness in the last few years, even though still moving upward. Thus, affiliate marketers may find it challenging to invest in this app long-term.
Also, 383 million daily active users (DAUs) worldwide on Snapchat in Q1 2023 might sound impressive. Until you know that giants like Facebook and Instagram have over 2 billion DAUs each.
This is because the platform’s leading audience group is the younger generations, including millennials and Gen-Z. Resulting in another drawback of Snapchat affiliate marketing – promoting the right niches.
Choose your affiliate product/service wisely since those appeal to older audiences may not bring many conversions on Snapchat.
More Reasons To Do Snapchat Affiliate Marketing
Are the benefits of doing affiliate marketing on Snapchat convincing enough for you?
Here are extra reasons why Snapchat is a profitable platform for affiliate marketers:
Diverse ways to engage
Trust us – not many social media networks are as supportive as Snapchat with its users, especially affiliate marketers trying to make money online.
It offers various elements to leverage your engagement with your followers, such as AR lenses and filters.
Some extra tips to create an engaging community on Snapchat:
- Post consistently. Set a weekly (even monthly) schedule to ensure customers see your content regularly.
- Incorporate fun activities. Add music, filters, fun themes, and jokes to make your content more attractive to Gen Z users.
- Ask for feedback. Take the initiative and ask for your audience’s feedback to help you improve and grow.
Easy to build a circle
Another advantage when using Snapchat for affiliate marketing is how simple it is to build an audience network. You can add those closest to you (friends, family) first and then expand your circle to potential customers.
Below are common ways to add new friends on the app:
- Add by Snapcode. Have people scan your Snapchat QR code and follow your account.
- Add by username. Same as Add by Snapcode, but people need to type out your username to add friends.
- Add nearby. The most convenient but least-known feature – adding multiple users in your area.
Easy to find tutorials and guides
Snapchat is pretty easy to use as the app has a user-friendly interface. That is part of the reason why many marketers target this social network to do affiliate marketing.
Not to mention the effortless sign-up process and adding friends, but you can easily find tutorials and guides for its integrated features like camera, AR lens, geo-filters, My Story, etc.
How to Start Affiliate Marketing on Snapchat?
In summary, here is a quick step guide on your first steps to do affiliate marketing on Snapchat with a public profile.
Offer teasers of upcoming products
The 10-second window view of your Snapchat content is brilliant.
It is useful in displaying a sneak peek of an upcoming sale, product launch, or new brand initiative. Give your followers a nice photo or a short video with subtle hints or brief announcements of what is coming next.
Remember to post just enough – it will pique your customers’ interest to learn more. Teasing your upcoming events or products helps create a buzz before the launch.
Make exclusive offers
Snapchat photos and videos expire shortly after 24 hours. Once they disappear from your feed, they are gone for good.
What is the advantage for affiliate marketers here?
Try posting snaps with special offers and promo codes. If these codes appeal to your customers better than regular promotions, they will be intrigued to follow you on this platform.
And should you announce when these discounts are available? No.
Not knowing the right timing to get those unique offers will leave your followers hanging. Then, they will try to engage with all your snaps during the wait.
Access to premium content
This social media channel lets you decide who can receive your content – everyone on your list or just certain followers.
Thus, it is a recommended way to reward loyal customers in affiliate marketing on Snapchat.
Imagine having access to premium content that most others cannot. It can be backstage access to your affiliate brand, unique promotions, and loyalty discounts.
This makes your customers feel special and be willing to purchase with these deals.
Furthermore, you can announce such exclusive content to all customers but not give everyone access. This incentivizes people to engage more to enlist your special group.
Broadcast live events
As suggested earlier, the live event feature on this app is a profitable tool to promote special occasions and boost audience engagement with your content.
Quick instructions on how to start a live video on Snapchat:
- Go to the Snapchat app.
- Swipe right for the camera.
- Tap the Live button underneath the screen.
If you want to interact with specific users, the platform comes with a separate live app. You can use it to share real-time photos and videos exclusively with special customers.
Build a brand story
Have you heard of the My Story feature on Snapchat?
My Story allows you to display long-form storytelling by posting a series of snaps in a row, like 10 Instagram photos in succession. No limitation to 10-second posts to engage with your audiences.
Using this feature lets you go into detail about any business initiative that is unique and engaging. The original idea of a new product? The back story of a promo event? All is good.
Moreover, people will be more enticed by the successive format. Customers will keep engaging until the end, while they may get bored interacting with other long-form content.
Host contests
Contests are undeniably a fun way to engage with online customers.
Plus, there are plenty of cool features on Snapchat, like AR lenses and drawing tools to incorporate into your activities.
Here is a contest idea: Ask your followers to submit snaps of themselves using these tools to win discount codes or other great prizes.
This enables a two-way conversation between you and your customers and engages with them through their promotion of your brand.
Highlight Story: Grow $18,000 Profit With Snapchat Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing on Snapchat is definitely a great opportunity for worldwide marketers. This has been proven by a successful case where one made a $18,000 profit using this platform.
Curious how?
Earning this much of a profit is not simple – but that was one of Snapchat Matt’s biggest achievements. It is an inspiring case study of hard work and wise decisions, as he saw a chance on the audience base here and chose to apply affiliate marketing.
You must have thought he had a powerful team behind this success, but no. All he had was one assistant, and he took care of everything on his own.
Despite not being familiar with Snapchat from the start, he gave it a brave shot anyway. The result was over the roof, proving that you do not need too many brains to create a significant impact.
Of course, this success was not random but rather a well-constructed plan. Snapchat Matt researched producing attractive ads using simple, concise messages and diverse formats. Plus, he made important decisions based on key metrics like Return on advertising spend (ROAS) and effective cost per swipe up (eCPSU).
There were many options on Snapchat to reach target audiences, including factors like location, age, and interests. He applied the correct data to get to them through impressive ads that spoke up to people’s needs, which led to the success of his Canadian Debt Relief campaign.
Overall, Snapchat Matt’s journey of growing a $18,000 profit with Snapchat teaches us important lessons. It shows how you can succeed by exploring new chances, using data for decision-making, and working smart.
Without a doubt, his story will become a major source of motivation for others in the marketing industry. Tap into this amazing traffic source to make massive money online!
FAQs:
How to find the right products to promote on Snapchat?
Nearly 50% of overall Snapchat content is product ads, showing how engaging they are to its users. The best ways to decide what to promote on this network are product searches by hashtags, spy tools to collect ads, or checking a product trend on another platform.
Is a website or blog necessary when using Snapchat for affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing on Snapchat does not require a blog or website, as the platform is entirely video-based, and you will upload either snaps or stories to promote your affiliate product/service.
If you run a blog, mention your Snapchat activities in your content to redirect potential customers to this platform.
How to disclose sponsored or affiliate content on Snapchat?
Use text overlays, graphics, and stickers saying #ad, #partner, or #sponsored in your snap or story, or the Paid Partnership feature to add labels that link to the brand’s profile.
You can also verbally mention the sponsorship/partnership from the start or during the snap or story.
How much commission can I earn when doing affiliate marketing on Snapchat?
Using the right strategies for affiliate marketing on Snapchat can drive significant results and help you earn up to $10,000 monthly.
Of course, not every affiliate marketer can achieve this from the very start, but this rate is not impossible if you put in enough time and effort.
What are the best ways to track my affiliate performance on Snapchat?
To track your performance on Snapchat, there are several crucial metrics to consider and adjust if necessary.
Check how many views and screenshots your snaps have, the user engagement rate, and return on investment (ROI) calculation – and, of course, try A/B testing different approaches to decide on the most effective option.
Conclusion
Provided that you have an appealing niche for youngsters with diverse resources to produce 10-second videos. Why wait for your affiliate marketing on Snapchat journey?
With its vast user base of teenagers worldwide, you can confidently promote unique products and offers that convert into sales. The more intriguing your content is, the more they are willing to engage and purchase.
In this article, we have tried our best to provide all relevant information and tips on how you can conquer this social platform. Develop a marketing strategy for Snapchat right now and start implementing what you learned into serious business!
