Snapchat, the disappearing photos social app, first came on the scene in 2011 and has since soared to 150 million active users per day, officially surpassing Twitter in June 2016. And while it is often thought of as a social media channel exclusively for tweens and teens, Snapchat has successfully permeated the millennial audience. As of February 2016, Snapchat users age 25-34 account for over a quarter of the app’s user base, with Gen Xers claiming another 12%.

Snapchat is a great tool for sharing in-the-moment photos and videos with friends, and chronicling your day with Snapchat stories. The app became a viable advertising option in January 2015 with its Discovery feature, and later that year with sponsored filters. But these options aren’t cheap, often coming in at $750,000 or more. With a price tag like that, how can any tourist attraction that’s not rocking mouse ears possibly get in the Snapchat game? By tapping into Snapchat influencers for tourist attractions.

How to Rock Social with Snapchat Influencers for Tourist Attractions

What is a Snapchat influencer? 

As with other social media channels, influencers on Snapchat have a dedicated group of followers who are interested in their passions, whether that’s cooking, travel, business, art, etc. Influencers are often experts in their field and/or very well-known figures who champion a specific topic or cause. Influencers’ expertise and personalities shine through what they post on social media, creating a strong and often emotional connection with their followers. Their opinions also tend to have a lot of sway with their fans.

What are the benefits of tapping into Snapchat influencers for tourist attractions?

Influencers are, well, influential! As I mentioned above, influencers have very dedicated followers who value and trust their opinions. When influencers are recruited by brands (more on that process later), they utilize their own social media channels to talk about, test, promote, or experience the products. Take these 5 Instagram influencers, for example. Tourist attractions lend themselves extremely well to this tactic on Snapchat for two big reasons:

• Tourist attractions are experiential. Influencers can post photos and videos of themselves experiencing different aspects of your attraction to their Snapchat story, whether it’s a roller coaster ride or an exhibit they find interesting.
• Snapchat content is generally “authentic.” Someone capturing images or footage of an attraction must physically be there, which adds an extra layer of trust for influencers’ followers.

With engaged, trusting audiences, Snapchat influencers can successfully boost a tourist attraction’s reach and help it appeal to a whole new group of potential visitors.

How do I find Snapchat influencers for my attraction?

Utilizing your attraction’s other social media channels, find out who is driving the conversation on specific topics. If you run a theme park, search Twitter and Instagram for “experts” in theme park rides, or people who travel long and far in search of their next thrill. Engage with them on those channels, and make a plan for them to experience your attraction first-hand.

You may also want to consult your existing customer base or email list to see if someone you already know would be interested. If they are already familiar with your attraction (and have potentially talked about it with family and friends), you could hit the ground running with an existing fan base.

I found an influencer to promote my tourist attraction on Snapchat. Now what?

Now that you have someone who has agreed to utilize their own Snapchat account to help promote and raise awareness for your tourist attraction, it’s time to come up with a plan. Because tourist attractions are experiential, you will want to get your influencer to your location. You can start the process before they even arrive by sending a special ticket or invitation that they can capture in the first of the day’s snaps.

Important Tip: Throughout their visit, the content they post on Snapchat should be stylistically consistent with their usual content, otherwise it will feel too forced and could turn followers off. Be mindful of their unique style as you decide what they should feature.

One of my personal favorite accounts to follow on Snapchat is lifestyle and food blog Two Peas and Their Pod (@twopeasandpod). Maria captures her travels to blog retreats, conferences, and private tastings from brands like Lindt Chocolates. She will often share fun snaps of her travels, video from behind the scenes, and special content only available to Snapchat followers. I have since tried several of her recipes, taking care to use her recommended brands, and read every blog post.

With these tips in mind, here are some ideas for content your influencer(s) can share while visiting your attraction:

• Traveling to your attraction, be it plane, train, or automobile
• Arrival at your attraction, perhaps with a filter like slow-mo or location
• First-person experience of a feature at your attraction, whether it’s a ride, exhibit, or food item
• Selfie at an iconic location at your attraction, like a main entrance or popular feature
• Review of a feature at your attraction (see examples above)

There are endless ways your influencer can showcase your attraction to his or her followers. Stick to the cardinal rule of content consistency and your attraction will likely reach a large audience of engaged users and potential customers.

How much does engaging Snapchat influencers for tourist attractions cost?

That depends. A Snapchat user who is active in the world of promotions and marketing will likely charge for this engagement. If you have a contingency in your media budget, you could consider using some of it here, especially if your influencer’s audience is the perfect match for your attraction, i.e. you are a children’s museum and your influencer reaches local moms, etc.

If you don’t have wiggle room in your media budget, or simply prefer to test the waters first, you will want to consider reaching out to users you already know. As we discussed earlier, this can include current customers or subscribers on your email list. They may not have as large of a following as someone who does this professionally, but they can be a good resource to start with.

Include incentives like free tickets for both the influencer and his or her friends and family (this could be a great chance to show how versatile your attraction is for different ages), backstage or behind-the-scenes access, and other special opportunities for your influencer to experience your attraction close up.

Let’s get started!

Exploring ways to engage your existing social media audience and tap into new ones is exciting! Snapchat is quickly taking hold in the millennial and Gen X world and is becoming a great option for tourist attractions to connect with potential customers. Showing your audience how people experience your attraction for the first time (or the second, or the fifth) is a great way to get them excited about their next visit. Be sure to get your attraction involved on Snapchat, in addition to utilizing influencers, to help share a whole new side of your brand. Let us help you become a Snapchat pro by dropping us a line here! Happy snapping!