With Super Bowl 51 around the corner, many advertisers that prefer not to shell out $5 million+ for a 30-second spot during the Big Game will likely consider reaching captive audiences on mobile. For some, that might mean Snapchat. But are Snapchat ads actually working? Does anyone really watch them all the way through?
Snapchat ads are becoming increasingly popular and attractive to advertisers. These ads are very short and to the point, no longer than 10 seconds, containing valuable content to engage users. The ads are displayed between Snapchat stories, Discover articles, and live stories. Snapchat ads cost a minimum of $100,000 a day, and that price can increase on holidays and weekends. The price to advertise on Snapchat is much more appealing than 30-second spot ads during the Super Bowl, but what about the reach? How effective are Snapchat ads?
With more than 150 million daily Snapchat users, there is a huge potential to reach a wide audience. People watch their phones more than they watch TV. But a user will typically view an ad for only 2.5-2.8 seconds on Snapchat. Advertisers believe that they are purchasing a 10-second ad on Snapchat, but really are only purchasing a 3-second time frame to get their message across.
Personally, I hardly watch an ad on Snapchat all the way through. Like most users, I find myself skipping ads if they do not catch my attention right away. So, if Super Bowl Advertisers go the Snapchat route, what can they do to make their ads more interesting to users?
Now Snapchat is not for every brand. But for big companies like Gatorade and Cadbury (another brand that’s had success with this medium), it may just be a valid opportunity during Super Bowl 51. As with any other medium, Snapchat is not something you want to dive into headfirst. Take a step back, evaluate the possibilities, and come up with a strategy that works in the medium without sacrificing the integrity of your brand.