The hunt is on to find new, impactful ways to connect with teens and millennials. Whether or not you believe that teens are fleeing Facebook and other “conventional” channels, emerging social media networks like SnapChat and Whisper cannot be ignored. But tread carefully — anonymous apps for brands pose big risks, from failing to resonate with your target audience to posting alongside inappropriate content and cyberbullying. Thinking of testing out this new space? Here are some pros and cons to help you decide your next move. (And if you’re still getting familiar with this new craze, check out The Complete Guide to Anonymous Apps.)

Pros

• Reach one of the most elusive audiences. Young social media users make up one of the most challenging audiences to reach. While they are deeply involved in social media, trends come and go so quickly that brands can get left in the dust. As anonymous apps begin to rise in popularity, planning your strategy for these channels, as well as anticipating those to come, will help your message reach this elusive but influential audience.
• Plant your flag. As with any new social media platform, the first brands to arrive often generate the most exposure. While it took nearly 3 years to get there, the first brands to arrive on Twitter are still some of the most influential, including Nike, ESPN and Pepsi. Today, brands are moving faster than ever on new platforms, and if you can develop a solid strategy for engaging on these anonymous apps, your brand could be the model for others to follow. But engaging an audience that has grown up on social media is a risky move in and of itself — they will sense a weak or aimless attempt to connect from a mile away, so do your homework first.

Cons

•  Anonymous apps have a bad rep. With cyberbullying impacting the lives of millions of teens, anonymous apps like Whisper and Secret are the ideal spaces for ill-meaning bullies to torment their peers with little or no consequences. While these channels are working to address and prevent these issues, the concern is still there. Associating your brand with platforms that face these kinds of issues is a major risk, and may not be worth the reward.
• They’re not for every brand. Every new social media channel sets off alarm bells for marketers: should we be there? What are we missing? What are we going to say? If your brand is arriving at that final question with no answer in sight, anonymous apps might not be the right match for you. Remember the rush to create branded Google+ pages? (Okay, maybe it was a slow trot.) Countless brands abandoned these pages a short time later, failing to see the connection with — or enthusiasm from — their target audiences.

Emerging social media channels offer exciting possibilities for brands to reach their target audiences. Every channel poses risks, simply because sharing content with a mass of users is bound to rub someone the wrong way. The best way to approach a new channel and what it means for you brand is to take a step back and see how it fits with your overall goals. If it will help you tap into an otherwise inaccessible audience, start building your strategy. Otherwise, sit back and get ready for the next big thing to come your way.