Snapchat Expands Its Ad Ecosystem with Two New Placements: Sponsored Snaps and Promoted Places

Snapchat continues to innovate in the digital marketing landscape, testing two new advertising placements that aim to boost brand visibility and customer engagement. On October 8th, Snap announced the introduction of Sponsored Snaps and Promoted Places, both currently in a testing phase with select brands. These new formats offer exciting opportunities for marketers to engage users in creative and location-driven ways, extending their reach across Snapchat’s most popular features.

Sponsored Snaps: Full-Screen Engagement

The first new format, Sponsored Snaps, provides an immersive, full-screen vertical video ad that blends naturally with Snapchat’s user interface. In partnership with Disney, the test focuses on offering a seamless way for brands to interact with users. Unlike traditional ads, Sponsored Snaps don’t appear as push notifications but instead show up in a user’s inbox. Unopened Sponsored Snaps disappear after a set period, encouraging users to engage in a timely manner.

What makes this placement unique is the way users can interact with it. Instead of simply viewing the ad, users have two interactive options:

1. Reply directly to the advertiser via message, enhancing the possibility of a personalized conversation.
2. Click on a call-to-action (CTA) to visit a specific link, which could lead to a product page, signup form, or more information.

This approach has the potential to increase engagement by making ads feel more like personal messages than impersonal promotions. In a world where personalized marketing is key, this could be a valuable tool for brands looking to foster deeper connections with consumers.

Promoted Places: Driving Foot Traffic Through the Snap Map

The second advertising format being tested is Promoted Places, with early partnerships from brands like McDonald’s and Taco Bell. This ad placement focuses on driving real-world foot traffic by promoting specific locations directly within the Snap Map, Snapchat’s highly used feature for discovering nearby places.

Promoted Places appear as sponsored markers on the map, allowing users to find restaurants, stores, or events that align with their interests. Snapchat reported that during early tests, Promoted Places resulted in a 17.6% lift in visits for frequent Snapchat users. This placement offers a significant opportunity for businesses that rely on local traffic to drive in-store visits and raise brand awareness in specific areas.

In addition, Snap teased future developments such as loyalty programs and more integrated features, which could further enhance the consumer experience. For example, brands may be able to reward users for visiting physical locations, adding another layer to the Snap Map’s utility.

Expert Insights: What This Means for Marketers

1. Increasing User Engagement: Both ad formats reflect a shift toward more interactive advertising. Sponsored Snaps, in particular, allow for immediate engagement through replies or CTA links. This could boost conversions by providing users with more opportunities to connect with brands directly.
2. Hyperlocal Targeting: Promoted Places capitalize on the power of location-based marketing, helping brands connect with users at the right moment and place. Marketers with brick-and-mortar stores or events can leverage this to increase foot traffic. The 17.6% lift reported during tests signals a promising potential for businesses in retail and dining.
3. Personalization and User Experience: Snapchat’s new ad formats could bridge the gap between marketing and communication. By incorporating elements like CRM systems or AI chatbots, brands can personalize their interactions and make it easier for users to get immediate responses or rewards.
4. Future of Ad Placements: While still in the testing phase, these placements hint at Snapchat’s broader advertising strategy, emphasizing both engagement and location. By allowing users to discover new places and engage with ads in a conversational format, Snap may be setting a trend that other platforms will follow.
5. Feedback-Driven Evolution: Snap’s decision to evolve these placements based on community feedback ensures that the formats will continue to adapt to user behavior and preferences. This responsiveness could lead to more effective campaigns as advertisers refine their approaches in real-time.

Conclusion

While it’s unclear when these new advertising placements will be available to the wider market, the early results are promising. As digital marketing becomes more user-centric, these innovative formats from Snapchat offer fresh opportunities for brands to connect with their audience in meaningful ways. With the potential for CRM integration and further AI-driven support, the future of Snapchat advertising looks both interactive and adaptive, making it a platform to watch closely for marketers seeking to stay ahead of the curve.

As always, brands should keep an eye on how these tests evolve and consider how these placements could fit into their larger digital marketing strategy. Whether it’s increasing engagement through Sponsored Snaps or driving real-world traffic with Promoted Places, the opportunities are vast.

This article is available in Ukrainian.