Snapchat has announced the launch of a web-based Augmented Reality (AR) production tool to allow businesses to create AR lens. The tool, Lens Web Builder, by the photo and video messaging platform is presented to democratize AR advertising production.
Snapchat has continued to open opportunities for business to leverage their brand to customers. Where once the lenses were used to superimpose funny glasses on people, make cats and dogs sparkle. Today they are creating opportunities for businesses of all sizes to interact with their customers at a higher level.
The Goal of AR and Lens Web Builder
Lens Web Builder aims to help advertisers create AR content for their marketing outreach. Augmented Reality is a type of virtual reality that aims to duplicate the world’s environment in a computer or a device. The virtual scene it generates enhances the user’s sensory perception of the virtual world they are seeing or interacting with. The goal of AR is to create a system in which the user cannot tell the difference between the real world and the virtual augmentation of it.
AR makes advertising interactive allowing businesses to reach out to customers in new ways. Augmented reality ads are immersive, meaning they help marketers create a certain emotional connection with customers. Unlike images or banners, AR ads are interactive and lifelike. They allow consumers to see and even interact with them like playing a game. The emotional connection created through the interaction can encourage purchases as well as build brand awareness.
With Lens web builder advertisers will no longer require a standalone AR software or a high level of design expertise. The do it yourself tool comes with a library of hundreds of templates and thousands of 3D objects and animations to help marketers create AR experiences in minutes.
Advertisers have the option to upload their own 2D assets that include logos and images to further customize the AR experience. Once finished, they can select lenses in the Creative Library of Ads Manager when launching campaigns. Access to the library and the tool are free, advertising campaigns that use the new custom lens technology will however be subject to daily minimum spending requirements.
Understanding the Snapchat Demographic for your small business
Snapchat has around 360 million users a month with daily active Snapchat users amounting to 218 million. These users share some 3 billion photos and videos every day. Not only that, but an estimated 60% of smartphone users now use Snapchat.
Moreover, Snapchat today boasts of having 53% of American aged between 18-24 as active users. Its lure is the platform allows users to mix videos and photographs, and employ creative tools like digital crayons, filters, fonts and other features. Snapchat is a marketing channel you cannot afford to ignore particularly if your business is heavily dependent on customers between the ages of 12 and 34.
How a Small Business Can Use Snapchat Effectively
As a small business owner, how you advertise will greatly determine the kind of people you attract. This easy-to-use tool, is ideal for small businesses that are starting to work with AR. And it comes in handy for those with shoe string budgets who want to create immersive marketing content. This coupled with Snapchat’s ever-expanding Snapchat-for-business features opens businesses to vast advertising opportunities.
As per Snapchat claims the tool is developed with three key values in mind: simplicity, speed, and budget. The availability of wide and varied templates helps advertisers customize their production based on their needs., This will help cut through what previously would have been weeks of work and reviews. Lens Web Builder can render and create your customized lens in just minutes.
In addition, with its Geofilter Snapchat can help businesses create and customize their own filters and it only pops up on phones when they are within range. For businesses, Snapchats can be a great platform to connect with millennial and other social savvy customers.
Social Media
Social media makes it easier than ever for people to share—to have conversations and express their opinions, needs, ideas, and complaints. With platforms like Snapchat businesses can easily communicate their value, build relationship and leverage products and services.
Social media is available with a relatively small budget and has the potential to exponentially increase your reach. An added bonus here is your social media campaigns can be the glue that holds together all your integrated marketing communications efforts.
Businesses can leverage their image and video messaging to not only increase brand awareness but also drive up your sales. Snapchat is growing in popularity across generations. If you don’t have a Snapchat account, you probably need to create one now.
Image: Snapchat.com