SnapChat for Digital Marketers

Is Snapchat Another Platform for Digital Marketers?

Snapchat is an application that allows users to exchange photos among their friends and the photos disappears within 10 seconds once they open it.

Snapchat works differently from Facebook and Twitter. It works more like a stress-free program where people talks to each other privately, and no trace thereafter, and nobody judges anything. Unlike Facebook where your message is being "broadcast" to all your friends and you feel "stressed" and would only want to show the best of you instead. Probably this is one of the reasons people loves Snapchat.

Snapchat is easy to use and the concept of self-deleted images is very new. Many social-networking application or chat program does not have this concept and users will still need to go through housekeeping there and then. Snapchat's users do not need to worry about this.

People can post anything and laugh it off and no trace after 10 seconds (unless the receiver takes a screenshot). Snapchat is considered as a very "safe" program.

It is also "safe" because Snapchat only stores very basic information regarding the users like username, password, emails, phone number and age. Users are not tracked while using Snapchat, no profile is being built to identify the users.

Currently, Snapchat is a free application but to continue as a free application business model, it will need to consider one of the options such as delivering advertisements to their users.

Having a very "safe" program for users proves to be a hard time for marketers as we will not know the demographics of the users and it will be difficult to reach out to the right audience.

Due to its user base which is currently age between 13 to 23 year olds. The users are still very young and they probably turn out not to have high spending power. Marketing using Snapchat may not be a good platform for many industries except F&B like fast-food joints, apparel or the entertainment sector.

Furthermore, Snapchat works like a “gossip” program. Marketers will find difficulty in reaching out to the users as they probably would not be interested in seeing the ads at all.

In conclusion, marketing using Snapchat probably will probably work for industries like F&B (e.g. fast-food joints). Other industries may not find advertising in Snapchat suitable.

The Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) in marketing

In this digital age that we are currently in, our shopping journey resembles less like a funnel but more like a spider web. Often we are likely to go back and forth multiple information channels before we finally make a purchase. Additionally, we may become more fickle minded with the choices that we may make as we do multiple points of comparison with our friends and conduct multiple price or product comparison before we finally decide. 

(Source: http://www.google.com/think/collections/zero-moment-truth.html)

Thus, as marketers, we are subjected to new challenges as how we can impress our potential consumers in order to convince them to make an actual purchase. The First Moment of Truth (FMOT) which was first coined to describe the initial moment when a consumer first encounters the product was once the Holy Grail for marketers as it defines how successful one is in making the sales.

Today, the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) holds more valid. ZMOT refers to the moment prior to FMOT when consumers research about the product and exchange experiences with friends before making a purchase.

Hence, it has become more relevant that marketers try to maximize ZMOT in their campaign. Research has shown that a large percentage of viewers use another device while they are watching TV. Due to this, marketers need to be aware of consumer technological usage patterns (eg: more people use tablets in the evenings than in the day) when considering marketing activities so as to maximize returns. Furthermore, as single-channel marketing plan will no longer be as effective as compared to one which utilizes the various channels, the marketer must be up-to-date with the latest technological trends and platforms so that he/she can utilize them in his/her campaigns. All in all, marketing campaigns need to be more multi-faceted to cater to an increasingly complex and informed consumer.

Shaping of digital marketing landscape by Google Glass

During the age of pagers, no one can anticipate that the mobile phone, then the size of a brick then, would one day be a personal devices not only for communicating but for entertainment, productivity and education. Today, we are now enjoying the positive impact of new generations of smart phone and it creates a new marketing platform for digital marketing. Mobile phones has become smarter and personal with the wide availability of applications. It has become a personal part of our lives which we cannot do without.

With Google Glass on us, we could expect a change in our lifestyle, the way we work, play and live. This will certainly change the consumer pattern which the marketer would be concern about as this will affect how business advertise and brand their products.  Imagine the potential of getting products and services information stream right in front of the our eyes when we are within the area of the businesses. Imagine the convenience of shopping and finding the merchandise we are looking without wasting precious time looking for the item we wish to buy.

Google Glass has the same potential as smart phones as is already a personal fashion accessory. Should be officially launched and picked up by the leading fashion brands, it could be owned by the masses and this will creates possibly a new area in augmented reality as well as local and proximity marketing. This can open up new marketing approach and techniques.

Thoughts about Google Glass

Google glass may not be the first wearable technology we have seen, but it is certainly the one that is getting the most attention.
Created by Google to work with our smartphones through Bluetooth, it is voice-controlled, and has control buttons on the side as well. 

This is an example of what a projected image looks like when you are wearing the glass, which is supposed to appear like a 25 inch screen from 8 feet away.

• With a relatively smaller screen space and difficulty inputting text with Glass, there is likely to be a stronger emphasis on video and images. As such, I foresee that our Pinterest pins,  Instagram posts and YouTube videos will become even more powerful marketing tools. 

• With the smaller space, companies using Email marketing will have to adapt to the space constraint and be more creative in getting their email messages to display nicely on Glass. 

• Companies have to optimize their content based on location and voice commands so that they appear on the screen of the user first. For instance, when a user asks, "Where can I get a burger?", the user will be presented with information on the nearest burger shop along with some promotional messages. 

• Companies will have to come with creative ways to "connect" with the user to promote an increase in sales realization. For instance, retailers may create a Glass app so that users can simply call it up onto the glass, be presented with products available in store, and add the products to shopping cart using voice command.

Reflections on the possible impact of Google Glass on digital marketing

The Project Glass, now known as Google Glass is one of the latest technology that was developed by Google.  Google Glass has already been released for the developers in February 2013 and possibly to the consumers in 2014.  The Google Glass “explorer version” cost US$1,500 and it is still unknown how much it would cost for the consumers.

Now, what is Google Glass and what exactly does it do? 

Google Glass is almost like a hands-free portable computer that you could wear it on you like a spectacle. This “portable computer” could take a picture, record a video, run a search on the internet and much more using voice commands.  So with these features, how would the technology of Google Glass possibly impact on digital marketing?

There’s a technology that is worth mentioning which is the Augmented Reality (AR).  You would have seen this in many movies- wearing or using a device to see superimposed images or texts on a real backdrop.

What kind of superimposed images or texts then?  Looking for directions when you’re lost, seeing arrows right in front of you navigating using the in-built camera on your mobile phone as a reference point for your current location.  Now, with Google Glass you can do so with both of your hands free.

With the convenience of hands free and the voice recognition technology in Google Glass, combined with digital marketing will make another strong marketing channel for marketers.  I personally think that every human being has an inheritance of “laziness”.  So there are some areas which I think marketers could capitalized upon using the Google Glass technology.

Marketers could make use of AR, Google Glass, mobile and digital marketing, to provide relevant information to consumers. On top of the already available mobile internet search for businesses near consumers while they’re outdoor, with Google Glass, businesses could provide directions to retail shops right in front of the consumers’ eyes. Other marketers could also provide “pop-up” business information along the way when consumers walked by, perhaps they wouldn’t mind dropping by a café for a coffee.

Another example for tourism industry to capitalize on is to provide directions for a heritage trail walk, providing relevant historic information such as text of brief history “popping up” in front of tourists eyes when they stopped in front of some national momentums.  With such convenience, it could possibly also impact on the tourism industries of many countries where travelers might find free and easy tours even easier.

While the Google Glass technology might be more relevant to some industries and businesses, it will be interesting to observe how it would evolved in many years to come.

Possible impact of google glass on digital marketing - the yet to be!

Now this is a real interesting topic. Currently Google Glass seems more like a hands free smart phone, but it does not stop the consumers like me to think of the many possibilities.

Augmented Reality Marketing: This was brought up in class by Sergio, but to be frank, rarely do I see such features anywhere. However, with Google Glass, this could be an extremely good way to bring the customer to your shops! Let me elaborate (see below for a DIY illustration): A coffee lover, who has profiled himself on Google Glass as such, goes to a mall. When stepped into the mall, behold! Directions will be given to the nearest Starbucks who has advertised for this feature, up the distance it takes to reach the cafe. Same for fashion lovers. Your favorite brand GAP is having National Day sale at the second floor, #02-01, keep straight to the escalator in front and then turn right for another 1 meter! 

Real convenient huh? 

The 2D version of similar feature is already available in many mapping apps, but using Google Glass, you can really take it to the next level. The less the customer need to do to find you, the higher the chance they will come to you. 

 “Fashion/ Item” Recognition: Our classmate brought up in class that there was an experiment by a first adopter of the Google Glass who has enhanced the functions to allow facial recognition. Great for souls like me with poor memory needing constant reminders of peoples’ name, no need for name cards anymore! But I doubt it will be in mass market soon with all those privacy laws around.

But what if the software can be tweaked to recognize items instead? Imagine you are on the bus and it passed by shop that displayed the most gorgeous dress that you absolutely must buy! Using Google Glass, you can capture the photo of the dress instantly and search for it instantly online. Price, size, brand, availability – you name it, you got it. 

Anyone played “Second Life”? Similarly, avatar of your size and color are there to try on the dress, you can't get more customized than that! You like it, you can buy it virtually and the product can be sent to your doorstep via courier the next day. It really makes so much more sense as there’s no limit on the number of dressing rooms available and store owners are not restricted by store space!

Of course as the advertisers and marketers, we have to make it as Google Glass friendly as possible so that such purchase is possible. But I imagine this is the the effect of the future of digital marketing, it's all out there in the virtual world! 

Sure, I’m day dreaming, but who knows, maybe Google may launch this next year?

Sergio, you got the hint?