Snapchat has of course become a go-to app to reach a particular audience community to start creating a conversation. It appears wherever there is a presence or new opportunity to reach a particular audience, brands are right there to reach and establish a presence. However, Snapchat is also about making sure to pitch to marketers how their app could help them out. So, as you can see, both parties are part of the equation and result of why this chat mobile app is growing in popularity.

Snapchat allows you to create “Our Story” to collect collections of photos based on particular location or event. This of course has been labeled to get into Twitter’s territory a bit, but it does add a new twist to the growing popular app we are seeing not only among teenagers and young adults, but by brands, athletic events like the World Cup, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations and initiatives. Here’s a great infographic from Marketo that showcases the potential for this app for brands. Here’s an early campaign using Snapchat by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to check out as well.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/95519562[/vimeo]

However, like all new apps and we have seen this being brought up with all of the associated apps and platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Vine – there is another side to Snapchat and we need to be aware of what are some of the risks associated with this app.

And yes, as a public relations and social media professor and researcher, I do have a Snapchat app and account set up, but have not used it yet.

Why? I have been waiting to see what others have done with the app to see what are some good practices to note, what are some things that have not worked, and explore great examples of how this app has been used strategically to align itself with the overall brand mission, vision, and community.

However, it’s been great to chat with some of my students who are very enthusiastic and engaged on the platform as well as fellow professionals in the area (Taylor Loren and Chris Syme are very engaged on the platform and share their insights on a regular basis on social media).

In case you are a beginner on Snapchat, here’s a great guide from Mashable and make sure to read Chris’s guide to Snapchat marketing on Social Media Today as well. Both are great resources and readings to share with students, colleagues, and others who are interested.

Other resources you may want to look at include:

Hope you all are having a great day!

Best Wishes,
Karen