As anyone who’s spent time on YouTube knows, most videos are preceded by short video advertisements that typically make you watch for 5 seconds, then give you the option to skip the rest. Though potentially annoying to some, this type of in-your-face functionality allows the service to stay free, and eventually becomes the inoffensive “norm” to most users. SnapChat would have to do things a bit differently, though: since their videos are personalized between friends and can be no longer than ten seconds, it’d make sense that the preceding ads would have to be even shorter than five seconds. This could prove creatively difficult, but if the SnapChat developers have proven anything about their platform so far, it’s that they’re up to the challenge.

Self-Destructing Promotional Codes

One cool thing about SnapChat is that unless you specify otherwise, all photos and videos sent to your friends will disappear forever after a maximum of ten seconds. This dynamic raises some interesting possibilities in terms of exclusive promotions. It could be something simple as a business sending a photo from their official account to their followers along the lines of “Quickly! Write down this code and enter it on our website for a discount.”, so that the users have to really be paying attention in order to catch it in time. This type of client interaction would be unprecedented of sheer speed, and wouldn’t be difficult or expensive for businesses, even small ones, to adopt.

Photo/Video Contests

Businesses, particularly ones that sell physical/tangible products or services, would be wise to encourage their users to advertise their wares for them by offering some form of incentive. For example, if, say, a fashion label is releasing a new seasonal line, they could offer their customers the opportunity to model their clothing in a public SnapChat forum in exchange for some form of discount or stipend if the photo happens to be selected. This would create an atmosphere of competition and visual flare that would benefit both the business and the end user.

While text status updates are undeniably quick and easy, brands need to stand out on social media. Graphics are a great way to do this and Facebook itself clearly agrees. Content is still king in 2014 and everything, from eBooks to blog posts and SM updates, must provide value. Today’s Web users are visual creatures and this means that graphics of all sorts are a win.

Link Sharing

The Facebook Newsroom article above mentions link sharing as an engaging alternative to text based statuses. Many brands opt to embed links in status updates, which makes for a lacklustre visual experience. Link-sharing, on the other hand, generates a preview of the content, providing a more compelling visual experience. Facebook rewards valuable, resourceful content with greater exposure for brands.

Images

The Facebook network is working to improve their ranking algorithms’ abilities to differentiate between posts from friends and from Pages. While there will be a “decrease in the distribution of their text status updates, [page admins] may see some increases in engagement and distribution for other story types.” In addition to link sharing, images are a great way to boost social media reach and interactivity. To use an example from a brand known for their cheeky social media prowess, Oreo abandoned plain text in favour of attention-grabbing, occasionally humorous or emotional, images.

In these Facebook updates from May 2012, you’ll see the startling difference in engagement between the basic text status and the more stimulating “question and an image” update. The differences in likes, comments and shares is noteworthy, at 4,200, 215 and 87 compared to 16,833, 1,034 and 855. Real-life posts don’t lie – the proof is right here.

In recent months, more and more brands on Facebook (and Twitter!) have been capitalizing on the image trend and there’s no reason for you to wait. While Oreo is a great example, you can also check out Coca-Cola, Sharpie, PlayStation and Samsung Mobile to see it in action.

What About Video?

Significant value can be provided in the form of an informative, brand-relevant commercial or a heartwarming or humorous viral clip. As seen in the profiles of popular brands, videos generate more engagement than text status updates but less than image updates. Great video can be costly and it’s important for businesses of all sizes to take their budget into account. If you can afford a promotional video or a number of well-designed graphics, the latter will provide the most bang for your buck.

When considering the impact of graphics on social engagement, Facebook itself is encouraging compelling, valuable and visual content by promoting these updates and decreasing the distribution of text status updates from Business Pages. In order to stay on top of the social media game, brands and businesses must visually display their products and services in the most effective way possible – without breaking the bank. Great design is key, and graphics are one of today’s top methods for improving social reach and interaction.

Image Credits: Dashburst, Oreo’s Facebook & Oreo Twitter