Virtual War!
That’s what Instagram declared when the facebook owned social media giant rolled out its latest feature, Instagram Stories. That too, with an all too familiar user experience touted by rival platform, Snapchat!
Now that Insta stories are everywhere, the scenario didn’t take much to go from “Wait, isn’t this Snapchat?” to “Instagram stole Snapchat” to “OMG, Snapchat is dead!”
But no, Snapchat isn’t dead!
The app is actually growing, surpassing Twitter in daily usage. It is also expanding its offerings drastically, with better UX and too cool features, although buried!
So we made a list of all the fun additions Snapchat has hidden in random settings menus that can help you use Snapchat like a pro marketer.
Take notes, you Snapchat advertisers: Your snapping is about to change for the better.
#1. Use multiple filters on your snap
Can’t decide whether to give your customers the weather update of your new office or the venue of your next meet up?
Thankfully, you don’t have to make this difficult decision anymore. You can now use both the filters simultaneously with this simple wile.
How to:
- Normally add the first filter by swiping left or right on the image.
- Then, hold down on the screen with one finger.
- Now, carefully swipe with another to add the second filter.
#2. Secure your account with two-step verification
Now add an extra layer of security to your Snapchat account by enabling login verification. Once you do so, you won’t be able to log in to your account from a new device until you enter a code sent to you via SMS.
How to:
- Go to the app’s settings.
- Select “login verification” to set this up.
- You can also change the number associated with the account, if you prefer to get verification codes sent to an alternate number.
#3. Add, resize, and rotate emojis and stickers to your photos
Along with your favorite emojis, Snapchat has also added 200 new stickers for you to play with.
How to:
- To start this fun journey, take a photo in Snapchat.
- Tap on the folded paper icon on the top of your screen.
- Now scroll through the available stickers and emojis, select as many emojis or stickers and tap on to add them to your photo.
- Then, use a finger to move it around or use two to rotate or resize it by pinching and zooming.
You can even create your own filters using some of the most transparent emojis by enlarging them until they cover the whole screen.
Need more creativity? You can even pin an emoji or a sticker to a video by following the same procedure. Then use your finger to move and hold it in one place to “pin” it to that object.
#4. Exceed word limit with a simple trick
Even though Snapchat has recently extended its text limit to 33 characters, it is still not enough. If you write your annotations in Notes and then paste them into the text bar on Snapchat you can trick the app into letting you exceed the word limit.
#5. Create your own business geofilters
Snapchat now allows you to create your own custom on-demand geofilter which you can add when you take photos and videos from a specific location. These geofilters can be beneficial when it comes to promoting an upcoming sale, an ad for a certain location, or something along those lines.
How to:
- To create a geofilter for your brand, select an image with a transparent background.
- Upload it to http://geofilters.snapchat.com, pick a date, time, and location for it, and submit the payment.
- If your filter meet Snapchat’s Business Guidelines, it will be approved in one-business day.
#6. Add music to your videos
Here’s a small tweak to spice up your Snapchat videos – add music to your Snapchat videos. Adding music can add a unique touch to your Snapchat videos and can get you more customers as 67% of Snapchat’s videos are watched with the sound on.
How to:
- All you have to do is play the song you want through your favorite music player app (like Spotify or iTunes).
- Then record the video on Snapchat while the song is playing.
- The video recorder on Snapchat will pick up the music and it’ll automatically become part of your video.
Success is just a snap away!
There you have it. We hope these tricks and features will help you connect with your Snapchat customers in a low-cost yet highly personal and engaging way. For more cool Snapchat updates, follow our blog and subscribe to our newsletter.
Till then, happy snapping to you!
