The Snapchat Discover Master Guide: How to Get Your Brand Featured in 2024
If your brand is looking to engage a young, digitally-savvy audience, Snapchat Discover needs to be on your radar. With Snapchat reaching over 75% of Millennials and Gen Z internet users, Discover has emerged as the go-to destination for this demographic to consume premium, mobile-first content.
For brands, securing a Snapchat Discover partnership can be a game-changer. Discover partners get prime real estate to showcase their brand narrative and engage users in a full-screen, immersive environment. It‘s an unparalleled opportunity to build brand affinity with the next generation of consumers.
But how exactly do you land a spot on this exclusive digital stage? In this guide, we‘ll equip you with everything you need to know to develop a winning Snapchat Discover strategy. From the latest partner criteria to content best practices to predictions on where the platform is headed, consider this your ultimate roadmap for Snapchat Discover success in 2024 and beyond.
Why Snapchat Discover Matters for Your Brand
Before we dive into the tactical nuts and bolts of becoming a Snapchat Discover partner, let‘s take a step back and examine why this opportunity is so valuable for brands. Here are some of the key benefits and audience insights:
Reach a Coveted Young Demographic
Snapchat has long been the domain of Millennials and Gen Z, with 75% of 13-34 year olds in the U.S. active on the app. But Discover takes this a step further by engaging the most dedicated subset of Snapchat‘s user base.
Consider these 2024 Snapchat Discover audience stats:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Daily Discover Viewers | 85 million |
| Avg Time Spent on Discover | 15 minutes |
| Discover Viewers Ages 13-24 | 65% |
| Discover Viewers Ages 25-34 | 28% |
Sources: Snapchat Internal Data, eMarketer
Discover viewers represent the cream of the crop in terms of Snapchat engagement. They are loyal, they are young, and they are consuming a ton of content. For brands, that is an incredibly attractive audience.
Drive Meaningful Engagement
Snapchat Discover isn‘t just about eyeballs – it drives high-quality engagement. Because Discover content is professionally produced, curated, and designed for vertical viewing, users are highly leaned-in when consuming it.
In fact, 64% of Discover viewers say they pay more attention when watching Discover content compared to other social content. Completion rates for Discover video content are 2.1x higher than the social media average.
This focused engagement is gold for brands. High completion rates and focused attention lead to lifts in brand awareness, brand favorability, and purchase intent.
Align Your Brand with Premium Content
Being featured on Discover inherently elevates your brand and aligns you with the high-quality publishers in this space. You get to tell your brand story alongside top-tier editorial players like NBC, ESPN, Buzzfeed, Vogue, and more.
This brand-safe, premium environment is key for brands. In an era where user-generated feed content can be unpredictable, Discover offers a controlled alternative to get your message out there while still tapping into Snapchat‘s cool factor and young audience.
Case Study: Marriott Bonvoy & Snapchat Discover
To see the potential impact of Snapchat Discover in action, take the case of Marriott Bonvoy. The hotel loyalty program wanted to engage younger travelers, so it partnered with Snapchat Discover to create custom video content.
Marriott produced a series of 3-5 minute "snapisodes" highlighting unique travel destinations and experiences available through Bonvoy. The results were impressive:
- 13 million total unique viewers
- 55% completion rate
- 16 point lift in ad awareness
- 9 point lift in purchase intent
By leveraging Snapchat Discover‘s immersive format and young audience, Marriott was able to effectively shift brand perceptions and drive action with a key demographic. That‘s the power of a well-executed Discover partnership.
How to Become a Snapchat Discover Partner
Now that you understand the "why" behind Snapchat Discover, let‘s get into the "how." Becoming a Snapchat Discover partner is a highly selective process, but we can infer a lot about what Snapchat is looking for based on the composition of current partners.
While Snapchat doesn‘t have strictly defined criteria, here are some of the key factors to keep in mind:
Content Quality & Uniqueness
Discover features publishers at the top of their game – those putting out best-in-class content optimized for Snapchat‘s vertical video format. Your brand needs to be creating mobile-first content on par with the likes of established media publishers.
Beyond production quality, your content also needs a unique angle. Discover partners are selected not just for their audience, but for their distinct editorial voice. Snapchat looks for partners who can bring something fresh to the table.
Audience Size & Engagement
To state the obvious, you need a robust Snapchat audience as a baseline to be considered for Discover. While there is no set follower count requirement, most Discover partners are well into the seven figures.
Perhaps more important than sheer audience size is engagement. Snapchat wants partners who have cultivated loyal, active audiences on the platform. If you have decent audience scale and strong engagement stats on your existing organic presence, that will work in your favor.
Consistent Content Output
Discover partnerships are intended to result in fairly regular content. Snapchat favors partners who can commit to ongoing, serialized programming – whether that‘s a daily news show, weekly original series, or recurring interactive experience. One-off content would likely not meet the bar for a full partnership.
Brand Safety & Values Alignment
Snapchat is protective of the Discover environment and strives to maintain a consistently brand-safe experience. Any potential partners will be thoroughly vetted to ensure their content is in line with Snapchat‘s values and content guidelines.
Overtly adult themes, misinformation/disinformation, extreme political views, or other sensitive subjects that don‘t fit Snapchat‘s lighthearted, optimistic vibe would likely disqualify you from partnership contention.
If your brand checks these boxes, the next step is outreach. Snapchat is proactive about recruiting top publishers to Discover, so if you‘re on their radar, you may receive a direct inquiry.
Alternatively, you can contact your Snapchat sales rep to learn more about Discover partnership opportunities and start a dialogue. Having an "in" with an existing Discover partner who can vouch for you also helps.
Snapchat Discover Content Best Practices
Creating content for Snapchat Discover requires a distinct approach compared to other video platforms. Here are some tips and best practices to ensure your Discover content resonates:
Nail the Format
Discover content should be hyper-visual, narrative-driven, and bite-sized. The most successful Discover partners create serialized content franchises that hook the audience and leave them wanting more.
Some common Discover content archetypes include:
- News/Commentary
- Mini Documentaries
- Unscripted & Reality
- Interactive & AR-Driven
- Scripted Shows
Your content should have a relatable host/talent, use quick jump cuts, and prominently feature text overlays and graphics. Above all else, the vertical video format is king – content should be created natively for full-screen, vertical viewing.
Hook & Retain Viewers
With users often consuming multiple Discover "editions" in a single session, the burden is on you as the content creator to immediately grab their attention and convince them not to tap away.
This involves both optimizing thumbnails/titles to get the initial click and then delivering on that promise with engaging opening segments. Don‘t bury the lede or your key hooks – the first few seconds are critical.
From there, it‘s all about maintaining momentum via dynamic editing, switching up formats to keep things fresh, and teasing upcoming narrative beats to string the viewer along.
Make It a Visual Experience
Discover content pops because of its frenetic graphics, visual overlays, stickers, filters, and overall eye candy. Even if you don‘t have a full-fledged design team, get creative with ways to enhance your content visually.
Consider developing custom branded motion graphics templates, experimenting with unique fonts and color schemes, and punctuating your story beats with full-screen text overlays. Visual polish and packaging goes a long way.
Leverage Interactive Features
One of Snapchat Discover‘s unique advantages is its built-in interactivity. Partners can take advantage of features like:
- Polls & Quizzes
- Reaction Sliders
- Swipe Ups
- Shoppable Stickers
- AR Lenses
Sprinkling these interactive elements throughout your Discover content is a powerful way to deepen viewer engagement and personalize the experience. They can also provide valuable audience insight data to power your broader campaign.
Cross-Promote Your Discover Channel
Snapchat users can subscribe to Discover channels, so you want to make it dead simple for them to do so. Include prominent CTA snaps reminding viewers to subscribe at the end of each edition, and tease your Discover presence via your brand‘s other Snapchat marketing touchpoints.
You should also showcase your Discover channel on external platforms. Post your Snapchat Discover QR code to your Instagram and Twitter profiles. Embed your best Discover content on your brand blog and YouTube page. Promote any talent or influencers featured in your Discover programming across their followings as well.
The Future of Snapchat Discover
Snapchat‘s product team is constantly innovating and expanding the Discover platform. As you develop your Snapchat Discover strategy, here are some key trends and upcoming opportunities to be mindful of:
Doubling Down on Shows
Snapchat has made original programming a big Discover priority. Snapchat‘s slate of "Snap Originals" in genres like docuseries, reality, and scripted shows has been steadily expanding in partnership with blue chip entertainment brands.
For brands, this represents an opportunity to develop deeper content partnerships woven into Snap Originals IP. Think brand/product integrations, co-marketing activations, AR bonus content, and other full-funnel campaigns synced with Snapchat‘s marquee programming.
Discover as a Shopping Funnel
Snapchat sees e-commerce and in-app shopping as a key monetization area, and they are looking to position Discover as a full-funnel shopping destination.
Expect shoppable AR lenses and stickers baked into Discover content to become more prominent, along with features like branded product catalogs and native check-out. Discover partners should be exploring how to organically weave purchase opportunities into their programming.
Emphasis on Shared Viewing
One of Snapchat‘s core value props is connecting close friends, and Snapchat is experimenting with ways to make Discover a more social, shared experience.
Some partners are testing "party chat" features where groups of friends can consume and react to Discover content together in real-time. There are also explorations around collaborative viewing playlists and Bitmoji-based Discover viewing avatars.
For savvy Discover partners, designing content with these shared experiences in mind and even gameifying group participation could be a way to boost overall engagement.
International Expansion
To date, Snapchat Discover has been largely U.S.-centric, but that is quickly changing as Snapchat eyes global growth. The company is investing in a wider array of localized Discover partnerships and content.
For brands, this international lens is key. As you think about your Snapchat Discover content strategy, consider ways to tailor your programming for priority international markets. Discover partnerships that reach across key geographies will have a leg up.
Conclusion
Snapchat Discover represents the apex of impactful digital brand storytelling for reaching young consumers. By understanding Snapchat‘s partner criteria, staying on the pulse of the latest Discover product updates, and adhering to mobile-first best practices, your brand can develop a standout Snapchat Discover strategy engineered for the realities of 2024 and beyond.
The competition for Discover partnerships will only get fiercer, so now is the time to level up your approach. Identify your unique editorial angles. Experiment with interactive formats. Unlock new audience segments in international markets. Most importantly, stay true to your brand voice while pushing the boundaries of what‘s possible on Snapchat.
Getting your brand on Discover won‘t happen overnight. But with the right strategic foundation and a commitment to creating thumb-stopping content, that hallowed Discover real estate is within reach.
For more tips and insights on crushing it with Snapchat and mastering the latest social media trends, check out our complete Social Media Marketing Guides for 2024.
