In 2000, the average human attention span lasted 12 seconds. Today, that number is down to 8. This is important information for any marketer or someone who’s hoping to grasp the attention of their consumers. So, we’re all racing against time to capture the audience in the first 8 seconds. Well, what if we say there is no “first;” your entire message should be captured in 10 seconds.

As marketers pull at their hair at the challenge of capturing a whole story, some emotion, and a call to action in 10 seconds, 100 million active Snapchat users are pushing them to do all of the above even faster. The concept may cause anxiety, however, with 400 million Snapchats being sent each day and the critical generation it attracts, it’s well worth the mental investment.

There are over 12 million Indian Snapchat users and most of them belong to the age group of 18 to 30, which is considered the toughest segment to retain for any marketer. Why is this platform so attractive to these users? Snapchat’s vertical full-screen display of ads is visually appealing. Think about the trend from text heavy Facebook to picture centered Instagram to quality picture focused Pinterest – it makes sense that a primary picture and video centered platform is in the spotlight. Its 10 second picture with minimal text gives it a casual attitude, suitable for teens. Not only that, but Snapchat has great content. The company has mastered the technique of harnessing the power of user generated content. It’s geofilters, and curated location stories are informative yet enjoyable. Take mecca_live for example! It created a splash on several other social networking sites – that’s viral. All of these features combine to create a prime platform for this “hard-to-get” generation.

As mind boggling as it seems to market on such a platform, these brands did it successfully. Here’s how:

• Taco Bell had a lovely Snapstory on Valentines Day in which it featured catchy card phrases. Although the story only lasted 24 hours, it created a significant amount of buzz throughout the day.
• Yogurt company 16 Handles also had a creative idea proving Snapchat can be used in any type of industry, big or small. First, you would send a Snapchat image of yourself tasting yogurt on-site to the company’s Snapchat account. Then, 16 Handles would automatically send a Snapchat image of a coupon back to your account. Finally, and most importantly, you would have to wait to open the snap containing the coupon until you were at the register and ready to redeem it — because when the image was opened, it would automatically delete itself 10 seconds later. The coupon could be anywhere from 16% to 100% off on your purchase.
• Home delivery giant, GrubHub used Snapchat to find the next addition to their digital marketing team. They posted a snap saying they were looking for tech-savvy Snapchaters who could join their team as a Snapchat intern. All applicants had to do was submit their best doodle to be selected and get themselves an interview.

If the organic reach is not a big enough step for your brand, 3V (Vertical Video Views) marketing on Snapchat is also an option via Snapchat’s new Discover feature.

A feature that we’re sure will change the way businesses market on Snapchat are Sponsored Geofilters. Currently, Snapchat allows geofilters for special, personal occasions. All users have to do is submit their doodle and explain why the location is meaningful to them. Snapchat is, however, beta testing giving brands the opportunity to sponsor geofilters, but the feature won’t roll out till the end of the year.

Until then, there are several ways your brand can use Snapchat dynamically to build brand image, drive traffic, and promote new products and services!