Part 1: SA Youth Say Snapchat Is Where It’s At!
What a time to be a young person in South Africa. I get my daily dose of news, information and entertainment all from a simple tap on my phone. I don’t ever need to worry about not being in the loop about absolutely anything, thanks to Twitter, Facebook and of course Instagram, to stay in tune with the latest trends. However, newsflash! Thanks to Snapchat, I am not spending as much time on these social media platforms as I used to. I have moved onto Snapchat and so have the rest of my peers. Your brand needs to know why!
A 24-Hour Fame Brigade
So why is Snapchat so popular amongst Afrillennials™ (African Millennials) Aside from the instant messaging aspect of it and the fact that it is mobile based, the app allows you to send videos and pictures, that self-destruct after a few seconds of a person viewing them. If a few seconds isn’t enough, you can add your snap to your “story”, a 24-hour collection of your photos and videos – a very appealing proposition. There’s something exhilarating about sharing yourself with the world and having a few seconds of fame, especially to Afrillennials™ who say “it’s all about me”.
The internet never forgets, right? Well thanks to Snapchat you can document your debauchery from a massive turn up and simply delete parts of your snap story. If this fails, at least your moment has a short shelf life. Creative freedom to be youer than you and take being wild to a new consequenceless level certainly entices students.
They Like To Watch
Afrillennials™ enjoy following celebrities because they tend to be more free and reveal a lot about their personal lives and shenanigans on live platforms, as opposed to scripted or public appearances. This is something they hardly do on platforms like Twitter and Instagram however. With Snapchat, it’s like watching a crazy no holds barred reality show on your phone, and of course as a self-obsessed generation we love the fact that we can join the elite in creating our very own show for everyone to see!
Where Are The SA Brands At?
South African brands are slowly jumping onto Snapchat and realizing that it is a platform that you can no longer ignore. However, what’s the point of having the account if you are not using the platform correctly? Personally, as an avid snapper, I don’t follow brands on Snapchat. Data is expensive and I certainly don’t want to waste the little bit that I have watching videos of brands advertising their latest offering. I prefer to spend my time following the lives of celebrities and influencers that I aspire to be like. They give real-time, behind the scenes exclusive content that they don’t share anywhere else.
So instead of spamming my other social media platforms pushing me to follow you on Snapchat, or ignoring this movement completely, think of ways you can grab my attention by using the cool celebrities and influencers I follow on the App. The beauty of snapchat is in the story, so tell me yours and I’ll be hooked.
It’s All About The Airtime
Data affordability is a massive problem for the youth in SA right now. There’s even a trend where young people log on to certain platforms at specific times all in the hope to save some. With Snapchat serving up mainly video content, Afrillennials™ are conscious about data costs, hence the youth migration to the app has been slower on this side of the world. That’s still not stopping Snapchat from being one of the fastest growing social networks in the country, which means you need to get with the programme. Snapchat isn’t coming, it is here. #ThankMeLater