In an age where social media is the beating heart of digital marketing, businesses are scrambling to understand how to capture the attention of their target audiences. Snapchat, one of the leading social platforms globally, remains a powerful tool for marketers—especially when trying to engage younger generations. While much attention is given to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, Snapchat’s unique features and capabilities position it as an often-underestimated gem in the social media marketing world.
For marketers hoping to connect with men—specifically, younger, tech-savvy male audiences—Snapchat is a platform that should not be overlooked. In this op-ed, we’ll explore how to successfully market to men on Snapchat, offering strategies, tips, and insights to ensure that campaigns hit the mark and resonate with this key demographic.
Understanding Snapchat’s User Base: Why Men Should Be a Focus
Before diving into strategies, it’s important to understand who uses Snapchat and why it is an attractive platform for targeting men. As of 2024, Snapchat boasts over 375 million active daily users, and while the platform is popular among people of all genders, it has a particularly strong male demographic.
A significant portion of Snapchat’s audience is aged between 18 and 34, a prime age group for marketers. When we focus specifically on men, Snapchat has emerged as a preferred platform for younger males—millennials and Gen Z. According to various reports, men between the ages of 18 and 34 are not only highly engaged on Snapchat, but they also show a particular affinity for the kind of interactive, immediate, and visual content that Snapchat offers. With features like Stories, Snap Map, and the popular Discover section, Snapchat is an engaging platform for an audience that enjoys spontaneous and fleeting content.
Moreover, Snapchat allows for a high degree of personalization, which is something younger men increasingly value in their digital experiences. They’re not just passive consumers of content; they’re active participants who engage with brands in ways that are less intrusive and more enjoyable.
Key Factors that Appeal to Men on Snapchat
To craft an effective marketing strategy on Snapchat targeting men, it’s important to keep in mind what makes Snapchat so appealing to this demographic:
- Ephemeral Content: The concept of disappearing messages and Stories is an alluring aspect of Snapchat. For men, this transient nature of content feels more authentic and less staged. This is a generational shift away from highly polished, “perfect” images often seen on other platforms like Instagram.
- Video-First Platform: Snapchat is inherently a video-based platform, and video content is especially popular among men. Whether it’s short-form videos, ads, or interactive lenses, Snapchat’s visual and video-first approach aligns perfectly with the preferences of male users who are drawn to dynamic and creative content.
- AR and Filters: Augmented Reality (AR) filters, lenses, and geofilters are key features of Snapchat. Men often engage with these interactive tools to create content that is fun, humorous, and unique—allowing them to experiment with identity and expressions in a way that feels fresh and innovative.
- Gaming: Snapchat offers in-app gaming experiences that resonate with men, particularly those in the Gen Z and millennial age groups. These mini-games offer an immersive, fun escape, which brands can tap into to create experiences that feel less like marketing and more like entertainment.
- Group Chats and Social Sharing: Snapchat’s private and semi-private chat features, especially group chats, provide a personal, intimate space for male users to share and communicate with friends. This makes it easier for brands to create exclusive, tailored experiences that speak to smaller communities or niche audiences.
Strategies for Marketing to Men on Snapchat
To successfully market to men on Snapchat, businesses must be able to leverage the platform’s unique features and engage the male audience in ways that are authentic and compelling. Below are some of the most effective strategies:
1. Create Interactive, Engaging Lenses and Filters
Snapchat’s AR lenses and filters are hugely popular among men. These features allow users to transform themselves and their surroundings in fun and sometimes absurd ways. Marketers can take advantage of this by creating branded lenses or filters that users want to engage with and share.
For example, a brand targeting young men could create a lens that allows them to “try on” various styles of clothing, sports gear, or accessories. Such interactive elements give men the freedom to explore products in a playful, non-salesy way. Snapchat even allows users to sponsor lenses based on location, which means that you can target men in specific cities, areas, or even at events, making the experience feel personal and exclusive.
A creative AR experience can go viral if executed well, as users will enjoy sharing fun filters with their friends, extending the campaign’s reach far beyond initial engagements.
2. Leverage Snapchat Stories for Timely Content
Snapchat Stories, a central feature of the app, offers businesses a powerful tool for showcasing content that is both engaging and brief. Stories are typically viewed for only 24 hours, so they create a sense of urgency—making it ideal for time-sensitive promotions or events.
When targeting men, it’s important to create content that aligns with their interests, such as sports, gaming, technology, or fitness. For instance, a fitness brand could create a series of Stories showcasing workout routines or motivational content targeted at male fitness enthusiasts. Alternatively, a brand in the gaming space could offer sneak peeks of new games or features, driving excitement for new releases.
The key is to keep content short, punchy, and entertaining. Men appreciate authenticity, so avoid overly scripted or polished content. Instead, use Snapchat Stories to share real, unfiltered content that speaks directly to their interests.
3. Incorporate Gamification Elements
As mentioned earlier, gaming is a huge draw for men on Snapchat, especially among younger users. By incorporating gamification into your marketing campaigns, you can create an experience that goes beyond passive consumption of content.
Brands can develop mini-games within the Snapchat app or use game-related features like scoreboards and challenges to encourage participation. For example, a brand could create a trivia game, where users answer questions about products, services, or related topics, with incentives like discounts or prizes for winners.
The key here is to make the experience fun and rewarding. Men enjoy competition, so offering real-time feedback and rewards can significantly boost engagement.
4. Use Influencer Marketing with a Focus on Authenticity
Influencer marketing has become a staple for social media campaigns, and Snapchat is no exception. However, the nature of Snapchat’s user base means that influencer marketing here should be particularly authentic and organic.
For campaigns targeting men, partnering with male influencers—particularly those with followings within niche interests like sports, tech, gaming, or fashion—can be a great way to increase credibility and drive engagement. Influencers on Snapchat tend to be more “real” than on other platforms, with a greater emphasis on casual, behind-the-scenes content rather than highly produced ads. This aligns well with the type of content that resonates with male users.
Influencers can create branded content on Snapchat in the form of Stories, posts, or interactive filters. They can also offer exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses into their lives, subtly promoting the brand as part of their routine. Authenticity is key—men want to engage with content that feels natural, not forced.
5. Geofilters and Location-Based Marketing
Snapchat’s geofilters allow businesses to create custom filters that can only be accessed within specific locations. This feature is especially useful for businesses with physical locations or those sponsoring live events like sports games, concerts, or festivals.
Men who are attending events or visiting certain locations are more likely to engage with geofilters, especially if they relate to their interests. For instance, a sports drink brand could create a geofilter for a major sporting event, allowing fans to snap pictures and apply the filter to their photos. This not only boosts engagement but also makes the campaign feel like a part of the live experience.
By combining geofilters with other content like exclusive promotions or event-based offers, brands can create a sense of community and drive both digital and foot traffic.
6. Tailor Content to Male Interests
One of the keys to success on Snapchat is ensuring that your content resonates with the target audience’s interests. When marketing to men, think about the topics and trends that matter most to them—sports, technology, gadgets, fitness, gaming, and pop culture are all areas where engagement is high.
Create content that speaks to these interests in a way that feels genuine. For example, a brand selling outdoor gear could create content around adventure activities like hiking, camping, or biking, aligning with the lifestyle that many young men embrace. Similarly, tech brands can highlight new gadgets, gaming consoles, or apps that would appeal to the tech-savvy male audience.
Focus on creating stories, videos, and ads that incorporate humor, excitement, and energy, as these are often the emotional touchpoints that resonate most with male audiences.
Snapchat’s dynamic platform offers a goldmine of opportunities for businesses looking to market to men. By utilizing features such as AR filters, gamification, influencer marketing, and location-based targeting, brands can create engaging, authentic campaigns that capture the attention of this key demographic. The key to success on Snapchat is to be interactive, creative, and in tune with the interests and preferences of the male audience.
By tapping into the power of Snapchat’s interactive features and creating content that speaks directly to men’s passions, brands can build lasting relationships and boost engagement in ways that feel organic, fun, and meaningful. For marketers looking to connect with young men in a digital landscape full of distractions, Snapchat provides a unique and powerful tool to create impactful, memorable experiences.
