Why Snapchat Ads Deserve a Place in Your 2025 Marketing Strategy

When marketers talk about paid social media, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok usually lead the conversation. But in 2025, one platform is making a surprising comeback: Snapchat.

With a loyal user base, innovative ad formats, and advanced targeting tools, Snapchat has quietly evolved into a powerful player in the digital ad space. Whether you’re a DTC brand or a service-based business, Snapchat Ads might be the missing piece in your paid media strategy.

Source: Alexander Shatov

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Snapchat boasts over 400 million daily active users, and it’s not just Gen Z anymore. While the platform originally catered to a younger audience, it has steadily grown across age groups. In fact, 25% of users are between 25 and 34 years old, and over 40% are 35+, according to recent reports.

This expanded demographic means Snapchat is no longer just a platform for teen selfies—it’s now a space where people discover products, engage with brands, and make purchasing decisions. Snapchatters are highly engaged, spending an average of 30 minutes per day on the app. For marketers, this presents a valuable opportunity to capture user attention during a time when they’re actively engaged and receptive to brand messaging.

The Power of Mobile- First Experiences

Snapchat is a mobile-first platform, and that’s a huge advantage in today’s mobile-driven world. According to eMarketer, over 70% of all digital media consumption happens on mobile devices. Ads on Snapchat are designed to leverage this with vertical, full-screen formats that seamlessly integrate with the user experience. This native ad feel is one of the reasons Snapchat Ads outperform traditional ads on other platforms in terms of engagement.

Snapchat’s ad formats include:

• Snap Ads: Full-screen video ads that users can swipe through.

• Story Ads: Appear in Snapchat’s Discover section, allowing users to engage with multiple brand moments in a sequence.

• Filters & Lenses: Customizable branded filters and augmented reality lenses that allow users to interact with your brand in a fun and creative way.

• Collection Ads: A carousel of products that users can swipe through directly within the app, making it perfect for e-commerce brands.

All of these ad formats are designed to be interactive and engaging, rather than interruptive, creating a more organic experience for users. This can lead to a more positive brand perception and higher interaction rates.

Advanced Targeting Capabilities

One of Snapchat’s key strengths is its advanced targeting options. Snapchat offers granular audience segmentation that allows you to reach people based on a variety of factors such as:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, and device type.

• Interests: Users who engage with certain types of content or follow specific accounts.

• Behaviors: What users do both online and offline—like shopping behaviors, travel habits, or app usage.

• Custom Audiences: Upload your customer list to create highly targeted campaigns based on existing users.

• Lookalike Audiences: Find new users who behave like your current high-value customers.

With Snapchat’s ability to target users so precisely, you can ensure that your ads reach the people who are most likely to convert, while also minimising wasted ad spend.

Snapchat’s Cost-Effective Advertising

Snapchat’s ad costs are often more affordable than those on other platforms like Facebook or Instagram, especially when it comes to CPM (cost per thousand impressions) and CPC (cost per click). This is an advantage for smaller businesses or brands with more modest marketing budgets who still want to reach a highly engaged audience.

For example, the platform offers Snap Ads for as little as $5 per day for campaigns with specific goals like driving website traffic or app installs, while other ads like Story Ads or AR Lenses can be more expensive. But for brands with larger budgets, Snapchat also offers the ability to scale quickly with sophisticated bidding options and optimisation.

Snapchat For Lead Generation: A Hidden Gem

Snapchat is increasingly being used for lead generation—whether it's driving sign-ups for newsletters, collecting contact information for potential sales, or promoting app downloads. Snapchat allows you to use lead generation forms directly within the app, allowing users to submit their details with a single tap, making the process incredibly smooth.

In fact, Snapchat’s Lead Gen Forms have a 40% higher conversion rate compared to other platforms. This is largely due to the mobile-first approach, where the forms are optimized for quick and easy submission.

By combining creative, engaging ads with seamless lead capture, Snapchat provides a highly efficient channel for generating qualified leads—something many marketers often overlook.

Creative That Coverts: The Snapchat Advantage

Snapchat is built around visual communication, and this makes it a great platform for creative ads. Here’s why:

• AR Lenses & Filters: Users love to interact with augmented reality, and brands can take advantage of this by offering unique, branded lenses and filters that people actually enjoy using and sharing.

• Short-Form Video Ads: Snapchat’s users are accustomed to short, snappy content. If your ad is creative, fun, and to the point, you’ll see better engagement rates. Short-form video is proven to boost brand awareness and drive action in the app.

• Interactive Campaigns: Snapchat’s swipe-up feature, as well as its "shoppable" ads, allows brands to turn passive viewing into active engagement. Whether you’re selling products, promoting an event, or generating leads, interactivity is key.

Real World Success Stories

Many brands have already seen success on Snapchat, thanks to its unique ad formats and targeting options. Here are a couple of examples:

• Warby Parker: The eyewear company used Snapchat’s AR Lenses to allow users to virtually try on glasses. This fun, interactive experience helped drive significant engagement and sales.

• McDonald’s: McDonald’s used Snapchat filters to promote their seasonal menu items, creating a fun, shareable experience. The result? Increased brand visibility and greater consumer interaction.

Conclusion

Snapchat may not be the first platform that comes to mind when you think of paid media—but in 2025, it should be. With its engaged user base, cost-effective options, and highly creative ad formats, Snapchat offers a huge opportunity for brands looking to diversify their digital strategy.

By leveraging Snapchat’s unique features and advanced targeting capabilities, your brand can reach a highly engaged audience while driving real conversions. Whether you’re new to Snapchat or looking to refine your strategy, now is the perfect time to explore what this platform can do for your business.