The launch of Snapchat Memories is the major Snapchat turning point marketers have been waiting for. Brands now have the flexibility to upload branded photos and videos, save their snaps and stories, and repurpose content as needed. Or, they can export snaps, which can then be cross-promoted on other platforms.
Snapchat Memories essentially functions like a camera roll within the Snapchat platform; as Snapchat describes, it allows you to “create new Stories from Snaps you’ve taken, or even combine different Stories into a longer narrative!”
Yes, there are other apps that allow you to upload pre-made photos and videos to Snapchat, but use of these apps violates Snapchat’s terms of service. With Snapchat Memories, brands can freely upload and reconfigure content directly within Snapchat. It’s the start of a new Snapchat era!
Marketing with Snapchat Memories
I’ll take you through Snapchat Memories screen-by-screen to show you how to use it for your brand’s marketing efforts.
Your new home (screen)!
You can access Memories from Snapchat’s home screen. Just open the app, and click on the small white circle below the big white circle at the bottom of the screen.
The welcome screen
When you first open Memories, you will see a screen welcoming you to the new feature. Tap on the “Start Using Memories” button to get started.
Snaps tab
Memories will open on the “Snaps Tab.” If you’ve saved any of your snaps to Memories, they will appear here. You can also import snaps from your phone’s camera roll, as long as the files are not too big.
How do I save a snap to Memories?
After you’ve taken a snap, and edited it if so desired, tap on the arrow pointing down at the bottom of the screen. This used to save your snaps to your phone, but now tapping on this icon will save your snap directly to Memories.
You can also send your snaps to Memories from the “Send to…” screen.
Camera roll tab
Swipe to the left or tap on “Camera Roll” to view your camera roll from Snapchat. You will have to authorize the app to access your phone’s camera to do this. From here, you can select photos and videos to add to stories and to send as snaps.
How do I send a snap from Memories?
Tap on any snap, photo, or video in Memories (under the Snaps tab or the Camera Roll tab). Once the selected item has zoomed-in so it is full-screen, swipe up to edit the snap and send it.
Tapping on the hamburger icon in the upper-left hand corner will give you the options to “Export Snap,” “Move to My Eyes Only,” or “Create Story from this Snap.”
BE AWARE: When you send a snap or story from Memories, the chat notification for the receiver will say “from Memories.”
“My Eyes Only” tab
Moving a snap or a story to your “My Eyes Only” tab means it will be hidden from your Memories camera roll and you will be required to enter a passcode in order to view anything saved to “My Eyes Only.” This is mostly useful for individuals looking to save snaps to Memories without having to display them in Memories when passing the phone around to friends. However, it doesn’t hurt brands to learn about this capability.
On the main Memories screen tap on the check mark in the upper-right hand corner. The “Select…” bars will pop up on your screen. From here, tap on a snap or story to select it, then tap on the lock symbol at the bottom of the screen.
From here, Snapchat will take you through the “My Eyes Only” setup. Be prepared to select a four-digit passcode. After that, you’re done!
After you’ve set up your “My Eyes Only” tab, you will see it appear in the top navigation in Memories. Now, when you tap on the lock symbol in the “Select…” screen, you will now be able to more snaps and stories to your “My Eyes Only” tab.
Stories tab
One of the best things about Snapchat Memories, is that brands can now create stories from old snaps, right in the app! The most direct way to do this is to tap on the red checkmark in the upper-right hand corner. Tap on, or select, at least two snaps, then tap on the circle with a plus sign symbol.
You can then create and edit a story using the snaps you selected.
Tapping on the hamburger symbol in the upper-left hand corner will reveal several options, including: “Name Story,” “Move Story to My Eyes Only,” “Export Story,” “Delete Story,” and “Add Snaps to this Story.” Naming the story allows you to search for different stories within Memories. Note that you can also add snaps to your story, or delete individual snaps using the trashcan symbol on each.
The introduction of Memories means the dawning of a new era for Snapchat, and for brands looking to use the platform to reach millennial audiences and increase brand awareness.
Want to learn more about how to use Snapchat for brands? Download The Snapchat Marketing Guide for Brands now!