From Community to Commerce: Why Snapchat Converts

Snapchat isn’t a place for perfectly curated feeds, it’s where audiences build real connections with influencers and brands to communicate like they do with friends.  

At the recent Creator IQ Connect Europe event, Snapchat revealed the numbers. Over 900 million users every month with 75% aged 13 to 34, and 5 billion Snaps sent every day. Each one is a moment shared, and a piece of culture shaped. Just take the recent GWI survey which showed that Snapchat’s daily audience is unique and often exclusive to the platform. So, you’re not just reaching the same audience on a different platform, but one that others might not reach at all. For brands, it’s a largely untapped space to reach a highly engaged Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience through authentic interactions.

With so many platforms to choose from, should Snapchat have a place in your brand’s marketing mix? We spoke to Tom Milne, Senior Account Manager at SEEN Connects, for his key suggestions:

1) Snapchat influencers drive conversion, not just clicks

From product trials to purchases, influencers on Snapchat do more than entertain. With tools like Snapchat’s Creator Marketplace and powerful organic discovery features, building authentic, consistent partnerships is seamless, and strategically smart for driving measurable lifts in brand favourability.

Snapchat isn’t just holding its own, it’s outperforming popular platforms. According to EMARKETER, 85.6% of social shoppers said influencer content on Snapchat led them to make a purchase, surpassing both TikTok and Instagram. Take Gen Z's favourite beauty brand e.l.f. Cosmetics. Their Power Grip Snapchat AR lens delivered over 141,000 organic impressions, converting directly through shoppable filters.

2) You can show up like a Snapchatter, not a brand

Snapchat’s UI rewards personality over polish. It’s built for spontaneity. From answering product questions in real-time, to building community through intentional storytelling, influencers form bonds with their audience like no other platform does. We're talking candid credibility, which goes beyond just impressions.

For brands, this unlocks community-driven impact. You’re not interrupting the experience, you’re part of it. Influencers act as trusted insiders, not distant promoters, and their audiences respond with loyalty. It’s how brands can organically embed themselves into tight-knit communities.  

3) Differentiate your brand from your competition

Snapchat is often overlooked by brands, but that’s exactly why it’s a goldmine for reaching new audiences. Just take American Eagle who seized the opportunity to target their Gen Z audience, of which 85% are under 24. As part of this, they launched a commerce driven Snapchat campaign using vertical video, AR filters, and shoppable lenses. The result? A 4.4x lift in purchase intent by showing up natively and letting influencers lead the way with their authentic approach to the platform.

Snapchat lets you connect with your audience on their native social platform, delivering content that feels interactive, personal, authentic and as natural as chatting with friends.

Ready to make Snapchat part of your strategy? Get in touch.

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