This year, the holiday season might feel a little different, but the Snapchat Generation still believes the holidays are the best time of the year. And for these avid gift givers and receivers, Gen Zers and millennials definitely think getting gifts is an essential part of the celebration.
Understanding this year’s new shopping landscape will help make clear why Snapchat is the go-to destination for holiday shopping in 2020. COVID-19 has not only affected the way people connect with one another, but it’s also further changed the way we shop. This new landscape leverages digital so much more — gone are the days of doing holiday shopping regularly and predominantly in-store. Instead, 71% of Snapchatters plan on doing their holiday shopping online this year, compared to the 35% of Snapchatters who shopped online last year.1 This major shift will affect how your brand reaches its audience — and potential shoppers — when it matters most.
COVID-19 may affect the way people connect and celebrate this holiday season, but one thing’s for sure — Snapchatters are positive, resilient, and ready for some festive fun.
Snapchat is a truly magical place to be during the holidays. After all, this is the season of anticipation — there’s cause for celebration around every corner! Shoppers will come to Snapchat to talk about all things holidays: their plans, gift inspo, and, of course, buying gifts.
Snapchat is the ultimate source for holiday inspiration. 76% of Snapchatters plan their holiday gift-giving using the platform2, which means that, on Snapchat, you’re reaching shoppers who are actively looking (and excited!) to buy products. Think of Snapchat as a digital gift guide for Gen Zers and millennials — it’s the place they make their wishlists and hint at that pair of shoes they’ve been eyeing.
After all, Snapchat is about real relationships with close friends and family. So when you see your best friend Snap her Bitmoji with heart eyes over a photo of her favorite candle, a lightbulb goes off in your head. You know exactly what she’s getting this year!
These small shared moments mean major gift inspiration. Snapchatters pay more attention to a brand if they heard about it from friends or family rather than a celebrity or influencer. This is incredibly valuable as your brand starts to consider ways to break through all the clutter this season.
Holiday shopping isn’t just limited to high-priority shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. These are only a small representation of the opportunities your brand has to turn inspiration into purchase on Snapchat.
In fact, the holiday season on Snapchat begins right before Thanksgiving and ends on New Year’s Day. That’s around 75 days — nearly 11 weeks of the year! Looking at this timeline, we see that Snapchatters start planning their purchases two to three months before Christmas Day.3 Purchases start to peak around Black Friday — about a month before Christmas — and are sustained until after December 25.4 For brands who have limited their past advertising to only a day or a few days, they’ll be missing out on all of the shopping moments our community experiences.
And by the way... Snapchatters plan to spend this holiday season. Because of the value Snapchatters place on their social connections, they believe getting gifts is an essential part of celebrating the season, so they’re ready to shop. Not only that, but they’re willing to spend more on gifts than non-Snapchatters.
Snapchatters are estimated to spend $643 in 2020 versus non-Snapchatters, who are only estimated to spend $413.5 And 20% of Snapchatters think it’s even more important to give gifts and celebrate the people they love because of COVID-19.6
And although Snapchatters’ intent to purchase has remained, the way in which they plan to shop has most certainly changed. Now, 76% of Snapchatters say they plan to shop online versus last year, when only 47% of Snapchatters did so.7 Clearly, they’re spending more time online — and on Snapchat, that means a whole lot of creation and consumption.
So, to tap into this enthusiastic gift-giving and wishlist-creating community, it’s important that brands place emphasis on both creation and consumption opportunities. In the Snapchat world, that means leveraging our Camera and Video Ad Solutions. You’ll reach Snapchatters as they view friends’ Stories, binge watch Shows, and catch up on the top headlines of the day. All this means your brand will be able to increase awareness, encourage consideration, and ultimately drive purchases at scale.