The Snapchat Ads KPIs to Keep an Eye On

Snapchat has 406 million daily and 750 million monthly active users, making it one of the most popular social media platforms. More than 58% of these users belong to Gen Z, which shows how appealing the platform is to the younger generation. These young people are more likely to purchase things online than visit stores in person.

So, what does all of it tell us? It tells us that Snapchat is an excellent business platform for digital marketing. However, successful and impactful advertising also means tracking its results, which can happen only if you focus on the right Snapchat ads KPIs. 

If you’re a business and want to advertise on Snapchat, this write-up will tell you about the best Snapchat ads KPIs to consider and how to integrate them with other software. Read on to develop a successful digital marketing strategy around Snapchat ads.

The Best Snapchat Ads KPIs to Track 

1. Total Opens  

The total number of views your Snapchat ads receive is called total opens, which helps you determine the effectiveness of your content and track your growth. Receiving fewer views means your content or growth strategy requires some tweaks. 

Let’s explore these aspects of one of the best Snapchat ads KPIs below:

1. Content 

The key to getting more views on your Snap content is that it should be valuable and exciting to users. Here, you must be honest and ask others if your snap ads fulfill a need or inspire an emotional outpour from users. The best way to engage users on Snap is to use the power of storytelling with a distinct beginning, middle, and end to your video ads.

Although short-form content can still pack a punch if you keep audiences curious about what’s coming next. Successful businesses usually post snaps that are 1-2 minutes long because doing longer than that would kill engagement. 

2. Growth 

Analyzing your growth strategy on Snap is also crucial. Here, you should understand if your ads are reaching the intended audience. For instance, if you have a social media expert on your team, they should be spending more time on Snapchat and connecting with the audiences. Otherwise, you’ll create content nobody wants to watch after spending hours on it.

2. Average Open Rates 

Average Open Rates are akin to engagement rates on other platforms. It is among the best Snapchat ads KPIs, showing the percentage of your user base that has engaged with your ad in any way. Usually, it is about the number of people who have opened your story.

A view is counted when a person opens the first Snap and watches for at least 1 second. Thankfully, the views are counted only once, which means that one user watching it is recorded as one view, no matter how many times they watch it. 

The first step in improving your average open rates is increasing your followers. You can share your Snapcode on other social media platforms and events. You can also repurpose your stories in a way that they can work on other social media platforms and invite users to follow you on Snapchat. 

For instance, you can invite audiences to an upcoming event by creating a Snapchat ad that you can share on other social media platforms.  

3. Average Screenshots 

Screenshots tell you about the number of people who have saved your story. If users take screenshots of your ad, it means it was of some value to them. Generating more screenshots requires planning your content and knowing what you want to publish in a month or year.

For instance, if you run a clothing brand, you understand your upcoming collection for different seasons. The trick is preparing the ads beforehand and publishing them according to seasonal changes and yearly sales. You can prepare checklists, add discount coupons, and more.

If someone really likes your dresses, they’ll be tempted to take screenshots, which they can send you and place an order. However, if screenshot numbers are low in Snapchat ads analytics, you must improve in the engagement department.

4. Completion Rate 

The completion rate is similar to the retention rate on other platforms and is counted among the best Snapchat ads KPIs. It shows the number of people who see your ads from beginning to end, from the first Snap to the last. Completion Rate also shows how loyal your audience is: if they’re just opening one Snap and then rushing out, it means they’re not interested.

You can track this metric by checking the Story View Time, an iteration of Open Rate that tells you how many minutes users have spent watching your ads. Snapchat lets you track this metric with year-to-date information, including weeks or months. 

Again, storytelling techniques can be a lifesaver in this scenario. Instead of putting out dull ads, you should inspire curiosity and post them as a series. The trick is to keep your ads brief and craft them in a way that pushes people to explore more stories and watch the whole thing. It’s essential to focus on a combination of text and pictures, which usually is the most impactful route.

You can also add calls to action and tell people what to do next. Otherwise, they might simply head out instead of staying on your stories and exploring them further.

Some businesses commit the mistake of sharing several one-off snaps one after another with no connection among them. It confuses the user and hurts your marketing campaign. The best strategy is to use one-off Snaps on alternative days. If you must use them on the same day, use a more extended frequency between each Snap.

5. Follower Growth 

Tracking and analyzing follower growth can give you valuable insights for expanding your footprint on Snap, making it one of the best Snapchat ads KPIs to track. Once you know where your followers are coming from, you know where to focus. 

For instance, if most of your followers add you using your Snapcode, you should focus on promoting Snapcode instead of your username or phone number.

When you add friends, always check if they have added you back and are following. You can do that by clicking on their profile and checking the Snap score. Not seeing Snap score means they haven’t added you back, an issue that can be resolved by contacting them. 

6. Click Through Rate 

Click Through Rate (CTR) indicates how successful or lackluster your ad campaign on Snapchat is. It tells you how many people have clicked on your link after watching the ad. CTR is usually calculated using the following formula:

CTR = Number of clicks on the ad/Total number of views on the ad 

When people click on your link, they’re interested in your products or services and want to explore them. However, having a low CTR doesn’t necessarily mean failure. It might indicate that your ad needs improvements and should be impactful enough to take people from there to your website. Some of the factors that impact CTR are:

• The creativity of your ad
• Relevance of your content 
• Your ad’s placement on Snapchat

If your CTR is underperforming in Snapchat ads metrics, tweaking one or all of the above factors can make a considerable difference.  

7. Conversion Rates 

Conversion Rates is an umbrella term for one of the best Snapchat ads KPIs that determines the number of people who complete an action after clicking on your ad. 

It can include purchases, providing phone numbers or emails, downloading an app, following your other social media accounts, and more. These numbers help you optimize your ad campaign to gain more customers and increase conversion rates.

Since it is an umbrella term, businesses can get confused when understanding which aspects to track and which to ignore. Therefore, it’s crucial to highlight the metrics you want to track initially and stick with them for a while.

Track the Best Snapchat Ads KPIs with Catchr

Snapchat ads offer a vast array of KPIs for businesses, and tracking all of them is difficult. Therefore, you need a reliable partner like Catchr to get rid of this headache and have all the data presented to you in an easily understandable manner. By tracking 146 metrics and covering 67 dimensions, Catchr gives you a comprehensive picture of your Snapchat performance to help you stay ahead of the competition.

We have designed a stylish dashboard for all the important Snapchat numbers so that you can see your performance instantly. Thanks to our seamless integrations with Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, you can now export your Snapchat Ads data and present it how you like. 

With these integrations, you can generate digital marketing reports, customer retention percentages, and whatnot. They help you brainstorm with your team, tweak your strategy, and devise new ways to reach customers. So, contact Catchr today and transform your Snapchat marketing plans with our Snapchat ads manager.