At this year’s Snap Performance Marketing Summit, the message was clear: Snapchat isn’t just a playground for Gen Z anymore – it’s a performance engine for brands that want incremental reach, authentic storytelling, and measurable outcomes. With new tools, creator-led strategies, and a broader demographic base, Snap positioned itself as a channel where growth and efficiency go hand in hand.
Here are five takeaways that matter for brands and retailers heading into 2025:
1. Reach That’s Growing Up, Not Growing Out
Snap now connects with 932 million people each month, including 75% of 13 – 34-year-olds across more than 25 countries. But perhaps the bigger story is that one in four users is over 35, making Snap a multi-generational space where discovery doesn’t stop at youth culture.
Stop treating Snap as a “Gen Z-only” play. Evaluate where its audiences complement your current mix and tailor creative to speak across generations. Platforms like Snap Map and Spotlight are especially powerful for reaching consumers during key discovery moments.
2. Creators as the New Conversion Engine
On Snap, creators aren’t just sparking buzz – they’re driving sales. With 61% of users citing friends and family as their biggest purchase influence, creator-led and UGC-style ads feel natural in this environment. That authenticity has made creators a lever not just for awareness, but for full-funnel outcomes.
Integrate creator partnerships as part of always-on media. Prioritize voices that extend reach into new communities and benchmark UGC-style content directly against branded creative to measure impact.
3. Performance Tools That Punch Above Their Weight
Snap introduced updates designed to give advertisers more efficiency and control. Sponsored Snaps placed directly in chat feeds are showing strong conversion lift, while advances in Target Cost Bidding have dropped CPAs by more than 30%. A Target ROAS option is on the way, signaling a deeper commitment to profitability.
Don’t underestimate Snap’s performance chops. Test Sponsored Snaps to meet consumers in their most engaged spaces, and adopt advanced bidding tools to unlock cost-efficient acquisition at scale.
4. Measurement That Matches Reality
Snap made a strong case that last-click attribution is selling the platform short, sometimes undervaluing results by up to 10x. By embracing incrementality testing, marketing mix modeling, and in-platform metrics, advertisers can capture the true contribution Snap makes across ecommerce, retail, and omnichannel sales.
5. Agility as a Competitive Advantage
Snap’s fast-moving culture rewards advertisers who move just as quickly. New ad formats and placements often deliver lower CPMs when first introduced, creating a cost advantage for early adopters. And because trends shift rapidly, consistent testing across creative, bidding, and campaign structure is what separates leaders from laggards.
Build testing roadmaps now. Refresh creative frequently, tie into cultural moments, and remove bottlenecks that slow down iteration. The faster you test, the faster you win.
Snap’s 2025 summit reinforced a simple truth: performance is no longer the sole territory of traditional channels. By leaning into Snap’s unique community, creator-driven culture, and evolving toolkit, brands can unlock reach, efficiency, and conversions in ways that complement their broader media mix.
The opportunity isn’t just in showing up on Snap – it’s in showing up with speed, authenticity, and a willingness to measure what really matters.
