Snap Accelerate | A Digital Space for Start-Ups

Snap Accelerate

Using social media for business is a trick everyone's on board with, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat allowing companies to incorporate things like ads, promoted posts and influencers onto our feeds to boost their reach and grow their brand.

At the start of the year, we told you about Snapchat's Ad Manager and how they were targeting small businesses with it. While it was a step in the right direction, one of the main obstacles with Ad Manager was cost. However, Snap Inc. have just announced Snap Accelerate, in a bid to stand out in the digital marketing game and attract start-ups - it's kind of a more focused, varied update of Ad Manager.

But how is it better? Snap Accelerate has 3 different Partner Tiers to suit different sizes and priorities of businesses who apply - they're titled Kickstart, Sprint and Scale. The benefits which are given across all 3 packages are listed below, however they vary in size and value depending on the allocated tier...

• Creative Services Credits
• Media coupons
• A branded filter available for your company's HQ, free for a period of time
• Exclusive early access to new Snap ad tools and products
• Access to Snap's Marketing API

With the Sprint and Scale packages only, extra benefits include priority business and technical support and invitations to Snap events (education and/or networking).

These incentives are bound to draw start-ups in, along with Snap's respected reputation as a booming tech, social media and advertising company. 

Snap's developer blog explains:

"Snap Accelerate is an ideal program for growth-stage, mobile startups with an expertise in the digital space, including: Startups with performance-based, direct-response marketing strategies, consumer-focused mobile apps in the user acquisition stage and mobile commerce, entertainment, and gaming companies."

Snap Accelerate is application-based and is limited to a select number of start-ups wanting to work with Snap Inc. to 'kickstart', 'sprint' or 'scale' their business through the fantastic platform that is Snapchat. If you wish to apply for Snap Accelerate, you can do so here, where you're asked for basic company information, as well as what you're hoping to get out of the benefit programme with your 'business priorities'. 

AdWeek reports that Snap Inc will be meeting with 'top' VC firms to determine ideal portfolio start-ups who can get on board with Snap Accelerate's initiative in the coming weeks.