SNAPCHAT EXPANDS AGENCY PROGRAM TO ATTRACT MORE PERFORMANCE MEDIA BUYERS

LATEST DEVELOPMENT

Snapchat has announced a significant expansion of its Agency Partner Program with a new two-tier structure designed to attract more independent and performance-focused media agencies, particularly those serving SMBs and direct response advertisers.

INDUSTRY TALK

KEY FEATURES

Program enhancements include:

• New entry-level "Agency Partner" badge for smaller agencies

• Refreshed "Strategic Agency Partner" tier (formerly Advanced Partner Program)

• One-on-one support from Snap's dedicated team

• Access to beta products and exclusive discount coupons

• New Agency Partner Hub with specialized training resources

PERFORMANCE FOCUS

Platform improvements include:

• Enhanced lower-funnel ad capabilities for direct response

• Conversion API integrations with third-party platforms

• New Sponsored Snaps format appearing in users' chat inboxes

• 30% increase in advertiser reach through Sponsored Snaps in the U.S.

• Significant results for brands (Wendy's: 52M impressions in one day, 17% brand awareness lift)

MARKET POSITION

Business impact highlighted by:16% year-over-year revenue increase in 2024

• Active advertisers more than doubled in Q4

• Program expanding from U.S./U.K. to Saudi Arabia and UAE

• Current partners include WPromote, Tinuiti, VaynerMedia, PMG

• Half of Snapchat's user base now over age 25

THE BOTTOM LINE

While Snap faces challenges competing with larger platforms like Meta and Google for media budgets, its expanded Agency Partner Program demonstrates a strategic pivot toward performance marketing—emphasizing that the platform is evolving beyond its youth-focused, upper-funnel reputation to become a more integral part of media plans through enhanced measurement tools, agency support, and direct response capabilities.