Snapchat and Advertising: Everything Inside the Ads Manager Explained

Looking to make the most of your Snapchat and advertising strategy? Whether you’re a marketer, small business owner, or content creator, understanding how the Snapchat Ads Manager works is your first step to reaching millions of mobile-first Gen Z and millennial users. In this guide, we walk you through everything inside Snapchat Ads Manager, from setting up your first campaign to choosing the right ad formats, optimising your budget, and making your creatives stand out.

However, ads require more than just effective targeting; they need engaging content. That’s where VidAU comes in. With VidAU’s powerful video ad maker, you can create Snapchat-ready vertical videos in minutes. This tool offers perfect visuals, strong hooks, and eliminates editing headaches, making it an ideal solution for busy marketers and content creators.

What Is Snapchat Ads Manager?

Snapchat Ads Manager is the central platform for planning, launching, and managing your Snapchat ad campaigns. It offers both “Instant Create” for beginners, which provides a quick and easy way to create ads, and “Advanced Create” for more customised objectives, allowing you to have more control over your ad campaigns. Whether you’re trying to drive website traffic, app installs, or increase brand awareness, Snapchat provides you with detailed targeting tools and clear performance metrics.

You can:

• Choose from multiple campaign objectives
• Set daily or lifetime budgets
• Target users by demographics, interests, device types, and more
• Access full-funnel analytics for campaign performance

For creators looking to amplify their ad creatives, VidAU is the ideal partner. You can plug your final video ad directly into Snapchat’s Ads Manager with the perfect specs.

Snapchat Ad Formats (And Which One to Use)

Snapchat supports a range of ad types designed to grab attention and drive action. Here’s a quick breakdown:

No matter your format, creative visuals are essential. With VidAU, you can create scroll-stopping video ads using their ready-to-edit templates, specifically designed for social platforms like Snapchat. These templates are optimised for the platform’s requirements, saving you time and ensuring your ads look professional.

How to Set Up a Snapchat Ad (Step-by-Step)

Launching a Snapchat ad may sound complex, but the platform streamlines the process through a step-by-step campaign setup.

Step 1: Log in to Ads Manager. Go to ads.snapchat.com and sign in with your Snapchat business account.

Step 2: Choose Your Objective. Decide if you’re driving traffic, app installs, conversions, awareness, or video views.

Step 3: Select Targeting. Pick your audience based on age, gender, interests, behaviours, and location. Snapchat also lets you upload customer lists or retarget site visitors.

Step 4: Upload Your Creative. Your video or image should be vertical (9:16), with engaging captions and a clear CTA. If you don’t have one, use VidAU to create a customised video ad in minutes.

Step 5: Set Budget and Schedule. You can run daily budgets or total campaign budgets with start/end dates.

Step 6: Launch and Monitor Use the built-in analytics dashboard to track reach, clicks, conversions, and cost-per-action.

Pro Tips for Better Snapchat Ads

Here are a few expert recommendations to maximise your Snapchat ad performance:

• Keep it short: Ads under 10 seconds work best
• Use bold text early: Hook viewers in the first 2 seconds
• Include sound: 60% of users engage with audio on
• Optimise for mobile: Use vertical video formats (9:16)
• Refresh creatives: Avoid ad fatigue by rotating content every 1-2 weeks

Creating multiple variations is easy with VidAU. You can generate and test 3–4 different versions of your ad using the exact copy but different visuals or music.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Running Snapchat ads? Don’t fall into these traps:

• Low-quality visuals: Blurry or stretched images reduce credibility
• Poor CTA placement: CTAs should be centred and visible
• Irrelevant targeting: Narrow too much, and you’ll shrink reach
• Budget misalignment: Running ads with too little spend won’t yield insight
• Lack of optimisation: Ads need regular analysis and creative refresh

VidAU helps you sidestep many of these issues by offering high-quality templates and customizable brand elements to speed up production and maintain quality.

Snapchat vs Other Ad Platforms

How does Snapchat advertising stack up against platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook?

Snapchat shines when your audience is under 35 and expects fast, playful content. With VidAU, you can quickly adapt your creative content for each platform, maximising your ROI.

Use VidAU to Supercharge Your Snapchat Ads

A creative ad is half the battle. Snapchat gives you reach, VidAU gives you the ad.

Here’s how:

• Start with your product description
• Use VidAU’s Video ad feature to generate a vertical video
• Customize with brand logos, captions, music
• Download and upload directly to Snapchat Ads Manager

You get studio-quality output with none of the technical stress. Even non-designers can create high-impact ads in minutes.

Conclusion

Suppose you’re serious about reaching a younger, mobile-first audience. In that case, Snapchat Ads Manager offers all the tools you need to succeed. From flexible budgets and smart targeting to immersive ad formats, Snapchat makes it easy to launch and manage impactful campaigns. But the real secret to success? High-quality creative that stops the scroll.

That’s where VidAU becomes your creative partner. From script to video in minutes, VidAU helps you generate scroll-stopping Snapchat ads that convert, without needing an entire creative team.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I advertise on Snapchat?

Sign up on Ads Manager, pick your goal, upload creative, set your budget, and launch. Use tools like VidAU for your video creation.

2. What is Snapchat Ads Manager?

It’s Snapchat’s official platform for creating, running, and monitoring ad campaigns.

3. Can I use video ads?

Absolutely. Vertical video performs best. Use VidAU to create them.

4. How much does Snapchat advertising cost?

CPMs for Snapchat advertising typically range from $2 to $5, but actual costs depend on your targeting and campaign quality. This affordability can give you a sense of security and control over your advertising budget.

5. Is it better than Instagram or TikTok?

Snapchat is great for Gen Z and immersive formats. Try all three to see what converts best.