Snapchat Advertising in Dubai & Abu Dhabi: Geo Filters for Brands are Finally Here [Updated 2021]

It's the news that all digital and social media marketing agencies have been waiting for - Snapchat advertising via sponsored Geo Filters are now available in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! We've got all the details on how your business can utilise this tool in a cost effective way to increase awareness for your brand. 

Until now, Snapchat users were only allowed to submit Community Filters, which you may have seen in different locations within the UAE.  Now, we have access to the on demand Geo Filters which offers an ideal location marketing channel for brands and businesses looking for increased visibility within specific locations throughout the UAE.

Snapchat is a messaging app which is incredibly popular in Gulf Countries, with more than 33 million users. These users trump the growth and usage rates of Snapchat in comparison to other countries around the world. 

Snapchat Advertising for Businesses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi:  What are the Options?

Many brands have already embraced Snapchat as a fun and creative way to communicate with their audience organically. However, this is set to increase with the ‘pay for play’ option which presents brand's with the opportunity to increase their reach and visibility with targeted audiences. 

The on-demand Geo Filters are those first advertising opportunities for brands and businesses in the UAE. In fact, they can also be created by individuals. If you want to you can create your own Geo Filter for your next big BBQ you now can (note to my friends, watch this space!

The real benefit of Geo Filters is letting regular Snapchat users create their own content whilst associating their content with your brand, business or event. The essence of this advertising is to empower users to create branded user generated content, which fosters brand awareness and encourages brand associations.

The Geo Filter works by selecting a particular geographic area and giving the users an option to use that filter in that particular area, meaning it can be hyper local, community driven like DIFC or specifically LPM for example.

How Much Does Snapchat Advertising Cost in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?

Pricing is variable and is based on 2 main criteria:

• the geographical areas you want the filter to appear in (between 20k and 50 million square feet)
• the amount of time you would like your filter to be active and available (with the maximum period being 6 months)
• the user demand (with popular areas increasing the costs)

Prices can be as low as $5 based on the lowest criteria, meaning that the more specific your campaign is, the more cost effective it will be.  Prices can however increase quite rapidly with wider geographies and longer time periods, so it's important that the criteria you select is exactly right for your business.  If a greater area is needed by your business, a branded Filter is recommended instead.

There are some basic online templates available to try, but its recommended to go for a more professional design. You can determine the kind of colour scheme you'd like and really put your branding at the forefront, including stickers, phrases and logo's. The only potential downside to this approach is that your design will require approval from Snap admins before publishing live.  In our experience, this process is quite fast though and an experienced publisher can help you through this process without pain. 

Getting Started: How to Create a Geo Filter Advert on Snapchat

We can help!  If you would like to create a on-demand Geo Filter or you would just like to know more, please contact us by completing the form on this page or booking a session with us.