Snapchat isn’t usually the first ad platform that comes to mind when launching a new affiliate campaign. It had its glory days, but in recent years, it’s often overlooked in favor of newer platforms like TikTok. However, dismissing it completely can mean missing hidden opportunities. With over 332 million daily active users worldwide and a substantial share of mature audiences, Snapchat still has untapped potential for certain niches.
Our R&D team decided to put this to the test with a specific focus on mainstream dating offers for a LATAM audience, targeting male users aged 35 and above. What follows is a breakdown of our 9-day campaign that yielded a 31% ROI.
Although our team had zero prior experience with Snapchat ads, we wanted to experiment with its less competitive ad space. Our research showed:
Even though the male audience we were targeting represented only about 8% of total users, this still meant millions of potential leads.
We began with an interest-based targeting approach, but quickly encountered high CPM rates. This approach was proving too costly, so we pivoted to a broad targeting strategy:
Our Android test didn’t perform well. The cost per registration was higher, and profitability was poor, so we cut it early. Average cost per registration stabilized around $12–$13 for iOS.
Since Snapchat is a visual-first platform, creatives played a massive role in performance. We reused and adapted some of the approaches that worked well for us on TikTok:
Our observations confirmed that natural-looking content resonated more with the older male audience, making the ads feel less like ads and more like authentic content.
Our initial Facebook-style pre-landers with text-heavy blog formats failed to engage Snapchat users. The audience here prefers instant interaction and minimal reading.
We developed a short, interactive personality/activity matching quiz. The flow was simple:
This lightweight, gamified approach kept engagement high and increased conversions.
After 9 days of active testing and optimizations, the campaign closed with a 31% ROI. While the starting budget of $2,000 may not be suitable for beginners, it gave us enough data to make decisions quickly.
Key lessons learned:
Snapchat might not be the “hot” platform it once was, but for certain GEOs, niches, and age demographics, it can still be a profitable channel. Our test with LATAM dating offers showed that even with no prior experience on the platform, applying lessons from other short-video platforms and adapting pre-landers can lead to success.
We’ll continue exploring Snapchat with other GEOs and niches to see how far we can scale these findings.
Our R&D team decided to put this to the test with a specific focus on mainstream dating offers for a LATAM audience, targeting male users aged 35 and above. What follows is a breakdown of our 9-day campaign that yielded a 31% ROI.
Campaign Overview
- Ad Platform: Snapchat
- Target Audience: Male, 35+
- Primary GEO: United States
- Campaign Duration: 9 days
- Niche: Dating (mainstream offers)
- Initial Budget: $2,000+
- Overall ROI: 31%
Why Snapchat?
Although our team had zero prior experience with Snapchat ads, we wanted to experiment with its less competitive ad space. Our research showed:
- Snapchat ranks 12th among the most popular social platforms globally.
- In the U.S. alone, it has over 106 million users.
- Around 18% of its audience falls within the 36–45 age range.
Even though the male audience we were targeting represented only about 8% of total users, this still meant millions of potential leads.
Initial Testing & Optimization
We began with an interest-based targeting approach, but quickly encountered high CPM rates. This approach was proving too costly, so we pivoted to a broad targeting strategy:
- GEO: U.S.
- Device: iOS
- Gender: Male
- Age: 35+
- Bidding: Started with AutoBid, later switched to Target Cost Optimization at $13.
Our Android test didn’t perform well. The cost per registration was higher, and profitability was poor, so we cut it early. Average cost per registration stabilized around $12–$13 for iOS.
Creative Strategy
Since Snapchat is a visual-first platform, creatives played a massive role in performance. We reused and adapted some of the approaches that worked well for us on TikTok:
- Stock video clips featuring women in natural, everyday settings.
- Minimal makeup, casual attire, and realistic environments – these consistently outperformed the “model” look with heavy makeup.
- Simple text overlays and engaging background audio to grab attention within seconds.
Our observations confirmed that natural-looking content resonated more with the older male audience, making the ads feel less like ads and more like authentic content.
Pre-Lander Innovation
Our initial Facebook-style pre-landers with text-heavy blog formats failed to engage Snapchat users. The audience here prefers instant interaction and minimal reading.
We developed a short, interactive personality/activity matching quiz. The flow was simple:
- User selects activities they’d enjoy with a potential partner.
- Quiz result “matches” them with a woman.
- They are prompted to connect via the dating offer.
This lightweight, gamified approach kept engagement high and increased conversions.
Results & Takeaways
After 9 days of active testing and optimizations, the campaign closed with a 31% ROI. While the starting budget of $2,000 may not be suitable for beginners, it gave us enough data to make decisions quickly.
Key lessons learned:
- Snapchat is still a viable traffic source for niche audiences, especially if creatives are tailored to platform culture.
- Broad targeting with the right optimization strategy outperformed hyper-specific targeting in this case.
- Natural-looking visuals with relatable settings performed better than polished, staged content.
- Interactive and simple pre-landers work best for fast-moving social traffic.
Final Thoughts
Snapchat might not be the “hot” platform it once was, but for certain GEOs, niches, and age demographics, it can still be a profitable channel. Our test with LATAM dating offers showed that even with no prior experience on the platform, applying lessons from other short-video platforms and adapting pre-landers can lead to success.
We’ll continue exploring Snapchat with other GEOs and niches to see how far we can scale these findings.