- Lowest-Cost Season: April–August CPMs are 19% below the annual average, paired with 5× higher active attention than other platforms.
- Multi-Tab Engagement: Almost 100% of Snapchatters in KSA/UAE explore multiple tabs per session; Sponsored Snaps in Chat boost purchases by 24%.
- Always-On Pays: Brands that stay live all summer secure 48% higher ROAS and 64% larger average order values.
- Creative Diversity Wins: Mixing formats—static, GIFs, short video, AR Filters—and tapping UGC/creator content prevents fatigue and drives authenticity.
- AI-Powered Storytelling: First-mover use of Dreams AI Lenses and AR Filters unlocks virality and deeper engagement.
Brands maintaining uninterrupted summer campaigns enjoy nearly 50% higher return on ad spend and bigger baskets.
As brands navigate the heat of summer marketing, Snapchat’s latest Snap Summer Guide 2025 reveals that keeping campaigns live and consistent throughout the peak season can powerfully amplify performance.
According to data covering April through August, advertisers who maintain an always-on presence on Snapchat saw a 48% higher ROAS (return on ad spend) compared to those who paused or ran sporadic bursts of activity. Even more compelling, these always-on brands achieved a 64% increase in average order value, underlining how continuous engagement can translate to both efficiency and larger cart sizes.
The Power of Continuous Presence
Summer on Snapchat unfolds as a tapestry of micro-moments that collectively shape consumer behavior—think early-morning workout snaps, sunset beach selfies, and back-to-school unboxings.
Brands with always-on campaigns seamlessly integrate into this stream, ensuring they’re present not only during high-visibility events like Ramadan and Eid al-Adha but also through subtler cultural cues such as graduation celebrations and local summer festivals. By maintaining a steady presence, brands avoid the cognitive whiplash that comes when ads disappear during gaps, which can erode recall and momentum.
Moreover, ad sequencing—moving from an AR filter tease to a dynamic Snap Ad and finally to a swipe-up product link—builds storytelling arcs that reward engaged Snapchatters. In this way, continuous campaigns embed brands in daily rituals, cementing emotional connections that translate into stronger purchase intent and deeper lifetime value.
Cost Efficiency Meets High Attention
From April to August, Snapchat’s advertising environment offers more than just seasonally low CPMs, 19% below the year’s average, but also an audience primed for high-intent engagement.
While display networks struggle with banner blindness, Snapchat’s full-screen, vertical ads command 78% active viewing, which means viewers’ eyes remain on screen throughout commercials, Snap Ads, and AR experiences. This level of attention—5× higher than typical benchmarks—boils down to the platform’s immersive design: swiping through Chat, Camera, and Discover minimizes external distractions.
Source: Snapchat
For advertisers, this translates into fewer wasted impressions and more qualified interactions per dollar spent. In practical terms, a $1,000 daily Snapchat budget during summer can yield the same reach as a $1,200 investment in Q4, while simultaneously delivering engagement metrics that outperform competing platforms.
These conditions create a virtuous cycle: lower media spend frees resources for creative experimentation, which in turn amplifies user attention and ultimately drives down CPAs even further.
Driving Larger Orders Through Sustained Engagement
The reported 64% uplift in average order value reflects how always-on campaigns nurture deeper consumer relationships over time. Constant exposure fosters brand familiarity, reducing the mental friction associated with trying new products.
When Snapchatters see an initial Sponsored Snap highlighting a limited-time offer, followed days later by a Custom Lens showcasing product benefits, they’re more likely to progress from curiosity to checkout.
Additionally, layering ad formats—Story Ads for education, AR shopping experiences for virtual try-ons, and Dynamic Ads for personalized recommendations—guides users along different stages of the purchase funnel without ever leaving the app. Retailers have noted that this multi-touch approach increases cross-sell rates by 20%, as customers discover complementary items.
Ultimately, a steady drumbeat of relevant, contextually tailored creative invites Snapchatters to spend more per session, bolstering both cart size and total revenue.
Beyond Always-On: Holistic Summer Tactics
While always-on provides the backbone of summer success, Snapchat’s guide emphasizes four complementary levers to optimize campaigns further:
- Automated Bidding for Efficiency: In the MENA region, brands deploying tCPA bidding saw 45% lower purchase CPAs than those relying on manual autobid. This frees media teams to focus on strategic planning rather than bid management.
- Tab-By-Tab Presence: With nearly 100% of Snapchatters in Saudi Arabia and the UAE exploring multiple in-app tabs per session, brands must surface in Chat Feed with Sponsored Snaps, in Camera with AR filters and Dreams AI lenses, and in Discover via Story Ads to meet audiences wherever they are.
- Seasonal Moments Integration: Align creative calendars with cultural and retail milestones—from Dubai Summer Surprises to back-to-school sales—to tap into heightened shopper intent and local relevance, ensuring ads resonate rather than feel generic.
- Creative Rotation & Authenticity: Combat ad fatigue by rotating formats weekly—static images one week, Quick-Shot videos the next—and harness native creator content and UGC styles to amplify authenticity. Partner with micro-influencers to produce seasonal Snap Originals that embody the energy of summer.
Actionable Steps for Marketers
So, what can marketers take away from Snapchat's Snap Summer Guide 2025?
- Commit April through August: Secure budgets and flight dates for a full-season runway to sustain momentum across every summer peak and trough.
- Embrace Smart Bidding: Activate tCPA (or equivalent) automated algorithms to dynamically optimize for purchase events, enabling efficient scale without manual oversight.
- Mirror Snapchat User Behavior: Deploy Sponsored Snaps in Chat, AR Lenses in Camera, and Story Ads in Discover, tailored to audience habits—ensure creative fits each placement’s context and format.
- Refresh Creative Often: Develop at least one new asset per week—alternating UGC, creator collaborations, and branded AR—to keep content fresh and engagement rates high.
- Monitor & Iterate in Real Time: Track ROAS, CPA, and AOV daily; pivot budgets toward top-performing placements and creatives; conduct A/B tests mid-stream to refine messaging and visuals.
By combining a continuous presence with cost-effective automation, strategic placement, and dynamic creative, brands can unlock a summer of exceptional returns on Snapchat. As competitive pressure mounts and consumer attention fragments, always-on campaigns emerge as the definitive playbook for marketers aiming to win every moment this season.
