Piloting Snapchat for Finnish Defence Forces
Immonen, Helena (2016)
Immonen, Helena
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2016
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016120519195
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016120519195
Tiivistelmä
This thesis is about piloting Snapchat for Finnish Defence Forces.
The goals for the thesis are to find out how Snapchat can be used as part of Finnish Defence Forces’ social media communication and strategy. Conscripts are the most important target group for social media communication in the Defence Forces. Young conscripts are the main target group for Snapchat.
This thesis is theoretically based on organizational communication, stakeholder communication and social media communication.
Piloting Snapchat was implemented by action research: Snapchat was piloted in action for three months with two accounts: Ruotuväki and Inttielämää. Both accounts were used entirely by conscripts in service, who planned and published all the content. The goal for Snapchat was to tell ordinary stories of everyday life in the military service from conscripts’ point of view.
Ruotuväki and especially Inttielämää Snapchat managed to reach young conscripts well. Most of the followers are draftees, conscripts in service, young reservists and young women. Inttielämää Snapchat succeeded well in getting the followers engaged; we get more messages from followers on Snapchat than in any other social media channel used in the Defence Forces.
The conclusion is that Snapchat is a good channel for reaching young conscripts. Having conscripts in service to publish on Snapchat is the best way to keep young conscripts interested in the content. The content needs to be authentic and real.
The Finnish Defence Forces will continue using Ruotuväki and Inttielämää Snapchat accounts based on the practical guidelines I present in the conclusion part of the thesis.
The goals for the thesis are to find out how Snapchat can be used as part of Finnish Defence Forces’ social media communication and strategy. Conscripts are the most important target group for social media communication in the Defence Forces. Young conscripts are the main target group for Snapchat.
This thesis is theoretically based on organizational communication, stakeholder communication and social media communication.
Piloting Snapchat was implemented by action research: Snapchat was piloted in action for three months with two accounts: Ruotuväki and Inttielämää. Both accounts were used entirely by conscripts in service, who planned and published all the content. The goal for Snapchat was to tell ordinary stories of everyday life in the military service from conscripts’ point of view.
Ruotuväki and especially Inttielämää Snapchat managed to reach young conscripts well. Most of the followers are draftees, conscripts in service, young reservists and young women. Inttielämää Snapchat succeeded well in getting the followers engaged; we get more messages from followers on Snapchat than in any other social media channel used in the Defence Forces.
The conclusion is that Snapchat is a good channel for reaching young conscripts. Having conscripts in service to publish on Snapchat is the best way to keep young conscripts interested in the content. The content needs to be authentic and real.
The Finnish Defence Forces will continue using Ruotuväki and Inttielämää Snapchat accounts based on the practical guidelines I present in the conclusion part of the thesis.