In a sea of social networks focused on texts & video chats, Snapchat turns out to be a little different. Founded in 2011, it is based on the belief that photos & videos represent a close & personal way of communication among friends. According to stats, more than 97 million people use it in the US. In 2018, Snapchat was the preferred network for 45% of teens. It was also the 3rd most downloaded app for iOS in the same year.
But Snapchat differs from other social networks in one significant way – photos, videos, & messages are not stored forever. These so-called ‘snaps’ disappear right after they’re seen. And teens think it’s awesome.
Why is Snapchat Cool?
In addition to letting its users connect with friends & brands, Snapchat offers other cool stuff, such as:
- Games
- News
- Entertainment
- Photo & video editing tools – filters & face lenses
- Users can see when someone takes a screenshot of their message
- Snapcash – which lets users transfer money
- Shazam – a feature that lets users identify a song
- Streaks seem to be particularly cool with the younger users of Snapchat.
What is a Streak?
Streak happens when two users have been snapping back & forth for 24 hours, 3 days in a row. Upon establishing a streak, users get exclusive emojis and stats next to their names to showcase how long they’ve maintained a streak. Keeping a streak alive adds to the Snapchat score.
Another reason why streaks are so important is that they signify the special bond between the users. The longer the streak — the stronger the friendship.
How Risky is Snapchat?
Every social media carries certain risks for its users. These are the 3 grey areas when it comes to Snapchat:
1. The idea that snaps self-destruct can cause a lot of teens to act without thinking. There’s always a way that a photo can be abused, and younger users must be aware of this fact.
2. With Snap Map, friends can sometimes see the location of the person who sent them a snap. Around 19 million users use Snap Map every day. This is especially risky because it’s so easy to add friends on Snapchat. Teens end up having a lot of people on their friends list they don’t actually know. Snapchat also works with a lot of 3rd-party apps, sharing the users’ data.
3. Streaks are cool, but they can add a ton of pressure on a young mind. Approximately 63% of users log in to Snapchat daily, & 41% of them do so multiple times a day. There seems to be a constant need to check the app, which can affect daily life.
To Sum Up
Snapchat keeps growing. In 2019, Snap Inc decided to expand to the Indian market. The social network is deemed so cool that a lot of brands, such as Nike, Rebook, Adidas, & even Audi are active on the platform. Another fun fact — Snapchat has almost doubled its stock price since 2019. This company is designated for success in the future.
26 Snap-Worthy Snapchat Statistics for 2020
Is Snapchat used for dating or is it just a place to post funny pictures with filters for the whole world to see? If you own a business, how can you optimize customer engagement and what is the most effective way to get your products more accessible to the public?
