Just Snapchat everywhere, the teenagers only seem to use it and the new Facebook is too. Rumor has it. The app is discouraging at first: not very intuitive, the “Like” button is missing and the images are gone again after a short time. So why all this?
Snapchat: What is it?
Snapchat is a messenger where the messages self-destruct after a short time. Take a look and that’s it. Pictures and short videos are sent, which can also be provided with text or paintings. There are also a few filters.
Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel made a video explaining Snapchat. It doesn’t seem like it, but yes, this is the CEO of one of the fastest growing social media apps. Still worth looking at.
Message self-destruct is not only a fun feature, but it also leads to the need to be careful on Snapchat! Quickly skim through some messages? Let the video run at the same time? Just click through the pictures? That makes little sense with Snapchat because after that they’re gone. So you have to pay attention, you have to look at the snaps, you have to focus on that. Or you missed it. Forever!
The idea of Snapchat is well received. After all, more than 100 million active users now send well over 1 billion pictures and videos – every day! Half of the users are between 16 and 24 – so at the moment it is clearly a social network for young people.
The economy is also enthusiastic about Snapchat. The start-up was already valued at 16 billion US dollars in the spring. For comparison: Facebook took over the messenger service WhatsApp for 19 billion US dollars in early 2014. At that time, however, it already had 450 million users. An offer from Facebook has already been rejected by Snapchat. The value of the company can therefore still increase considerably.
Snapchat: How does it work?
Snapchat offers 2 basic features. Messages can be sent privately to friends or compiled into stories. These are then in turn visible to everyone and for a whole day.
The private chat
Snapchat lets you chat privately with others. To do this, you send a picture to your friends instead of a text. You can paint, write or add emojis to the picture. It works the same way with short videos. If you then send an image or video, the recipient has a maximum of 10 seconds to view the message. The broadcaster decides exactly how long. You can choose between 1 and 10 seconds. After that the message is gone. Disappeared. Turned off.
Of course, the recipient can take a screenshot with their smartphone to be able to keep the image permanently. Only the sender receives a message about it. Intended as a warning, it can also be used in a playful way (see “Why do I need this”).
For some time now, users have also been able to send texts back and forth in the classic way. But communicating through images is clearly Snapchat’s unique selling proposition.
The public stories
In addition to chatting, the user can create a story. Pictures and videos can then only be seen for 1-10 seconds, but can be called up for 24 hours. The best way to imagine this is as a picture book or a timeline, with new snaps being added to the back and the oldest snap that is less than 24 hours old being visible in the front. Anything older will be deleted from the beginning of the story. Unlike private chat, these Snapchat Stories can be seen by anyone who follows you (if you have that checked in Settings). The stories are public, so to speak.
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Find Users on Snapchat
Snapchat is really fun when you are with other people. There are basically 3 ways to network with someone. Number 1 works via the username. Just type in (falksieghard, for example) and you’re connected. Number 2 runs through the contacts in the smartphone. If a contact is registered with Snapchat, you can find them using their phone number and “add” them – that’s what they call Snapchat. So add. The third option is to scan the QR code. You can then handle it like a digital business card. Just open Snapchat, the camera will automatically detect that it has a QR code in front of the lens and add the other one. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly common to see profile pictures on Twitter and Facebook being replaced with this code (as shown on the right).
If you’re lucky, you can then use your location to search for friends on Snapchat nearby. Works better in big cities than in small ones.
Create a snap
The beauty of Snapchat is that snaps can be created very quickly – as long as you don’t set the artistic bar too high. First, you simply take a photo or video of yourself or your surroundings. Then the design options come into play. Text, emojis and a brush are at the top, swiping left and right applies filters over the image. More is not possible. Or better: Done! Then just decide below whether the masterpiece should go to a single person in the chat or be attached to your own story. That’s it. Here are three examples from me with the aforementioned low art bar:
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Snapchat: What do I need this for?
First a warning: What you have to get used to with Snapchat (apart from the fact that the app is not really intuitive to use) is the few feedback options. Although you can now reply directly to an individual Snap in Stories, there are no likes, comment columns or even the option to share other people’s posts on Snapchat. That’s weird at first. But letting go helps. Finally, you have to put up with the fact that the snaps have disappeared again after 10 seconds at the latest. Absolutely atypical and new for all social media users. So: relax and let go.
Snapchat in private use
Personal use is at the core of Snapchat. Two friends send each other pictures and videos and communicate about them. If you lack expressive facial expressions, you can also write or draw your answer in the photo. The chat is fast, it’s authentic and in contrast to WhatsApp and Co, Snapchat offers the opportunity to actually see each other. Self-destructing can also make conversations on Snapchat very personal. In addition, the fun factor is unrivaled!
Snapchat for businesses and brands
The same applies here as for private use: Snapchat offers the opportunity to communicate authentically. And you should do the same as a company or as a brand. Glossy images cannot be created or shared with the app. It’s not a second Instagram. After all, that is what makes it so attractive for companies. And the same applies here: let go and relax. Then it will also work with Snapchat in corporate communication.
Storytelling is the keyword par excellence on Snapchat, at least for companies and brands. Because on the one hand you are forced to tell stories in your stories, on the other hand you can’t do that so wonderfully in any other app. After all, all snaps expire one after the other. The storyboard just flows through and you don’t have to compete with others in the news feed or be interrupted. If the user is in the story, he stays with it as long as it is done well. Of course, there are many best practices. Most still come from the USA. Five random examples of what a business can do on Snapchat:
How to do Business Snapchat: Best Practice
For example, Toys’R’us (username: toysrusofficial) mainly shows its products in stores on Snapchat. Not just like that, but currently as a wish list for Christmas.
Amazon (username: amazon) also snaps. For example, the brand shows its employees on Snapchat, what’s happening in the office, etc. A typical look behind the scenes. But with Snapchat you somehow have the feeling of being there. More than a YouTube video. There are also cheap offers via Snapchat.
Snapchat also works in sports. Borussia from Möchengladbach (username: vflborussia1900) has gained a lot of experience. Every game day, training session or press conference is snapped and as a fan you are really close to the team.
Lena Meyer-Landrut (username: helloleni) is one of the Snapchat pioneers in Germany. With her snaps, she takes her fans with her on trips, appointments and performances every day. From early to late. Hardly anyone else does that so consistently and – there it is again – authentically.
As a last example, some art. A Norwegian (username: geeohsnap) turns all snaps into a small work of art. For example, he photographs people on the street and creates a completely new situation through his drawings. How does he do it? No idea. Certainly not with your finger and a little messing around.
One more thing, the promised playful use of Snapchat and screenshots. You can definitely experiment with this, because why not use the warning “User XYZ has created a screenshot” creatively?! You could ask your followers a decision question and ask them to take a screenshot of the snap of their choice. That’s how you get in touch and the Snap ends up on the fans’ smartphones, perhaps to remind them at some point that there was still that special edition thing that you once favored on Snapchat. Or you can get a 10% discount by presenting the snap in the shop. Or or or.
A snap at the end
Will Snapchat become the new Facebook or will the app be gone in a year? No idea. Because forecasts for the future are incredibly difficult to make. The philosopher Hannah Arendt summarizes the reason for this in her book “Macht und Violence”.
[quote align=”center”]”Forecasts of the future […] predict what is likely to happen if people do not take action and if nothing unexpected happens.” (Hannah Arendt, Macht und Violence, p. 11 f.)[ /quote]
The youth loves Snapchat. Over 100 million active users and millions of new snaps sent to friends every hour. So if nothing changes, ie development continues in this way, then Snapchat is a platform that should be taken absolutely seriously. The probability of missing the trend and thus a great opportunity is very high, at least for the moment. And who knows what the future holds for Snapchat?
Personally, my use of Snapchat is increasing. So let’s snap! While the future is still a long way off, write your snapchat username in the comments and send me – falksieghard – your feedback on the article as a snap. I paint back too.
