The Evolution of Snapchat
Snapchat has come a long way since it launched back in 2011. From being a simple start-up with not so many users, it has quickly grown to become a multi-billion dollar company with over 100 million daily active users worldwide.
Originally, brands were frugal when it came to spending on advertising on Snapchat. This was because of Snapchat’s nature – content that only exists for a short amount of time then disappears after 24 hours. Unfortunately, this puts brands at a high risk of not having much long-term value in that investment. For example, Discover content, like Stories, disappears after 24 hours.
However, just last week, Snapchat announced two significant changes.
Snapchat’s Media Partners Can ‘Deep Link’ To Their Content
This means that publishers can provide a direct link to their Snapchat content from one app to another. So now, a publisher can just post a direct link to content on Snapchat from the Twitter or Facebook app.
What does this change mean? The new change means that publishers will be able to get more value from their Snapchat content. Publishers can also create enticing posts to promote their Snapchat content in other apps. Being able to access such within one click is an effective promotional option than simply calling for people to come find you on Snapchat. Now, brands have more of an incentive to invest in Snapchat because the deep link helps get more users to see their Snapchat channels and content.
How does this help brands? Users will be able to entice more people to visit their Snapchat channels with daily updates and one-click access. It’s effective because brands now have the ability to directly link to Snapchat content and drive traffic to a Snapchat profile or a particular story.
Photo Courtesy of SocialMediaToday.com
All Users Can Have Profile URLs
Why is this important? Now, all Snapchat users can link their own Snapchat channels, just like brands. Users can share their Snapchat URL, which is http://www.snapchat.com/add/USERNAME, making it easier to promote your Snapchat presence across other platforms. After all, you should be promoting yourself! You are your own brand.
With both of these changes, users can now easily locate and follow accounts they are interested in. Previously, there was no way to direct people to your Snapchat content, other than through “Discovery” within the app itself or by using a “Snapcode”, which not all users understand. These new changes are much more user friendly and understandable by the masses, don’t you agree?
So, what will you make your profile URL? Will you be using Snapchat links on other social media platforms to share content? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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