Snapchat, the video and picture messaging system that has exploded and changed the way in which we communicate with each other. More and more our society is in constant need of accessing information on their own time- getting what they want, when they want it. Snapchat fits this niche perfectly; creating a communication system that is there for immediate consumption, hence why it has become so popular in the past year. Here are a few ways that SnapChat has managed to change traditional communication and how we engage with each other face to face.
Interacting NOW
The current generation of social media users continue to live and communicate in the “now,” creating a need for increased interaction on a real time scale. SnapChat fulfills this need by providing a communication device that allows users to capture specific moments, tell stories and have conversations through a live ongoing feed.
Less Judgment
Today the amount of likes and follows people receive on social media posts is very important and affect how individuals see themselves through the lens of society. This creates many insecurities, doubts and anxieties when going to post something to social media.
SnapChat provides a medium that allows users to interact with each other and in return receive less scrutiny. There are no perfectly edited photos or ways for people to show their approval or disapproval to the world, such as a count of “likes” on your picture. Instead it is a platform based upon sharing stories and moments from your life only with specific friends and parties who are interested in your life.
Increased Engagement
SnapChat is instant, the second you watch a snap it is gone. This new way of interacting creates a sense of urgency and increases the interactivity between users. This puts individuals on a much more personal level, than when you send a text message. Users are not putting in loads of thought into their responses. Instead they are subconsciously snapping selfies or pictures of their surroundings, in order to engage and interact in the conversation with their peers.
Stories
SnapChat stories are snaps that you are able to post to the app, so that all of your personal contacts are able to see. As a result they can see what you are up to immediately. No one cares about what you did yesterday or last week anymore, it is about what you are doing right now in this current moment of time. From crazy faces to show what your emotions are in the moment or what you are eating for lunch. The point of it is to share these live updates to your social audience through a platform that allows others who are not there with you to engage and experience the “moment” as well.