How to get the most out of the Snapchat update
Between 2011 and 2012, the world of mobile messaging began to change completely, with the launch of the here-today-gone-tomorrow image messaging app– Snapchat. Created by Snap Inc., formerly Snapchat Inc., the camera was reinvented by creating the opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate.
“Our products empower people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.”
– Snap Inc.
Over the last 6 years, Snapchat has become one of the most beloved apps, ranking #2 on Fortune 500’s Top Apple iOS Apps of 2017 (as measured by App Store downloads during the year). However, the app recently received a lot of backlash on social media for its redesign launched in the first quarter of 2018.
The most popular tweets warned the digital world to not update the social media app, and how to go back to the set up prior to the update, had their phone updated the app on its own.
Regardless of the reactions, Snap Inc. and its CEO, Evan Spiegel, have been hard at work to produce this update, which received more than a million signatures in protest on Change.org. “As expected, it will take time for our community to get used to the changes, but overall, we are pleased with the initial results,” said Spiegel.
Change is not something that comes lightly to the world today, but society is constantly changing and the only way to keep up is to make the best of it.
That’s why we at Hello Social Co. thought we could be of some assistance to you in navigating Snapchat and its new update.
Snapchat has actually become easier to use and is attracting a wider user base, although it may not seem that way at first. The new design was created to separate actual friends from businesses and public figures.
As always, Snapchat opens to the camera to create and explore.
This screen works the same as you have always known it to, but now there are even more ways to play with your text giving you more range in your creativity, including the seemingly popular glowing text.
On the left side of the camera (swipe right) are your friends and group chats– the people you talk to everyday. Your friends’ stories will now also appear on this side of the camera, keeping everything relationship-related together. 
Keep in mind that snaps, messages and Stories are no longer ordered chronologically. Instead, new Snaps or messages, and any new Stories will be located near that top of the Friends page, and are put there by Snapchat based on what they think you’ll be interested in. If you are having a hard time finding one of your friends, you can type their name into the search bar at the top of the screen.
You’ll know if a friend has added to their Story because a preview button will appear in their Bitemoji’s place to the left of their name.
To visit your settings. Story views and delete Snaps from your Story, simply visit your profile page by going to the main camera page, and selecting your profile picture to the left of the Search bar.
Here you can edit your Bitmoji, see what Trophies you’ve acquired, add new Friends, adjust your Settings, and of course view your Story to see who has viewed it, and perhaps delete a Story or two if you’re so inclined.
To see the details on your Story, tap the My Story panel.
A new, and welcomed, feature is the ability to Mute friends, with Do Not Disturb. To enable it, just tap and hold the person or group you want to silence, select Settings from the popup menu and hit Do Not Disturb. You’ll no longer receive notifications from that conversation, but you’ll still be able to access it, check any unread messages and Snaps and send your own too.
And finally, to the right of the camera (swipe left), you’ll find the Discover page– where content from publishers and creators in the community is personalized just for you. Here’s where you can access Shows, content from publishers, Stories from people you follow, but aren’t friends with. and Snaps from creators, Snap Map and Our Story. To find something specific in Discover, use the Search bar at the top of the screen. To see less of a certain type of content here, you can tap and hold a tile and hit See Less Like This or Unsubscribe.
When Snapchat first set out to pave its way in the social media realm, their goal was to make it easier for one to express themselves by talking with pictures. Today they are making it easier to find the people you want to express yourself with. Now the friends you want to talk to will be there when you want to talk to them, and only when you want to talk to them. Before you knock it, familiarize yourself with the changes, and join Snapchat as they “separate the social from the media”.
Tags: Marketing, snapchat, Social Media