Statistics about Snapchat

Snapchat has been one of my most frequently used social media apps since I downloaded it in 2016. Along with YouTube, it remains the platform I use most regularly. I use Snapchat to connect with friends, especially those who have graduated from college or those who are back home. 

Snapchat Logo from FreePik

The chapter explains that the app was founded in 2011 by a group of college students. All the social media platforms we have covered so far- X, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat- were created by founders in their 20s or younger. As a college student myself, it is difficult to imagine navigating the development and launch of a major social media platform. 

Contrary to the platforms discussed in class, Snapchat’s largest user group is ages 18 to 24. This aligns with my expectations. I was surprised that Snapchat has the most balanced user gender distribution among the four platforms, with roughly 51 percent female users and 49 percent male users. I do expect that the age of Snapchat will rise as the current 18-24 range ages. 

Snapchat’s primary functions are snapping, chatting and watching videos. However, I rarely use the platform for video content. Instead, I normally stick to YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels. I would consider video content on Snapchat as a secondary feature. 

Another surprising statistic is that Snapchat receives twice as much visual attention on ads compared to Facebook, one and a half times more than Instagram ads and one-third times more than YouTube ads. This made me wonder if the branded filters would count towards the ads on Snapchat. This may be due to Snapchat’s ad placement, which often appears quickly and usually in-between stories or on the user’s home page. 

I was also surprised to learn that Snapchat is the top platform for users to share purchases they love. I expected Facebook or Instagram to rank higher, possibly because of the influencers I follow on those platforms. 

Snapchat’s advertising system targets users based on factors such as location, demographics, interests and devices. As someone who grew up with the rapid expansion of technology, it should not surprise me that social platforms have the ability and information to target to this extent. However, learning about the extent of data collection is alarming.