What I learnt after using Snapchat for a week.
The first time I heard about Snapchat was when I started using Instagram (ok, it was tinder), in late 2015. It seemed like every single person/brand was using Snapchat to engage with their followers. So I decided to check it out. After installing the app, I realized that:
- Less than 3 of my contacts were using Snapchat at the time.
- This was not a typical “messenger” application.
- This did not feel like a social network either.
- There was a “feed” or “story” as they call it in Snapchat, one for me: “My Story” as well as each of my friends.
- I had no clue how this works.
I did a few Google searches and found out that Snapchat was being actively used by a younger demographic: mostly teenagers. People in their early 20s were very active on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I knew this because most of my friends were using these 3 apps along with Tinder and Whatsapp.
Nevertheless, I decided to try it for a few days and see how it went. I shortlisted 5 famous celebrities along with a few pretty models and decided to follow their Snapchat stories.
I also found the “Discover” option which I found interesting but redundant. I was already following most of the publications I found on Snapchat, on Twitter and Facebook. Using Snapchat to read the same re-purposed content seemed redundant.
I restrict my selfies for the purpose of updating my profile picture on Facebook and other social networks and since my day job took most of my time, I did not exactly have a lot of interesting stuff happening to me at the time.
Most of the people I followed on Snapchat were posting random selfies and videos which were similar to the crap they posted on Instagram. And the cherry on the cake was that, hardly any of my friends were on it, and those who did have an account were not exactly active users. Needless to say, my run with Snapchat in late 2015 ended within 3 days after I dismissed it as a “childish” app.
In early 2016, I went out on my own and started Popate, a website focusing on TV, Movies, Social Media and the Web, creating as well as curating interesting and offbeat content. And in my travels, I found a mentor in Gary Vaynerchuk (if you haven’t heard of him yet, Google him). Here was a guy who was speaking, nay screaming the truth from the rooftops. His energy, his no non-sense approach to entrepreneurship and his motivational keynotes became like a drug for me.
Every day, I make sure to watch at least 1 episode of his #ASKGARYVEE show. It is equivalent to a pill for me, kind of like NZT 48, from the movie Limitless. Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter what he says, simply seeing his energy, his body language and his matter of fact tone is enough to make me hustle.
Now I’m am still new to actively using Social Media as a tool to promote myself and my brand. I have used Social Media extensively as a college student, but I never really focused on using Social Media to promote my personal brand. I used it to post check ins of the places I visited, the movies I watched, life events and sharing photos. And I was wary of interacting with random strangers on the internet.
Then one day Gary posted this:
What he said made sense. In my own experience, I see more engagement on my content in Instagram than on Twitter and Facebook, for the same content. Of course, I learnt that there has been some fundamental mistakes in my approach to Facebook and Twitter, but somehow, that same approach works on Instagram. The only reason I could see was that, Instagram has a younger, more enthusiastic and passionate user base than Twitter and Facebook. Also, Instagram was more slower in terms of feed visibility (correct me if this is the wrong jargon).
If I post a picture or a video on Instagram, and used about 20 hashtags to make it discover-able, I was able to tell which hashtags would display my content for the longest duration and which ones would display for a very short duration. Kind of how trending topics on twitter work. In about 2 weeks, I got followers who were actively engaging with the content — likes and comments.
So I decided to heed Gary’s words and give Snapchat another shot! I reinstalled Snapchat late last week and have been posting at least 2 pictures to “My Story” every day.
Here’s the thing:
Most social networks till date have approached connecting people via text based messaging. Facebook used status messages, pictures, and videos (recently), pages, events and groups to help people connect.
As a Facebook user for nearly a decade, I have witnessed that, as of today, the average user communicates to a fixed bunch of friends via messaging or status updates — mostly trips, outings, or meetings/reunions or events. Other use it to follow Pages, comment on posts and share memes. Mostly pictures and status updates that can be updated via both mobile and the web.
With twitter, people are interested in news, interests and conversations with an audience outside their friend circle. Again via both mobile and the web.
With Instagram and Snapchat, the game changed. These networks were purely mobile. A smartphone is a pre-requisite for posting to these networks. Suddenly, users needed to step out of their text based comfort zone and step out with their real selves. Instagram has not achieved this as much as Snapchat. You can still use Hootsuite to post content that wasn’t taken from your camera. That is not the case with Snapchat.
When I opened my Snapchat account, last week, I saw more than 8 of my friends on it — 4 of them pretty active. I added Gary Vaynerchuk immediately. But here was the catch, I could share pictures like I did on Instagram, but Video was an integral part of this app. After 4 story items with pictures, it felt repetitive. Video was essential to keep things interesting.
For the first time in over 9 years, I had to acknowledge the fact that I’m extremely camera conscious. The first video I recorded eerily resembled Sheldon Cooper’s expression on “Fun with Flags” on The Big Bang Theory.
Which was ironic, because I had laughed at his attempts when the episode aired. I actually considered looking up some tips to improve my presence on camera.
In an earlier episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon gets several negative feedback from undergraduate students. This is the episode in which he asks for Penny’s help by requesting “acting lessons”. I have never had a problem with stage fear. But turns out I am camera conscious.
This must have been the problem for a lot of people who joined Snapchat after years of Facebook and Twitter. Now, people who were doing Youtube videos may not have faced this, but the majority who never uploaded a video of themselves online must have experienced what I’m talking about.
Another thing that confused people was, how do you engage with people on Snapchat? The answer: Send them a snap! Add something to your story.
Gary Vaynerchuk mentions in the video above, that in Snapchat, the follower will engage with your content. Why? Because it disappears after 24 hours! They don’t have a choice. For the first time, we are seeing social network interactions becoming more “human”.
And that is why Instagram and Snapchat attracted a younger demographic: because these users have not used Twitter and Facebook as much as me, my peers and seniors. For them, Snapchat and Facebook were both new. They didn’t have the anxiety and apprehension of actual human interaction like most of us seasoned Twitter and Facebook users. We are a bunch of people who equate a like to an interaction. Fuck likes! Do we ever truly interact with each other? Birthdays on Facebook is a classic example of exactly how disconnected Facebook and Twitter had truly made us.
And since Snapchat let users communicate naturally, teenagers picked that over Facebook and Twitter. Video and Images will always have more impact over text. Snapchat seemed like the love child of Instagram and Whatapp and with its 100 million+ user base, it is definitely winning.
With brands and websites, the game has changed. They cannot re-purpose their content on Snapchat, unless Snapchat ties up with them. Snapchat’s Discover feature is based on brands who have partnered with Snapchat. Good luck doing that if you are a small player!
But that doesn’t mean the game is over. Au contraire! The game has changed, the rules have changed. But the game is just beginning. If you are a company with a dynamic culture, Snapchat is the place for you. It truly gives you an opportunity to reach your followers as humans instead of brands hiding behind a logo, to truly connect with your followers. If you are a company that conducts events, Snapchat is a great platform for you. It all depends on how creatively we can use this platform to connect, communicate and engage with our followers and friends. On a human level.
Gary was right, ladies and gentlemen. Snapchat is where the party’s at!
Vikrant Banerjee is a blogger, writer, and founder of @PopateTweets. Follow Vikrant on:
Twitter: @vikrantbanerjee
Snapchat: vikrntb.