Is Anyone Still Using Snapchat Discover ?

Snapchat’s Discover service launched to a huge fanfare back in January. With the company’s hype filled promo video suggesting that it would change how we use the app. But a little under three months later are people still using Snapchat Discover ?

It’s a question I asked myself as I sat one Sunday morning tapping through yet another 300+ second Snapchat story. The only answer I could come up with, as to why I don’t use Snapchat Discover anymore, was that I’ve already got far too much content to deal with from friends. To be also dedicating more of my time to Snapchat Discover, just didn’t make sense.

I generally load up Snapchat on average two to three times a day. Whether that’s to view other people Snapchats or upload my own. With each use taking up only a couple of minutes of my time. I very rarely stray onto Snapchat Discover. It’s certainly not because the content doesn’t interest me. When the service launched I was enthralled by Vice’s coverage, which ranged from articles to mini-video documentaries. Documentaries that were 3+ minutes long. It’s that length which really highlights why Discover doesn’t work. Snapchat doesn’t lend itself to this long form sort of content. Snapchat is meant to be quick, snappy, in the moment.

Snapchat never felt like the natural place to go to, to grab this content. If I want long-form content i’ll refer to the web. And with new apps launching into the content discover market. Apps such at ‘Something Good‘, and ‘Nuzzel‘ it’ll be increasingly harder for Snapchat Discover to compete.

Snapchat really need to focus on what they’re good at, that’s providing a way for people to share short, snappy, ephemeral moments from their lives. They need to focus on building content around this. Snapchat Discover on its separate page, out of the way, just isn’t intuitive enough. It lacks the immediacy, that has helped Snapchat succeed.

I’ll be very surprised to see Discover last the year.