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I was just thinking about Snap the other day. Social media platforms seem to be pretty fickle. Of course there are a couple of behemoths such as FB who don't s

I was just thinking about Snap the other day. Social media platforms seem to be pretty fickle. Of course there are a couple of behemoths such as FB who don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, but how does a company like Snap create a moat around their business or keep it defensible long-term? Please don't take my question to mean that I don't see the product/company as compelling. I don't personally use Snap (when I did a little bit, I enjoyed it), but I guess I just don't understand how to valuate a company like this. Is it mostly branding wherein, somehow someway, they've managed to completely own a certain demographic (here it seems 25 year-olds and under) and they are, therefore, seen as a new medium/platform where brands will be putting a lot of their ad spend? Forgive the rant, just wondering how people think about this.

rhodysurf 10y ago
Snapchat is HUGE with college aged and under, they check it nonstop and it has become the go to social platform. It also has pretty good ideas for revenue between custom filters that anyone can pay for (different tiers) and placing ads in between stories when watching them. They can be skipped and are pretty non intrusive. I really like snapchat because it is super casual and there is no inherent risk in throwing something goofy together, and no pressure of getting likes or upvotes or anything.
- econnors 10y ago
  I'm recently removed from that demo, and anecdotally can confirm this. Facebook is where your relatives are, and Instagram is where your entire peer group is. Snapchat is where you can share with who you want (send private snaps to groups, and post stories to the public) while still seeing everyone's content. All while being reasonably confident that your photos/videos aren't being saved (or at least notified when they are, assuming somebody doesnt have an external camera ready). All of that, plus the ads just feel fair. They exist, appear at the "right" times, and can easily be skipped if content isn't interesting. I used to think snapchat was a fad. But as its evolved, I've become increasingly confident in their ability to stay relevant. Edit: I didn't awknowledge your "no like count" point - also spot on. Only visible metric is views to your story, and that isn't public. Pressure to post something "amazing" just doesn't exist like other social networks.
  - maverick_iceman 10y ago
    How about putting your phone in airplane mode and then saving a photo?
    - balls187 10y ago
      At some point, you have to take your phone off airplane mode. So you'd have to delete the app, and never install it again.
      - murjinsee 10y ago
        ...or, just sign out of Snapchat before turning airplane mode off. At least that's how it used to work.
  - barsonme 10y ago
    The filters are fun, too. It might sound weird, but my SO and I will sometimes just snapchat each other over the span of a couple hours with weird faces from the filters. Partially because we're doing long distance at the moment, but a lot of it has to do with how fun the filters are—and they're always changing them, too!
  - dbbk 10y ago
    > Facebook is where your relatives are This is what happens to all social media platforms in time. Young people don't want to be where their parents are. Then the parents arrive. Then the young people leave. It's a constant cycle.
  - rhodysurf 10y ago
    I used to think snapchat was a fad too. I scoffed at the 4 (?) billion dollar offer they turned down. But now I am sure it is not and that its worth more.
  - Jordrok 10y ago
    All of that, plus the ads just feel fair. They exist, appear at the "right" times, and can easily be skipped if content isn't interesting. I won't dispute your other points, but I wonder, since skipping the ads is so easy, does anyone ever NOT skip them? I know I certainly have never watched one voluntarily. I also know that I'm a bit of an outlier when it comes to that sort of thing, but I really can't think of any good reason why people wouldn't just skip them every time.
ben_jones 10y ago
I thought the same until I picked it up again a few months ago. There are several factors to it's success (IMO) that are immediately obvious to my demographic (20-30): * It's simple, stream-lined, and private (to an average user, maybe not the HN crowd) when compared to Facebook or any other social app. * It appeals strongly to both men and women, which I think is an underrated aspect when it comes to viral tech popularity. * It can be a more modest form of flirting then Tinder, or a more personable touch then text messaging, often playing a role in relationship building of all kinds. * It's fun and free. * It's a fantastic way to keep in touch with old friends, being much easier then a phone call (to the socially anxious among us) and providing a visual connection showing exactly what you are doing in that moment.
bbrian 10y ago
They've put augmented reality in the hands of millions. If their spectacles are a success, they'll own the consumer AR market.
lefstathiou 10y ago
I get the sense that every generation has their very own chat app. Each was poised to take over the world yet they all eventually faded. One thing my GF pointed out, imagine how we would feel about FB today had they not owned Instagram? Of course instagram may not have become what it is without FB but a bit scary to see such a dramatic shift away from the core platform. Prodigy mIRC Aim MSN Messenger Yahoo Messenger Skype GChat Facebook Messenger Whatsapp Snapchat
forgetsusername 10y ago
>Of course there are a couple of behemoths such as FB who don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon Keep in mind Facebook is, what, 12 years old? Popular for 8 or 9 years? It is still a baby itself. Would anyone be shocked if it was a shadow of today's version in another 12 years?

rhodysurf 10y ago

Snapchat is HUGE with college aged and under, they check it nonstop and it has become the go to social platform. It also has pretty good ideas for revenue between custom filters that anyone can pay for (different tiers) and placing ads in between stories when watching them. They can be skipped and are pretty non intrusive. I really like snapchat because it is super casual and there is no inherent risk in throwing something goofy together, and no pressure of getting likes or upvotes or anything.

econnors 10y ago
I'm recently removed from that demo, and anecdotally can confirm this. Facebook is where your relatives are, and Instagram is where your entire peer group is. Snapchat is where you can share with who you want (send private snaps to groups, and post stories to the public) while still seeing everyone's content. All while being reasonably confident that your photos/videos aren't being saved (or at least notified when they are, assuming somebody doesnt have an external camera ready). All of that, plus the ads just feel fair. They exist, appear at the "right" times, and can easily be skipped if content isn't interesting. I used to think snapchat was a fad. But as its evolved, I've become increasingly confident in their ability to stay relevant. Edit: I didn't awknowledge your "no like count" point - also spot on. Only visible metric is views to your story, and that isn't public. Pressure to post something "amazing" just doesn't exist like other social networks.
- maverick_iceman 10y ago
  How about putting your phone in airplane mode and then saving a photo?
  - balls187 10y ago
    At some point, you have to take your phone off airplane mode. So you'd have to delete the app, and never install it again.
    - murjinsee 10y ago
      ...or, just sign out of Snapchat before turning airplane mode off. At least that's how it used to work.
- barsonme 10y ago
  The filters are fun, too. It might sound weird, but my SO and I will sometimes just snapchat each other over the span of a couple hours with weird faces from the filters. Partially because we're doing long distance at the moment, but a lot of it has to do with how fun the filters are—and they're always changing them, too!
- dbbk 10y ago
  > Facebook is where your relatives are This is what happens to all social media platforms in time. Young people don't want to be where their parents are. Then the parents arrive. Then the young people leave. It's a constant cycle.
- rhodysurf 10y ago
  I used to think snapchat was a fad too. I scoffed at the 4 (?) billion dollar offer they turned down. But now I am sure it is not and that its worth more.
- Jordrok 10y ago
  All of that, plus the ads just feel fair. They exist, appear at the "right" times, and can easily be skipped if content isn't interesting. I won't dispute your other points, but I wonder, since skipping the ads is so easy, does anyone ever NOT skip them? I know I certainly have never watched one voluntarily. I also know that I'm a bit of an outlier when it comes to that sort of thing, but I really can't think of any good reason why people wouldn't just skip them every time.

ben_jones 10y ago

I thought the same until I picked it up again a few months ago. There are several factors to it's success (IMO) that are immediately obvious to my demographic (20-30): * It's simple, stream-lined, and private (to an average user, maybe not the HN crowd) when compared to Facebook or any other social app. * It appeals strongly to both men and women, which I think is an underrated aspect when it comes to viral tech popularity. * It can be a more modest form of flirting then Tinder, or a more personable touch then text messaging, often playing a role in relationship building of all kinds. * It's fun and free. * It's a fantastic way to keep in touch with old friends, being much easier then a phone call (to the socially anxious among us) and providing a visual connection showing exactly what you are doing in that moment.

bbrian 10y ago

They've put augmented reality in the hands of millions. If their spectacles are a success, they'll own the consumer AR market.

lefstathiou 10y ago

I get the sense that every generation has their very own chat app. Each was poised to take over the world yet they all eventually faded. One thing my GF pointed out, imagine how we would feel about FB today had they not owned Instagram? Of course instagram may not have become what it is without FB but a bit scary to see such a dramatic shift away from the core platform. Prodigy mIRC Aim MSN Messenger Yahoo Messenger Skype GChat Facebook Messenger Whatsapp Snapchat

forgetsusername 10y ago

>Of course there are a couple of behemoths such as FB who don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon Keep in mind Facebook is, what, 12 years old? Popular for 8 or 9 years? It is still a baby itself. Would anyone be shocked if it was a shadow of today's version in another 12 years?