Snapchat remains popular among young people, new research reveals. In fact, it may pose a long-term challenge to Facebook’s dominance.
According to the Pew Research Center, 78 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds use Snapchat, and many (71 percent) visit the platform multiple times per day. Notably, the share of those 25 to 29 on Snapchat falls to 54 percent, and its popularity drops precipitously among older age groups.
The survey completed in early January indicates that Snapchat fans are not abandoning the app despite their dislike of its new design introduced late last year. Users consider the new layout perplexing and frustrating, and complain that it mixes friends’ private messages and stories and mixes ads with private messages. An online petition signed by more than 1.2 million people asks Snapchat to return to its former design.
The redesign’s poor reception caused some to predict Snapchat’s demise, but the latest research shows that PR, marketing and advertising professionals should not give up on the app.
The week after the redesign Snapchat downloads increased by 55 percent, Digiday reports, citing data from app analytics firm Sensor Tower.
Facebook Still Most Popular Overall
Facebook remains the most popular platform for most Americans. About two-thirds of U.S. adults visit Facebook, and roughly three-quarters of those access Facebook daily. Except for those 65 and older, Americans across a wide range of demographic groups now use Facebook. Still, Facebook might find the research disconcerting.
People tend to retain social media habits as they age. Those 20 something snap chatters are likely to continue snapchatting as they turn into 30 somethings. In addition, Snapchat has remained popular despite Instagram’s growth and its aggressive efforts to copy Snapchat’s features.
“Eventually, Facebook could become the next MySpace, an out-of-date, boring network where no one really spends any time,” predicts Andrew Hutchinson at Social Media Today, offering an extreme scenario. Facebook is losing users, as we reported last week, prompting some businesses to reconsider their PR and marketing investment in Facebook.
Statistics to Guide Social Media Strategies
The Pew Research Center also offers other insights that can help PR and marketing teams adjust their strategies:
The typical American uses three of the eight platforms examined. Young people in particular participate in multiple social media platforms: 71 percent of 18- to 24-year olds use Instagram and 45 percent use Twitter.
Pinterest remains substantially more popular with women with 41 percent of women using the site, compared to 16 percent of men.
YouTube is used by nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults and 94 percent of 18- to 24-year-old. While often not considered a social media platform, it contains many social elements. Considering that video is today’s the hottest of all media, brands may wish to consider adding YouTube to their social media PR and marketing strategy if they haven’t already
The messaging service WhatsApp is popular in Latin America and among Latinos in the United States – 49 percent of Hispanics report that they are WhatsApp users, compared with 14% of whites and 21 percent of blacks.
Bottom Line: Snapchat has proven resilient despite its widely criticized redesign and Instagram’s aggressive efforts to recruit young users by copying its features. Over the long term, Snapchat may pose a serious challenge to Facebook, some predict. Brands seeking younger audiences are most likely to benefit from including Snapchat in their PR and marketing strategies.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
