Snap Unveils a Range of Updates at Annual Partner Summit

Snapchat’s announced some big updates at its 2024 Partner Summit, including the next version of its AR glasses, which it’s hoping will be the next big stage for the company.

It’s also unveiled a range of new app updates, which provide a range of new considerations for your Snap marketing approach.

First, Snap’s rolling out an updated UI, which seeks to simplify your various engagement options in the app.

As you can see, the updated Snapchat UI moves stories posted by your friends to the top of your inbox (left screen), with Instagram-like Stories bubbles to indicate new content. You’ll also be able to access the Snap Map from this element, via a new shortcut button in the lower middle of the screen.

When you swipe right from the camera, the app will open a full-screen feed of recommended stories and Spotlight video clips, powered by AI recommendations, based on your interests.

So Snap’s moving into line with the broader social media trend, kick-started by TikTok, of providing more AI recommendations, in order to boost engagement, as opposed to focusing on your following graph.

Which clearly works. Meta says that engagement on both Facebook and IG has increased significantly since implementing AI recommendations, and it makes sense for Snap to also align with the same.

As explained by Snap:

“With this new and simplified design, Snapchatters will have a more personal and relevant viewing experience. This update also has the potential to help our creators and publisher partners find new audiences across new surfaces, and support our advertising business over the long-term.”

More engagement, more ads, and more discovery, which could be a big win for the platform.

Which is especially true when you also consider that the number of creators posting publicly on the platform has more than tripled over the past year.

Snap’s creator funding opportunities, as well as the rising interest in Spotlight, has sparked new engagement in the app, and Snap’s also looking to tap into this by enabling more users to post to an audience, if they choose.

Snap has always prioritized friend connection, but just recently, it rolled out a new option that’ll enable younger users to create a public-facing profile, as opposed to only a private one.

That also comes with a level of risk, but Snap’s keen to provide more opportunities to boost its appeal to creators, and get more engaging content in front of more people.

In addition to this, Snap’s also looking to help facilitate more brand/influencer partnerships via a new “Snap Star Collab Studio”.

As per Snap:

“Through our preferred partners and new self-serve tools, creators can now choose to show off their engagement and demographic data to brands. And soon, they’ll be able to share this information directly with any advertiser on Snapchat.”

So much like the brand collab tools available for IG and TikTok, Snap’s also looking to enable more brand partnerships, providing more opportunities for brands and creators.

Over within the chat element, meanwhile (where the real engagement happens in the app), Snap’s adding new local time zone listings in-stream, which will make it easier to connect with friends around the world.

It’s also rolling out updated HD video calls, and “Snap Mail”, which lets you leave a friend a custom Snap if they don’t answer.

Snapchat’s also got some new AR elements, including an AI powered Lens that will show you what you’ll look like in future.

Yeah, it’s not, like, a breakthrough in AI development, but you can see this being a big hit with Snap users.

Snap’s also building simplified AR creation tools into Lens Studio, including “Easy Lens”, which enables Lens creation based on text queries, and new AI powered creator assistance.

This is a great use of generative AI, enabling more people to build AR, and eventually VR experiences, without requiring you to be a coding pro. That could democratize advanced digital development, and see more people becoming more engaged in custom immersive experiences.

Meta’s also working in this for its metaverse VR worlds.

Snapchat’s also adding AI elements to its Memories feature, which will create more engaging displays of your past updates.

It’s also powering up its My AI chat bot with new object recognition and translation capacity.

“My AI can now interpret Snaps of parking signs, translate menus in a foreign language, or help identify unique plants.”

Which essentially integrates some of Snap’s existing camera tools, bringing them into line with its AI push. So it’s not new functionality, as such, but it builds upon its My AI element.

Also, Snap-yellow Crocs for your Bitmoji. If you’re into that kind of thing.

There’s a heap of new elements to consider here, and to factor into your Snap planning, with a range of options to help facilitate more engagement, and drive future opportunities. And with Snap now up to 850 million monthly users, it’s definitely worth considering the opportunities of the platform for your marketing efforts.