Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. Many people have begun using Snapchat for messaging instead of regular SMS text messaging. There are several key reasons why Snapchat is preferred over old-fashioned texting by many users.
Disappearing messages
One of the central features of Snapchat that distinguishes it from texting is that messages and images sent on Snapchat disappear after being viewed. Snapchat introduced the concept of ephemeral messaging, and this feature has been hugely appealing, especially for younger users. The automatic deletion of Snapchat messages gives users a sense of privacy and allows them to share silly, embarrassing or private moments without worrying about it coming back to haunt them. This sets Snapchat apart from texting where the record of conversations remains unless the user manually deletes them. The impermanent nature of Snapchat messages likely makes many users feel more comfortable opening up.
Visual creativity
While texting is focused on sending written messages and emojis, Snapchat allows users to play around with fun visuals. Users can send photo and video snaps embellished with creative tools like filters, lenses, stickers and drawings. Communicating visually makes messaging more colorful. The visual freedom of Snapchat also lets users express their creative side through the snaps they send. Texting does not provide the same creative canvas.
Engaging content
The multimedia nature of Snapchat with photos, videos, filters, lenses and more makes the content more engaging than plain text. Users are more likely to pay attention to snaps with fun visuals and cool effects than a block of text. So Snapchat provides a more engaging way to communicate. The visual communication style also mirrors more closely how people interact face-to-face compared with texting.
Non-permanent communication
Sometimes users want to have conversations that are more ephemeral and don’t leave a permanent record. Snapchat fulfills that need for casual, in-the-moment conversations that users do not necessarily want to be archived forever like text messages. The impermanence of Snapchat allows organic, off-the-cuff interactions without the same degree of hesitation or overthinking that can accompany texting.
More personal interactions
Because of the camera and visual nature of Snapchat, users often share moments from their daily lives and routines. This provides a more intimate, inside view into their personal worlds compared with just texting. Friends get to see their daily adventures or silly moments in a more natural way. The increased personal context enabled by Snapchat helps users feel more intimately connected than through text alone.
Breaks from formal texting
For many, texting has become something of a formal mode of communication. Texting is often used for more serious conversations, making plans, or important updates. Snapchat provides a nice break from the formalities of texting. The playful, visual nature of Snapchat gives users a way to interact more casually. There is less pressure to be proper, structured, or overly thoughtful with snaps compared to text messages.
Lower stakes communication
Building on the ephemeral and less formal nature of Snapchat, communicating via snaps is considered lower stakes than texting for many users. The impermanent snaps do not leave the same record as texts, and anything embarrassing can disappear quickly. There is simply less weight and permanence placed on Snapchat interactions versus those over text messaging. This reduces the stakes and pressure placed on Snapchat communication.
Trendiness among youth
One major reason why Snapchat has become so popular, especially among younger demographics, is simply because it is considered cool and trendy. Snapchat has successfully positioned itself as the hip, in-thing platform of choice for young people. The cool factor of Snapchat plays a big role in its adoption among teens and young adults who want to use the latest fun apps and networks.
Facilitates distracting procrastination
One downside of Snapchat is that its entertaining, visual nature makes it more prone to distractions and procrastination than text messaging for many users. It is easy to get sucked into a Snapchat rabbit hole when you should be working or studying. However, for some users this is part of the appeal – Snapchat provides a welcome distraction from responsibilities. Additionally, the impermanent and low stakes nature of Snapchat provides less pressure and fewer consequences to avoid tasks for mindless Snapchatting.
Convenience and speed
Snapchat offers a very fast and convenient way to communicate visually. Users can quickly send photos or videos with fun effects, captions, and stickers that capture the moment. The multimedia Snapchat interface is designed for speed and ease of use. Snapping photos or videos to share your experience is typically quicker than typing out long text descriptions. This makes Snapchat a convenient way to visually communicate on-the-go moments.
New norms and expectations
Particularly among younger demographics, new communication norms and expectations have developed where Snapchat is their primary messaging app. Younger users often prefer and expect their peers to use Snapchat over old-school texting. Snapchat is where they feel most comfortable communicating. If texting is used, it is often for more formal or necessary communications with people outside their main Snapchat networks.
Enhanced conversations
Snapchat can provide opportunities to augment and enhance conversations between users beyond what is possible over text alone. The visual nature of Snapchat allows users to show each other moments from their lives, tell stories, and express themselves in ways that texting does not facilitate. Real-time face filters and joint creative play make conversations richer and more interactive on Snapchat relative to texting.
Self-expression
With the array of creative filters, lenses, and stickers available on Snapchat, users have lots of options for self-expression and showing off their real or idealized personas. For example, filters can be overlaid that project certain moods or aesthetics. Stickers featuring various characters or phrases can be used to react during conversations. Users get to decide how they want to creatively portray themselves in the snaps they send, which texting does not allow.
Broadcasting life moments
Snapchat’s stories feature transforms the platform from a messaging app into a broadcasting medium. Users can string together snaps into stories that capture various life moments and broadcast them out to their followers. The stories feature expands Snapchat into a social network for giving followers a window into your life. This provides a new way for users to project their identity and share their everyday adventures beyond one-on-one messaging.
Blurring lines between messaging and social media
With stories, filters, lenses, friend networks, branding, influencers, and celebs on the platform, Snapchat blurs the lines between messaging and social media. Messaging remains a primary use case, but Snapchat has evolved into a social media and entertainment platform in its own right. This expanded scope increases Snapchat’s utility and stickiness for users beyond just messaging.
Conclusion
Snapchat has clearly differentiated itself from old-fashioned texting and emerged as the visual communication platform of choice for younger demographics. The impermanent and casual nature of Snapchat messaging lowers stakes and facilitates fun, engaging interactions. For many users, Snapchat has simply become the natural, default place to communicate and share moments from their lives. While texting still serves many purposes, Snapchat represents the future of mobile communication for younger generations.