Dive Brief:
- Snapchat rolled out a new layout for its app that promoted branded content in the "Discover" section for news and ads.
- The tab is now found in the "Stories" section, which previously only included updates from users’ friends and "live stories," or live events, curated by Snapchat.
- Last week, Snapchat was said to be looking to lure celebrities and sponsored posts to the platform.
Dive Insight:
Before the most recent change in its layout, social messaging platform Snapchat practically hid the Discover tab that featured news and ads. Now brands will find themselves a simple swipe away from getting noticed in the app's "Stories" vertical.
The move comes at a time when Snapchat is looking to get its 100 million strong, millennial-heavy audience to view full-screen ads that appear between Discover content. The disappearing message platform is actively promoting branded content in Stories -- and marks Snapchat’s first foray into monetizing the app.
The app redesign follows unconfirmed, but informed, speculation from industry insiders that Snapchat is actively seeking to increase its celebrity and influencer user base, a development that would offer marketers sponsored posts and product placement opportunities.
