As apps evolve, most long-term users are nothing but upset over a change. I will admit that having to re-learn how to use Snapchat a few times has been frustrating. For those relatively new to the snap game, there was a time when you had to hold down snaps to view them, and they would keep counting down the viewing seconds if you released your finger...imagine trying to grab a quick screenshot with three engaged fingers, instead of just two...crazy, I know.
In January of 2015 Snapchat released what I consider to be an awesome update in the form of Discover. Snapchat users have had the opportunity to see it's evolution from a distant feature that you did not have to pay any mind to, unless your fingers got swipe-happy and you went too far when trying to check your friends stories, into a very important part of the app's design. If you have not decided on your opinion of this feature quite yet, here are just a few reasons why Snapchat Discover is actually a pretty amazing addition to the social media world.
In January of 2015 Snapchat released what I consider to be an awesome update in the form of Discover. Snapchat users have had the opportunity to see it's evolution from a distant feature that you did not have to pay any mind to, unless your fingers got swipe-happy and you went too far when trying to check your friends stories, into a very important part of the app's design. If you have not decided on your opinion of this feature quite yet, here are just a few reasons why Snapchat Discover is actually a pretty amazing addition to the social media world.
1. Discover offers a news platform to people who may or may not be seeking news (*cough* millennials *cough*)
Snapchat is listed as one of the main social media outlets people are using, mainly because it offers a fun and innovative way to communicate with people. Now, Snapchat has evolved to offer interesting ways to view and share news between people who may not have read the news beforehand.
2. Discover provides amazing ways to connect with your Snapchat friends, even if you are not #BestFriends
Cosmopolitan and BuzzFeed will post "tap and hold" images to simply send to your friends. These could be games like F***, Marry, Kill; Two Truths and a Lie; Screenshot To See Who Your Next Celebrity Boyfriend Will Be (or similar topics); etc. Each of these things are easy ways to either stay connected with close friends or create connections with new followers.
3. Snapchat has developed an incredibly unique medium for news to be shared, and it is only accepting the best content
Snapchat knows the worth of its Discover feature and it is not messing around with what it allows on the app. Everything is formatted to stay up-right, so content creators are not able to just copy-and-paste news or articles on to Snapchat. Discover sources have had to create Snapchat-specific stories, aka: they have had to ditch the ever-praised horizontal video for the once mocked vertical video in order to feature on Snapchat.
4. This means the sources you are viewing are the #TopDogs of all Snapchat content creators, you should feel pretty special
As Discover continued to develop, Snapchat maintained a lower number of channels to display, causing a jolt within other media groups to get in to that VIP section of news on Snapchat. Today, there are many outlets feature, however they are rotating and still maintain a sense of exclusion.
5. Once you decide what your favorite sources are, you can subscribe to them for easier access
One of my favorite things to do is tap through all of the recent stories, not because I care about what everyone is doing but because it is so satisfying to clear out any form of notification. With subscribing, I can now view my favorite Discover channels (shout out to Refinery29, Mashable, BuzzFeed, Sweet, and Cosmopolitan) right under the most recent Snapchat stories which provides easier access to the content I want to see.
6. Discover Live
Discover Live offers an interesting viewpoint of news because you can watch a conglomerate of Snapchat videos or pictures that depict an entire event, rather than just the official scripted news version. The viewpoints offered are typically more fun and intimate, offering multiple perspectives on one source.
7. There is content specifically for guys (finally!)
For a while, Discover had little to cater to the man who did not care about National Geographic, basic news, or basic sports. However, recently, Snapchat added Brother to their lineup while other already prominent sources like BuzzFeed began including articles, lists, and shareable images that men could relate to more than women.
8. Discover always has new information each morning
One of my favorite ways to start my day is taking a few minutes to scroll through Cosmopolitan or Sweet on Discover. For the more hard-hitting of you Snapchatters, you can always count on a few rotating news sources such as the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, the New York Times, CNN and others. If you prefer the lighter, more social aspect of "news," you have the chance to check out Daily Mail, People, or MTV.
9. Something for every interest
A quick glance at the content offered by stories would lead you to believe that if you do not care about who just cheated on who in the realm of celebrities, the newest type of facial cleanser, or which coach was let go because of that TERRIBLE loss last night, you may as well move on with your life. However, a longer look at the selection of sources will tell you otherwise. From E-News to ESPN, Comedy Central, Food Network, video games and more with IGN, technology updates from Mashable - if you cannot find something interesting to look at, it is because you are boring and have zero interest in life.
10. A rotating choice of sources offering a fresh perspective
One of the coolest aspects of social media and the digital age can be found in the quick way news spreads and Snapchat is no different. Clips from the presidential debate were up the following morning, clips from basically any sporting event can be found rotating through Discover each day. I honestly believe that if someone had the time to go through every Discover channel, that people would be just a little more informed on what is happening both nationally and globally.
**This post was originally shared on my Odyssey page.
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