Clare Nash, Snap's Head of Marketing, APAC, discusses her concerns around the impact of social media and how Snapchat is an antidote.
Social media once promised us a more connected world. While it’s fair to say it delivered on that promise, we should probably have defined the type of connection we were looking for.
According to Sapien Labs’ The Mental State of the World in 2022 report, 1 we’re currently experiencing a ‘friendship recession’. This means we have fewer authentic, supportive friendships than ever before, despite being in near constant ‘interaction’ online. As our lives have moved further into the digital realm, and friends have become followers, we’ve become more connected – but to social media, rather than to each other.
The Sapien Labs report noted that people’s ‘social self’ has significantly nosedived, especially among younger users, stating that 18-to-24-year-olds are less likely to have close friends than those aged 75 and over.2 But the good news is that more of us are becoming acutely aware of all this. Many are feeling a nostalgic longing for a simplified existence; one that readdresses the balance between their online habits and offline lives.
Magical moments
Snapchat, then, offers a real point of difference, because the first thing you see when you open the app is a camera, not a content feed. This is an intentional design choice, inviting active creative expression instead of passive consumption.
Snapchat isn’t social media – and it was never designed to be. The platform centres around direct messaging between real-life contacts which doesn’t use public validation metrics such as ‘likes’, which can skew users’ self-worth and drive feelings of inadequacy. Instead, it promotes fun, friendship, good humour and moments of connection between friends and family – the people who mean the most to you in real life. Snapchat is made for connecting and enjoying the moment. Messages delete by default, celebrating life’s fleetingness and encouraging in-the-moment candour over glossy perfection.
Our goal is to provide a healthier alternative and safe environment for everyone, so we’ve always made deliberate design choices that prioritise the wellbeing of our community. As a platform, we don’t allow unvetted content the opportunity to ‘go viral’ and our international teams work around the clock to remove content that violates our policies or the law – safeguarding initiatives which help protect users against harmful content and reduce the spread of misinformation.
The home of happy customers
No doubt these factors have contributed to Snapchat being ranked the happiest platform – and the one most associated with joy – in an Alter Agents study from 2023.3 New research undertaken by YouGov in 20244found that Australians feel happier communicating via messaging apps than on social media, with almost 90% of the Australian teenagers surveyed reporting feeling ‘happy’ when using messaging apps for communication – significantly higher than when asked the same question about social media platforms. The research also found that Snapchat helps to support and deepen friendships, with Australians who use Snapchat weekly or more being more likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with the quality of their close friendships compared to Australian adults and teens overall.
Our new brand campaign, ‘Less Social Media. More Snapchat’, celebrates this positivity by embracing less ‘likes’ and more ‘love’. As society starts to feel the signs of social media burnout, we invite authentic connections, creating a digital space where people can chat and interact spontaneously – just like in real life. Snapchatters from all walks of life revel in unpolished content and celebrate a ‘take me as I am’ mindset. This allows them to make genuine interactions with those they love and care for, rather than seeking validation from online strangers.
Creative brand love
At Snapchat, we know that genuine relationships create a happy and positive environment; a space where brands can have real influence – particularly if they harness the innate creativity of the platform. After all, on average, Snapchat reaches more than 8 million Aussies a month,5 not to mention over 75% of 13-to-34-year-olds in this country6, so the potential is there to create brand magic.
As users increasingly seek out platforms that promote genuine connection over superficial engagement, we’re working to create a highly positive individual experience, paving the way for a healthier, more connected future. Simply put, Snapchat is more than an alternative to social media – it’s an antidote.
At the end of the day, to be human is to be wonderfully imperfect. Our lives are messy and unique, and Snapchat offers a way to share this reality with those we care about. We can show up as our real selves, be seen and known, and connect with our loved ones in a way that translates seamlessly into real life. Whether you’re a Snapchatter or a brand, that’s a lot to be happy about.
Sources:
1-2. 2022 Sapien Labs, The Mental State of the World in 2022.
3. 2023 Alter Agents, Real Relationships, Real Impact, commissioned by Snap Inc.
4. YouGov Plc. Online Survey of Australian Residents (weighted for representativeness) | June 20-24, 2024 | n=1,000 Australian Adults, n=500 Australian Teens
5. Snap Inc. internal data Q4 2023
6. Snap Inc. internal data Q2 2024. Percentages calculated by dividing addressable reach by relevant census figures.
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