Snapchat is without a doubt one of the most popular social media apps out there. It is utilized by millions of fans each day, a majority of which are millennials. Whether it’s businesses using Snapchat for marketing, teens using it for fun or friends using it to keep in contact, Snapchat is a powerful platform if you know how to use it.
If you’re new to Snapchat and wondering how to make the most of this platform, then this article is for you! We’ve compiled all you need to know about Snapchat in one place to get you started. Keep reading for our ultimate guide to using Snapchat.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app created in 2011. It allows users to capture, send, and share photos, videos, and messages with friends, family, and other users. It is one of the most used social media apps today, with over 280 million active users globally.
It is popular for a few reasons. Since Snapchat is focused on visual content, it’s simple yet effective for quickly sharing memories and moments with close friends or acquaintances, without taking a lot of time out of your day. Plus, users can customize images and videos with cool filters, text, drawing tools, and other fun features.
The other part that makes Snapchat so attractive is the “ephemeral” nature of the app. That means messages will disappear after the recipient views them, which makes it great for time-sensitive conversations.
How to Use Snapchat
Now that you know a bit about Snapchat, let’s dive into how to use it. All you have to do to get started is download the free app, sign up and create your profile. Then you’ll be ready to start snapping!
Step 1: Add Friends and Locate Contacts
To start using the app, the first step is to add friends and contacts. Once you’ve clicked the icon to add friends, Snapchat will detect and show you the contacts from your phone that are also using Snapchat. You can also search for people you want to add or invite friends from other social networks to join you.
Once you’ve added a few friends, you can scroll through the contacts page, which shows which of your contacts are using the app.
Step 2: Take Photos and Videos
Once you have added some friends and are comfortable navigating around your contacts list, the next step is to get creative and start taking photos and videos!
The basic principle behind taking pictures and videos with Snapchat is very user friendly and easy to understand. All you have to do is tap the camera icon, which brings up the camera view. You can point the camera towards yourself for selfies or away for other images. Once you have your shot lined up, you can choose to shoot either a photo or video or you can use the slow-motion or time-lapse features to add a cool effect.
Step 3: Use Fun Filters, Text and Drawings
Now that you’ve taken the perfect shot, it’s time to add some finishing touches and make it even better! Snapchat has a ton of fun filters that you can use to jazz up photos, videos, and stories. These include face filters, texts and drawing, among other creative elements.
For photos, you can add face filters, text, emojis, and fun effects. For videos, Snapchat has recently added a ton of editing features, like speed and sound controls.
Step 4: Send To and Share With Friends
Once you’ve added filters and drawings to your story, you can send the photo or video to your friends or post it to your story. Your friends who follow you can view your story for 24 hours after you post it.
When sending through chat, you will get notified that your friends have viewed the message, unless you choose to send it with a timer. This timer allows messages and images to self-destruct after a designated period of time, which can be a great way to keep messages private.
Step 5: Find and Follow Interesting People
One of the great things about Snapchat is its Discover feature. This feature connects you with people and businesses that post content daily so you can follow and keep up with what’s going on. It’s a great way to stay in the know!
Also, make sure to check out the live stories tab, where you can watch stories from people around the world. This makes it easy and fun to discover Snapchat content from all different places.
Step 6: Customize Your Snapcode
Once you’ve connected with your friends and have gotten the basics down of Snapchat, it’s time to customize your experience. You can start by customizing your Snapcode. This is the profile picture for your Snapchat profile and it looks like a QR code. You can add custom designs or text to your code to make it look however you want.
Also, you can change your privacy settings to make sure that your snaps are visible to only your intended friends and followers.
Using Snapchat is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, while at the same time being creative and having fun. With our step-by-step guide, you’re now equipped to make the most out of this social media platform. So, go ahead and get snapping!
We hope this article has been helpful in helping you understand how to use Snapchat. Now that you’ve gotten a good grasp of the basics, make sure to explore the app to find out what other features it offers and how you can make it your own. Good luck and happy snapping!