Snapchat has announced a significant redesign in an attempt to make it easier to use. Snapchat has been experiencing a slowdown in growth and some disappointing financial results. The challenge for Snapchat is to make its content more discoverable and to broaden its appeal to new demographics without losing its ‘cool’ image.
Meanwhile, Smart Insights has published an interesting summary of insights into how Instagram is being used by companies and individuals. Some of the most interesting findings include:
- Over 70% of US companies are using Instagram
- Instagram has 800 million users
- 59% of Instagram users are 18 to 29 years old
- 80% of users follow at least one brand
- Time spent watching video is up more than 80% year over year
- Instagram Stories has over 250 million active daily users
- Posts with at least one hashtag average 12% more engagement
- Posts with a location get 79% more engagement
- 35% of Instagram users are creating and viewing videos via Stories
Libraries battle over Instagram
Meanwhile, here’s a nice story about The Los Angeles and Houston public libraries who are indulging in a ‘Book Spine Poetry Trash Talk’ competition on Instagram.
The cities teams are competing in the World Series and librarians are posting photographs of books that summarise match results. You can follow the LA Public Library here and Houston Public Library here.