How to Use Snapchat [A Master Book]

Snapchat is the social media service that individuals and brands use to create interesting and educational video content. Brands or businesses can use this platform as an opportunity to show off their company culture, industry knowledge and connect with their audience.

Keeping the Snapchat strategy in place, it is important to consider the app’s new way of connecting with Snapchat’s 178 million daily active users, who open the app an average of more than 25 times a day. It is also seen that Snapchat is not just for teenagers and millennials, but adults also use it and spend more time on it.

Guide on “How do you use Snapchat 2021?”

Below is the detailed guide on Snapchat’s key demographics, which will support your business goals and also promote your brand:

1. Snapchat features and terminology
2. How to set up a Snapchat account
3. Navigate Snapchat
4. How to add friends on Snapchat
5. Ways to accept a friend request on Snapchat Platform
6.  view a Snap
7. How to create and send snaps
8. See How to use Snapchat lenses
9. How to use new Snapchat features
10. How to use Snapchat’s Chat feature

Let’s get into the precise information on all the above Snapchat pointers

Snapchat features and terminology

We need to understand how to use Snapchat for business, through its features and terminology.

Snap

A snap is a picture or video which can be sent through the app to any number of your friends. Snaps are deleted after they are been viewed and they disappear after 24 hours. Snaps that are not opened get deleted after 30 days. Video snap is of a maximum of 10 seconds long.

Stories

Snapchat Stories shows photos and videos that you would like to share with all your friends.

Custom Stories

Groups can create Stories together. Custom snapchat Stories allows your friends and even their friends to contribute snaps to a story if they are at a specific place.

Snapchat lens

Lenses are used while taking any snap. It allows you to add animated special effects to your videos and photos.

Geofilter

Enable Geofilter to Create Snapchat Geofilter, you need to turn on your location in Snapchat. This will help in building brand awareness or showcasing any event.

Filter

It is a fun way to add an overlay or special effects to your Snaps. Filters can be changed according to holidays, location or any special event.

Snapstreak

Snapstreak occurs if you and your friend snap with each other for three consecutive days, within 24 hours. A flame emoji comes up next to your friend’s name, with a number showing how many days you have kept the streak.

Snapcode

They are unique QR-style codes that can be scanned to add friends or access features and content on Snapchat. Every user is allotted an account Snapcode, and additional codes can also be created that link to any website.

Chat

It is a version of instant messages for individuals and group chats. Messages get deleted after they are viewed.

Memories

It is a feature that backs up your Snaps and Stories. You can post older snaps to your story from Memories.

Snap Map

Snap Map shows your location and of your friends, so you can see what is happening at the moment, right where you are. To access the Snap Map, click your screen or put it in ghost mode if you do not want to share your location.

Friends Page

To find this page, swipe right from the camera screen. Here, you will find all your SnapChat friend‘s Chats and Stories, and whom you want to talk to.

Discover Page

To find this page, swipe left from the camera screen. It displays Stories from publishers and others, including those you have subscribed to.

Context Cards

These cards use related information from Snapchat’s users to provide additional information about a place in the Snap, booking a ride or reserving a table for dinner.

Bitmoji:

It is a cartoon icon that represents you. Bitmoji has been discovered by Snapchat, link your Bitmoji account with Snapchat, therefore it uses throughout the network, including the Snapcodes.

set up a Snapchat Account

You need a Snapchat account for the start. So start!

Download the Snapchat app

Go to the App Store and download the app.

Create an account

Fill in all the details and Sign up. Accept! Enter your birthday and create a username that reflects your name or brand. Tap and Continue. Then enter your email address.

Verify your identity as a human. Continue after the verification code.

Add Friends

Snapchat scans your contacts for friends who are active on Snapchat. To find them, Continue and find your friends. Go to Settings – allow SnapChat to access your contacts. It will automatically scan your contact list for people available on Snapchat.

You can add people and if they add you back, you can exchange Snaps. Change your privacy settings, if you do not want to be visible.

Personalize your Snapcode with your Bitmoji

Tap on the ghost icon, then again tap on Create Bitmoji. You can also install the Bitmoji app from Google Play Store. Link your Bitmoji to your Snapchat account or create another one. Your Bitmoji will be your digital representation on Snapchat.

How to Navigate Snapchat?

Just like other social networks, which are open to timelines or news feed Snapchat opens up to a camera screen. The only way to access content is to swipe left or right.

How to Add Friends on Snapchat?

1. Add friends by Snapcode

• Take a picture of your friend’s snap code.
• Open Snapchat and tap on the ghost icon on the left.
• Tap Add Friends.
• Click on Snapcode to open your camera roll.
• Tap the image of the Snapcode and it will scan the photo and also add your new friend.

 Add by Username

You can search your friend if you know their username.

• Open the Snapchat app and tap on the icon on the top left corner.
• Tap Add Friends.
• Tap Username.
• Enter your friend’s username, then tap on the Add button.
• You can also send your username to your friends, so they can add you.

Add nearby

You might want to connect with other people, if at some social gathering. You can use the Nearby Option.

• Open the Snapchat app and tap the ghost icon at the top left corner.
• Tap Add Friends.
• Tap Nearby.
• Click OK to allow Snapchat to show your usernames.
• Tap Allow going to locations. Give access to Snapchat location.
• Snapchat will scan the other users who are using the Add Nearby screen.
• Tap the +sign which is next to the usernames of the friends.

Quick Add

You need to build up your Snapchat network, so you can see names suggested in Quick add. It is a feature relating to contacts in your phone or on other social networks.

• Tap Add Friends on SnapChat.
• Scroll down to Quick Add and tap on the +Add button which is next to your contact.

Accept a Friend Request on Snapchat

• If you get a friend request on Snapchat, then you must accept it before getting connected.
• Open the Snapchat app and tap on the icon at the top left.
• Tap Added Me.
• Tap the +button next to your friend’s username.

How to View a Snap?

After getting connected with friends, you must also know how to view the Snaps they send.

• Open the Friends Screen.
• You can see an icon next to their username for Snaps. The message will vary relating to the color of the icon.
• Tap on the message to open it.
• Replay the Snap.

How to Create and Send Snaps?

You must also know how to create Snaps of your own. When the Snapchat app is open, it goes directly to the camera screen and you are set to start Snapping.

1. Take a picture or video:

Capture the buttons at the bottom of the screen for pictures and videos. You can capture 10 seconds of video in one Snap, and if holding the button it will record multiple Snaps. For Selfie, flip the camera on your screen or double-tap anywhere on the screen.

2 – Get Creative:

You can decorate your photo with creative tools and filters. They are – Caption, Doodle, Stickers, Scissors, Paper clip, Timer, Snapchat filters, etc.

3 – Send your Snap:

Click on the blue Send To arrow icon on the right. Select the contacts you would like to send the snap to. The Snap will be sent to your Friend’s screen.

How to Use Snapchat Lenses?

This is applied directly to the faces in the Snap. Snapchat lenses are applied before you tap the capture button.

• Point the camera at your face or a friend’s face. Multiple people can be included.
• Tap on one of the faces. Lenses will pop up.
• Scroll through the lenses to review the effects.
• Follow the prompt and your Snap will take a new form.
• Tap on the capture button to take the picture when you find the lens which you like.

Want to Use Snapchat Stories?

It is a collection of Snaps that are captured within 24 hours. Your Story will be visible to all your friends and they can watch it multiple times. Therefore, you can limit the visuals by changing your privacy settings.

How to Create and Edit your Story?

1 – Add Snaps to your Story: Create a Snap, then tap the Story button at the bottom left of your screen. Tap Add and your Snap will become the part of your Story.

2 – Delete Snap from your Story: Tap the ghost icon. Tap My Story and any Snap to view it. Tap the delete icon.

3 – Save your Story: Tap the download button beside My Story to save your current Story to Memories. This is if you need to save a Story for a longer duration.

View a Friend’s Story

Tap on the Stories icon in the bottom right corner. You will see a list of friends who have updated their stories on their profile. To view their story, tap on your friend’s username.

Create a Group Story

Group Stories contain up to 1000 snaps and they last long as someone adds a snap every 24 hours.

• Tap the triangle Stories icon.
• Tap the +icon on the right at the top.
• Choose to create a Group Story, a Geo Story or a Private Story.

contribute to Our Story

Our story is a collection of Snaps from other snap chatters. Adding your Snaps to Our Story means that they will be visible to people though they not connect with them.

Learn to Use Snapchat Memories?

They allow you to save Snaps and Stories so that they can be viewed later or even repost them. You need to save any Snap to Memories by tapping the save button or saving the snaps by default.

To view your Memories, open the app and swipe up below the capture button which is placed around the screen.

Snapchat’s chat feature

This feature connects you with friends individually, or have a group chat with several people. Individual chats delete automatically and group chats delete after 24 hours.

1 – How to chat with one friend: Tap the Chat button on the bottom left and tap your friend’s name.

2 – How to Start a Group Chat: Tap the chat button and tap the friends you want to include and then start.

Conclusion

The above tips will surely help you out in How to Use Snapchat. All your doubts will be clear by going through the above guidelines and once you start snapping, you will enjoy.