Before there was TikTok, before Instagram launched (copied?) Stories, there was Snapchat. In July 2011, Snapchat debuted as a “ephemeral” messaging service. The image driven “Picaboo” app was first exclusively accessible through iOS. There were just 127 users of the Picaboo app in its first few months, thus it’s fair to say that it didn’t immediately catch on.
Rapid growth was spurred by a rename to Snapchat and an Android release. About a year after its inception, the app swiftly hit the milestone of 100,000 daily active users. Snapchat statistics have only continued to become more and more impressive from there.
While Snapchat is not a great fit for every brand, the platform is not as limited as some may think, and failing to understand the digital marketing opportunities that it can offer might mean that you are missing out on some big digital marketing wins.
To help you make better decisions in 2023, here’s a look at some of the most important Snapchat statistics you need to know to figure out where it might fit in your social media marketing plans.
General Snapchat Statistics
Snapchat Now Boasts Over 363 Million Daily Active Users
Even in the face of new competition in the form of TikTok and a number of new Instagram ‘innovations’, Snapchat keeps growing and has enjoyed good DAU – daily active user – growth – in 2022. As of Q3 2022 the platform boasts 363 Million daily active users, up from 306 million at the same time last year.
Snapchat's Biggest User Base is in The US
While you can make use of Snapchat to reach a global audience, North America boasts 92 million of that overall daily users Snapchat figure we just mentioned. Because of this, the app is a fantastic tool for any business wishing to establish itself in that region. There are 78 million daily active users in Europe, which makes up the next-largest demographic.
Snapchat Resonates Best with the Under 35s
While its demographic makeup in terms of age has diversified a little over the last several years, the majority of Snapchat’s daily active users are still under the age of 35. In fact Ages 18 to 24 make up over 20% of users of the video messaging service. Only 6.1% of men and 11% of women who utilize the service are over the age of 35.
This means that Snapchat is a terrific platform to connect with young millennials and members of Generation Z if your social media marketing strategy is aimed at them. The one exception to this is Snapchat filters, which have seen an uptick in usage with an over 35 demographic, so if you can come up with a good one, you may be able to reach a wider audience in terms of age.
54% of Snapchat Users Identify as Female
While gender statistics are not always the best demographic to focus on with younger audiences, it’s still helpful to know that in 2022 54.4% of Snapchat users identify as female versus 44.6% as male.
There is however an interesting change when it comes to the 18-24 demographic specifically. There it is an equal split – male and female identifying users are tied at 19.5% of the total Snapchat user makeup in this demographic.
Almost 90% of Snapchat Users Are Also Instagrammers
Every single Snapchat user also has a profile on another social media network. The audience of the app and those of Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp overlap the most, with Instagram topping the list at 88%. Reddit and LinkedIn are also used by some Snapchat users. The glaring exception here? Snapchat users don’t seem to like Twitter.
5 Billion Plus Snaps are Created Every Day
According to the platform’s own usage figures, every day, 5 billion or more ‘snaps’ are produced on average. That’s a lot of pictures and videos posted every day!
The Average Snapchat Daily User Spends 30+ Minutes a Day on the App
Since 2021, when it was predicted to be 27 minutes per day, daily usage has climbed by 3 minutes to an average of 30 in app minutes a day, despite the emergence of additional competitors (looking at you, TikTok). Even while 30 minutes a day might not seem like much, that’s still just 3 minutes less than people spend on Facebook, the current front-runner in this particular area.
63% of Daily Snapchat Users Make Use of AR Filters
Snapchat users frequently use its augmented reality (AR) features. Over 200 million (or 63%) of Snapchat’s daily active users interact with augmented reality (AR) features like filters every day, the company claimed in an overview for investors.
This means that a brand that can integrate augmented reality into its strategy will have an advantage when it comes to engaging users on Snapchat.
Snap Games are Pretty Popular Too
Users of Snapchat have access to the many entertaining games the platform offers, such as Bitmoji Party. Each month, 30 million players continuously play these so-called Snap Games. They have attracted over 200 million users in total.
Why is this relevant to brands? Businesses using the platform for advertising can choose to insert 6-second, non-skippable ads in Snap Games.
Snapchat is the Go to App for Young Commuters and Travelers
According to Snapchat’s own statistics, there is about $4.4 trillion in “spending power” among Snapchat users, with $1.9 trillion of it being concentrated in North America alone.
Given the age demographic that Snapchat overwhelmingly appeals to – that 18-34 sweet spot – those brands that fall into their highest spending discretionary purchase preferences may benefit the most. This includes fashion, tech and cosmetics, as well as coffee and gourmet foods.
Snapchat Shopping Statistics
Additionally, and just as significantly for some brands, 19% of users turn to Snapchat while shopping, often making use of the app to see what others are posting about purchases they are actively considering making.
But that’s not all they do when it comes to shopping. Interestingly 39% of Snapchat daily users say that they have shared a retailer’s Snap with at least one contact via private message to ask for an opinion about making a purchase.
Still on the topic of Snapchat and shopping, A whopping 65% of Snapchat users have posted to their stories after buying something from the app. That’s a fantastic (free) way to organically increase sales of your products and services, while also improving brand recognition, and who doesn’t love free?
Most Daily Users Like to 'Snap' With Friends
When hanging out with friends, 34% of respondents claim to use Snapchat more frequently than other social media. This is probably because users say that they frequently have more fun when they take photos with AR filters when socializing, making it a popular way to preserve memories with those they’re closest to. So once again, if your brand can incorporate AR into its strategy you could be onto a big winner.
Snapchat for Business Statistics
Snapchat's Users Pack a Lot of Spending Power
According to Snapchat’s own statistics, there is about $4.4 trillion in “spending power” among Snapchat users, with $1.9 trillion of it being concentrated in North America alone.
Given the age demographic that Snapchat overwhelmingly appeals to – that 18-34 sweet spot – those brands that fall into their highest spending discretionary purchase preferences may benefit the most. This includes fashion, tech and cosmetics, as well as coffee and gourmet foods.
Snapchat's Global Advertising Revenue is Now Over 2.5 Billion
Since 2016, Snapchat’s annual advertising revenue has steadily increased year on year. The platform brought in $2.62 billion in advertising income in 2021. There is no indication that growth will slow down. It’s obvious that more and more brands and companies are realizing the advertising potential of Snapchat.
Snapchat Ads Have a Big Impact, Fast
As was already mentioned, a sizable chunk of Snapchat’s user base consists of young millennials and members of Generation Z. The research from Snapchat doesn’t exactly refute the myth that Gen Zers have short attention spans. Statistics reveal that they view content on Snapchat for less time than older generations, but they remember it better than other age groups (especially in respect to advertising).
After interacting with an advertisement for two seconds or less, Gen Z individuals exhibit a 59% recall of the advertisement. This means that an ad can have a significant impact in a brief amount of time. Snapchat ads have a tremendous chance of being successful because their audience is so receptive, and this can extend to engaging organic content as well.
Snapchat Content Engages Better With Sound
While there is a mute option for Snapchat photographs and videos, statistics indicate that this is not how most users interact with the app. On Snapchat, 64% of users watch with the sound on. When creating your social media strategy, it’s crucial to consider whether you can use a catchy theme tune or spoken word customer reviews to take advantage of this (especially considering that high recall rate we just mentioned.)
Snapchat Keeps On Innovating
To remain relevant, every brand has to be willing to grow and change, and Snapchat has proved itself especially willing to do that. Since its founding in 2011 for its consumers’ enjoyment, Snapchat has developed 101 brand-new features for its products. The launch of Stories, Spectacles, speech filters, Bitmoji TV, and Spotlight are a few examples of this (yes, Snapchat did Stories first.)
