Snapchat may Stand Out from Other Social Media Apps

Since Facebook has become a space for sharing crafted big moments, Snapchat seems to provide users with a distinct space for sharing the small moments.

Snapchat is a mobile application known as a form of "ephemeral social media," which are platforms displaying shared content for a limited period of time (eg, 10 seconds).

Snapchat gives a better communication experience and is linked to more social enjoyment and positive mood than Facebook or other social media, according to a study by the University of Michigan.

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‘Experts investigated what aspects of Snapchat use might cause the increased emotional reward, and they found out that reduced "self-presentational" concerns are a major reason, such as not worrying if shared pictures seem ugly or conceited.’

"On the surface, many people view Snapchat as the 'sexting app'," said Joseph Bayer, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan and the study's lead author.

Their findings suggest that reduced "self-presentational" concerns are a major reason, such as not worrying if shared pictures seem ugly or conceited. "Since Facebook has become a space for sharing crafted big moments such as babies, graduations and birthdays, Snapchat seems to provide users with a distinct space for sharing the small moments," said Bayer.

Bayer and colleagues recruited 154 college students who used smartphones. The study used "experience sampling" - which measures how people think, feel and behave moment-to-moment in their daily lives - to assess the participants' well-being by texting them at random times six times a day for two weeks.

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"If ephemeral social media are garnering a more concentrated form of attention, then Snapchat may also stand out from other social media to advertisers," Bayer said.

The participants viewed Snapchat as similar to face-to-face conversations because they were mundane, not recorded and typically occurred with close relationships. The study appeared online in the journal Information, Communication & Society.