Snapchat has just updated its iOS and Android apps with a completely redesigned Stories section that brings Snapchat content from the app’s media partners to the forefront, now prioritizing the content you see in Discover and live stories over your contacts.
It might seem like an annoyance to some, but at the core of the change are Snapchat’s efforts to increase engagement with the content and brands found in Discover, which includes articles, photos, videos and other content from various media outlets. This also highlights some circulating reports that Discover engagement had been declining, and this update could be a way to put a stopper in that engagement drop.
Snapchat, which is now valued at about $16 billion, is not the only social application looking to increase engagement with additional content. Other apps like Kik Messenger and Tango have also been vying for a larger piece of the user engagement pie, with Kik’s promoted chats and Tango’s Channels pushing engagement a little further.
The new Snapchat update can be downloaded via iTunes and Google Play.