Snapchat opens links to all

Marketers who use Snapchat have cause for celebration: You can now add links to your posts.

The company announced the feature on Wednesday, which is open to all who use the app.

Users can tap a paperclip icon to append a link to a particular Snap, a feature that was previously only available to brand partners. The link then opens in a Snapchat browser, so you’re technically not leaving the app, making the user experience similar to that of Facebook. Users can swipe up to see the ad.

Snapchat also added character voice filters that users can add to their videos that give the Snap some added flair, and you can spend $5.99 to create customized geofilter for events. These features are in addition to new backdrops, which are accessed with the scissors tool in the app.

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TechCrunch’s Josh Constine showed how the features work in a video:

Marketers and publishers shouldn’t expect a huge influx of web traffic from Snapchat, but it will be interesting to watch how users incorporate links in their Snaps. Brand channels and verified accounts already had the option, but giving it to regular users adds a new dynamic.

Adweek reported:

… [T]his could make it easier for marketers to gain more organic traffic. It’s also a big win for media companies, which now finally have a way to direct users to their actual websites. The tool can be accessed by tapping on the paperclip icon within Snapchat’s toolkit.

No word yet on if or when Instagram will copy this, as it has with many of Snapchat’s other features.

Constine wrote that outside links can easily distract users from consuming content, as well:

… Instagram already lets verified profiles attach links to Stories, but not everyone. Snap will have to hope that links don’t disrupt the seamless viewing experience by tempting people to swipe out of Stories and into the internal web browser. The last thing we need is another place to share news articles.

As more marketers move to use this feature, you should seek a balance between promotional messages or links and valuable content.

(Image via)

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