Due to Snapchat’s model, which stresses immediate and real-time use, it’s not surprising Snapchat has become a valuable tool for businesses and people looking for suggestions regarding their daily life. Snapchat creates a space in which people have a direct lens into other lives and spaces, which creates a crowd-sourced referral service. In short, Snapchat encourages in the moment information discovery through its users because of its real-time capabilities.
Snapchat’s ability to influence where and how people go to events, what they film, when they share and to who has transformed the app’s utility. People enjoy keeping tabs on each other, even if one party is a stranger. For example, celebrities use Snap Stories as a way to promote their lives and work. Snapchat tailors to people’s fascination with what others are doing. It makes sense they are finding new ways to provide users with additional information regarding what they experience through the app.
Context Cards, Snapchat’s newest feature, is no exception. Context Cards provide information to users about Snaps other people have sent. While information will not be accessible on every Snap, those with specific attributes (company geotags or filters, for example) will contain this data. As a result, users will be able to click on Context Cards and find reviews, book reservations, participate in ride-hailing services, and more.
The impact of this update for social media is two-fold. Primarily, Context Cards strengthen Snap’s argument questioning the utility of using other social media apps such as Yelp. Yelp does not provide immediate insight into a live dining experience, in the same way, someone uploading a video to their story does. Users, already intrigued by the lives of others, can now find the location of a restaurant, its menu, and book a reservation where someone they follow is currently having a bite to eat. This means that people can discover new venues and businesses directly in Snapchat’s app.
The second component of this update is the opportunity for Snapchat “Influencers”. Instagram’s popularity has resulted in the favor of influencer marketing. Influencers have incredible reach and social media engagement from followers. Context Cards lay the foundation for Snap to have similar success. As celebrities already use Snapchat, this feature makes it more likely that businesses will capitalize on this opportunity to gain attention. A super-model or influential actor can now, guide people watching their story to immediately book a reservation. While Instagram influencers help sell a product or promote brand awareness, Context Cards provide valuable hands-on, accessible information for consumers.
Overall, Snap is rolling out a rather remarkable feature in Context Cards. Reviews, reservations, Ubers, and Lyfts will now all be accessible through, what is already for many people, their favorite app. People will be able to see their favorite celebrity eating lunch and book a table in the same location. Shoppers can find new store locations or shop online more easily than ever before. Data and information are crucial to social media, and Context Cards promises more useful, real-time data than ever before.
What do you think of this new feature? Tweet us @Socialfly with your reaction!