Snapchat is a mobile app that allows users to take photos, videos and draw on them before sending them to contacts, with the content disappearing after being viewed; while nearly 100 million people use Snapchat daily, sharing over 2 billion videos each day in an ephemeral and casual style; the document provides an overview of how media organizations and reporters are using Snapchat to tell visual stories from events.

1. Snapchat 101

2. What Is Snapchat?
Snapchat is ...
● a video messaging app (MOBILE ONLY!)
● in which users can take photos, record videos, add text
and drawings
● and send them to a controlled list of recipients

3. Who Is On Snapchat?
● Nearly 100 million active daily users.
● More than 60 percent of 13- to 34-year-old
smartphone users in the U.S. are active.
● They view more than 2 billion videos a day.

4. The Culture of Snapchat
● Ephemeral and in the moment
○ Snaps go away immediately after viewing
○ stories go away after 24 hours
● Less polished
○ It’s OK, even for professionals, to use filters or add
text and emojis.
● Whimsical—but not necessarily flippant

5. What Kinds of Stories Could You Tell on Snapchat?
● Scenes from an event
○ #PhillyIsBaltimore rally
○ Jim Kenney’s victory party
○ Philly Beer Week Opening Tap
○ Philadelphia Zoo’s new art exhibit
● Man on the Street interviews
○ Are you voting in Primary?
○ Why are you at the rally?
○ Why are you out in the snowstorm today?
● To preview events
○ Top three things to do this weekend
○ Best exhibits at the Flower Show
○ Behind-the-scenes at Lincoln Financial Field before an Eagles game

6. Media + Reporters Orgs on Snapchat
● washingtonpost
● thenytimes
● phillydotcom
● torontostarnews
● npr
Follow these account for inspiration and ideas for how you and the papers and
website could use Snapchat to tell a story.
● jtannenwald (covering
Women’s World Cup on
Snapchat)
● notesfromhel (snaps
from around the city)

7. Some Stories Other Media Outlets
Have Told on Snapchat Recently
● NYT writer showed scenes from the Belmont Stakes
and asked readers to snap questions, which he
answered.
● WaPo photog captured images and short interviews
during Baltimore riots.
● New Yorker cartoonist snaps cartoons as they’re being
drawn so readers can see how the work comes
together.

8. Click on image to
play video

9. Click on image to
play video

10. Some Terminology
● Snaps
○ Snaps are picture or video messages taken and shared with friends on Snapchat in real-time.
Snaps can be viewed for up to 10 seconds, depending on the amount of time the user chooses.
Snapchatters can choose to have their photo or video saved in their phone’s photo gallery or just sent to
friends. By default, Snaps disappear from the screen once they are viewed - unless your friend decides to
keep it, such as with a screenshot or separate camera. Snaps are meant to make conversation more
spontaneous, visual and fun!
● Stories
○ Stories string Snaps together to create a narrative that lasts for 24 hours. To create a Story, a user
choose to add their Snaps to their Story. Depending on their privacy settings, the photos and videos
added to a Story can be viewed by either all Snapchatters, just the user’s friends, or a customized group.
Stories honor the true nature of storytelling - in sequential order with a beginning, middle and end.
● Live/Our Stories
○ Our Stories are a curated stream of user submitted Snaps from various locations and events. Users
who have their location services on at the same event location will be given the option to
contribute Snaps to the Our Story. The end result is a Story told from a community perspective with
lots of different points view.

11. Want to Get Started on Snapchat?
EMAIL:
● Erica Palan epalan@philly.com AND
● Colin Kerrigan ckerrigan@philly.com
If you’re not sure you’d like to start your own account, but you’d like to
try out Snapchat, please reach out. Depending on what you’re covering, it
might be a good opportunity for you to use the phillydotcom Snapchat to get
some experience with the app.