Is Snapchat Still Relevant?

Is Snapchat Still Relevant?

In a landscape dominated by TikTok virality, Instagram aesthetics, and YouTube depth, it’s fair to ask: does Snapchat still matter? The short answer? Yes — but only if you understand where it fits. Once the crown jewel of ephemeral content, Snapchat now occupies a unique lane that brands often overlook: intimacy, immediacy, and niche community access. It may not be the loudest platform, but it’s still powerful — especially if Gen Z is your audience.

At TAG Collective, we help brands evaluate platform fit and optimize presence. Here’s how to think about Snapchat today — and whether it belongs in your 2025 strategy.

1. The Numbers Are Quietly Massive
Snapchat has over 750 million monthly active users — with 150 million in North America alone. The vast majority are Gen Z, and they use the app daily. It remains one of the few places where open rates on direct content are still sky-high, especially via Stories and private messaging.

2. It’s Still a Gen Z Messaging Hub
For younger users, Snapchat is more communication tool than content platform. It’s where they:

• Stay in touch with close friends
• Share unpolished moments
• Curate private narratives (vs. public personas on IG/TikTok)

If your brand wants to show up where Gen Z lives privately, Snapchat is still the spot.

3. It Offers Less Saturation — and More Intimacy
While Instagram and TikTok are swamped with ads and creator campaigns, Snapchat offers a less cluttered, more direct experience. That means your brand has space to connect — especially with custom filters, native story integrations, or bite-size content that feels native, not noisy.

4. Its AR Tools Are Still Best-in-Class
Snapchat’s AR lenses remain a benchmark. For beauty, fashion, and entertainment brands, the ability to create interactive try-ons or branded filters gives users a playful, personalized brand experience. And because Snap users actually use these tools regularly, engagement isn’t a gimmick — it’s embedded behavior.

5. Discover Isn’t Dead — It’s Specialized
Snap’s Discover tab now features curated content from select media partners and creators. It’s less about virality, more about habit. While it’s not the go-to for breaking news or trends, it’s sticky — especially for recurring content series and niche verticals.

6. The Ad Platform Is Quietly Effective
Snapchat Ads can still be cost-effective, especially for e-commerce and app installs. With detailed targeting and less competition per impression than Meta, savvy brands are seeing solid ROAS — particularly when creative is native-feeling and optimized for Snap specs.

7. But No, It’s Not for Everyone
Snapchat isn’t the place to go viral. It’s not ideal for long-form storytelling or public thought leadership. It’s also not as easy to build massive followings from scratch. But for brands that value:

• One-on-one engagement
• High-frequency, low-pressure content
• Younger demos with high daily usage

— it can still be a strong play.

Case Study: A Quiet Win on Snap
We helped a wellness beverage brand reach college students by creating a Snapchat AR lens paired with a gamified Story series (“What Flavor Are You?”). Without major spend, we drove 1.4M impressions, increased direct add-to-cart clicks by 27%, and tripled UGC shares during the campaign week.

Final Thought: Snap May Be Quieter, But It’s Not Done
At TAG Collective, we don’t chase platforms — we assess where your brand belongs. And for many Gen Z-facing companies, Snapchat remains quietly relevant. If you’re looking for private reach, playful creative, and consistent connection, don’t count Snap out.