A beginner’s guide to Snapchat

Originally launched in 2011, Snapchat has gone on to become one of the most popular social media apps on the market.

Though primarily used by teens and young adults to socialise with friends, it has several features that make it useful for all ages. For example, using its story feature, you can keep up with the news, advertise your business, and keep an eye on your favourite celebs, all with the tap of a finger. If you’ve never used the app before and you’re interested in getting Snap-happy, check out our list of handy tips below to help you get started.

Create an account and get following!

Snapchat is available to download for free for almost any mobile device. Once you’ve got the app, all you need to do is create an account by entering your name and email address, and deciding on a password and username.

If you allow the app to sync with your contacts, it’ll automatically show you how many of your friends are already using Snapchat and give you the option to follow them straight away. Other ways of adding people include searching for users nearby, scanning other people’s QR codes, and simply adding them by username.

Get clued up on the many features

Snapchat has two main features: your snaps themselves, and its story page. The homepage is where your snaps are, and where you’re able to send and receive them from your friends. There’s also a chat feature for instant messaging (though your messages disappear as soon as you click off the page, making it great for being sneaky and terrible for making plans) as well as a live video feature, similar to FaceTime.

You can create groups for sending snaps and messages to multiple people at the same time, and even save your snaps to watch again another time, all of which are available to view by swiping up when you’re on the app.

When taking and sending snaps, you have a plethora of filters, stickers and GIFs at your disposal, allowing you to give yourself some angel wings or add a cute selection of dancing cats to your photo. It might sound silly but we guarantee you’ll soon be addicted to the filter life.

Using the story feature

Snapchat’s story feature allows you to view content from all of your friends, as well as people that you follow who don’t follow you back, such as celebrities. Celebs often use their stories to share something exciting from their day, such as a sneak peek from a set or an awards show.

Other celebs, like Chrissy Teigen, use it to show off the more relatable aspects of their lives, whether that be sharing a recipe or posting cute pics of their babies. You’re also able to view top stories from news outlets like The Daily Mail and magazines such as Vice and Cosmopolitan.

Brands such as Primark and Topshop often use Snapchat stories to share new arrivals and announce sales, so it’s handy to have them on your list if you’re hunting for a bargain.