Snapchat overshadows publisher and brand content (FB, TWTR)

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Users are more likely to read content on Snapchat Discover than Facebook Instant Articles or Twitter Moments, according to a new study from Digital Context Next.

Survey respondents stated that they were most likely to turn to Snapchat to consume and share content, compared to Facebook Instant Articles and Twitter Moments.

However, the study also found that users were the least likely to recognize that a third-party brand or publisher had been behind the content on Snapchat Discover. This is likely caused by several factors: 

• An overcrowded Discover page. As Snapchat Discover has evolved, it has come to house more and more publishers. It now includes over 20 different publishers – up from 11 when it debuted in January 2015. This is a problem for publishers. Their logo can get lost in the crowd, minimizing the visibility and distinctiveness of their brand.  
• The native nature of Discover content. Content across Discover channels is created to conform to a distinct Snapchat style – namely the vertical video layout. This has prompted publishers to experiment more with different types of content – interviews, lists, articles, etc. – in order to promote their brand identity, rather than layout. 
• The strength of the Snapchat brand. Consumers' lack of awareness of Snapchat Discover publishers is testament to the strength of Snapchat's brand and platform. It means that Snapchat is top-of-mind, even as consumers are browsing through a publisher's Discover channel, leaving publishers in Snapchat's shadow. Snapchat ranks as the most important social network to teens, according to a recent survey by Piper Jaffray cited by Business Insider. The popularity of the platform causes it to overshadow the brands that it hosts on its Discovery page. 

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