Snapchat has added another feature to facilitate IRL meet-ups, with a new Plans element that will make it easier for users to go from a chat to setting a calendar event.
As shown in these example screens, Snapchatters will now be able to create an event and invite friends in-stream.
As explained by Snapchat: “Snapchatters can add a title, choose a date and time, invite up to 200 friends, and personalize their event with dynamic Bitmoji-powered cover art that automatically updates as the plan comes together. Invitations are then delivered directly within a one-on-one chat with each invited friend, where guests can quickly RSVP with Going, Maybe, or Can't Go without interrupting the conversation.”
Event creators will be able to keep track of the event details via a new My Plans section on their profile. Snapchatters can also view info for any accepted events on friends’ pages.
Snapchat will send out reminder notes to all attendees an hour before the event starts.
It’s the latest move in Snapchat’s efforts to play a bigger role in real-life engagement and expand its connective benefits beyond the app.
Snapchat’s main tool on this front is the Snap Map, which now includes location listings and sharing tools to help users find each other when they want to catch up. In April, Snapchat also added loyalty badges for locations on the Snap Map.
Snapchat has been developing this events option for some time, with initial elements of the feature spotted in the back-end code of the app in 2021. Snapchat also has a Countdown feature that enables users to create reminders with friends that count down to an event.
The addition of a more specific events option, however, could help Snapchat capitalize on a key usage behavior. The company said that based on a recent survey, 35% of U.S. Snapchatters ages 13 to 24 now use the group app’s chat function to make plans and organize events.
The option also aligns with Snapchat’s broader effort to differentiate itself from other social apps by focusing on connection over retention.
Earlier this week, in a letter to mark the 15-year anniversary of the app, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel explained that the platform has found success by focusing on friends instead of followers, and bringing people together instead of keeping them scrolling in the feed.
