Brands using Snapchat for content marketing campaigns will soon see a familiar interface as the social media platform has decided to roll back some of the most recent design changes that proved divisive with its users.
Snapchat recently rolled out a new ‘Friends’ page that fundamentally changed how content was served up. It appeared to use a new algorithm in place of the previous chronological order, and it is fair to say that the design did not go down well after vocal criticism from fans, influencers, and celebrities, including Kylie Jenner.
Snapchat appeared to be sticking to its guns despite the less than stellar feedback. But its latest quarter earnings showed that the update had checked the company’s increase in revenue and slowed down user growth, so now the platform is reverting back to its old ways.
The company’s CEO Evan Spiegel said the changes were already in the offing anyway after further “experimentation and learning” following the redesign, and it is now preparing to roll out the updated app to Android and iOS.
There will be one key addition for brands as Snapchat has added a separate Subscriptions feeds for Stories, so users can keep a better track on the content they like from their favourite publishers and creators. Snaps and Chats will also be back in chronological order and Stories from friends can again be accessed on the righthand side of the app.
Spiegel also said Snapchat was aiming to improve Android performance in the coming months as it was still an area of “weakness”.
