Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Snapchat

Choose the right profile picture for each of your social networks

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

A profile picture is one of the most important elements of your social media profile. It's the first thing people will see when they visit your page, and it's a good way to make a strong first impression.

That being said, not all profile pictures are created equal. Each social network has its specific requirements for what makes a good profile picture, and failure to follow these guidelines can result in a less-than-ideal image that doesn't represent you in the best light.

Here are some tips for taking a great profile picture for each of the most popular social networks:

  • LinkedIn: Your LinkedIn profile picture should be a professional headshot appropriate for a business setting. Avoid casual or overly-stylized photos, and make sure the background is simple and free of distractions.

  • Facebook: For Facebook, you can go with a more casual photo than you would on LinkedIn. However, it's still important to avoid anything that could be seen as too staged or artificial. A good rule of thumb is to choose a picture that you would be comfortable sharing with your friends and family.

  • Instagram: On Instagram, your profile picture should be an image that represents your personal brand. This can be a photo of you engaged in a hobby or activity that you're passionate about or something that showcases your unique sense of style.

  • Snapchat: Snapchat is all about fun and spontaneity, so your profile picture should reflect that. Don't be afraid to get creative with your snapcode (the image people use to add you to the app). You can even use a funny or memorable picture from a past event as your profile pic.

  • Twitter: Since Twitter is all about brevity, your profile picture should be an image that can be easily seen and recognized in a small size. A simple headshot or logo is usually best for this social network.

Remember that your profile picture is an important part of your online presence, no matter which social network you're using. Take the time to choose an image that represents you well, and you'll be sure to make a great first impression on everyone who visits your page.

Snapchat usage grows among teens

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Pew Research publishes interesting surveys, and they recently shared results about what teens use most. Contrary to public opinion, Snapchat is still king with teens, followed by Youtube. Facebook usage amongst teens is down 71% compared to the 2014-2015 Pew report. 

  • 45% of teens admitted to being online "almost constantly."
  • 24% of teens admitted to being online "several times a day."

Girls are more likely to be "almost constantly" online (50%) compared to boys (39%). 

Provided by Pew Research

Instagram is still going strong and 72% of teens now use it (up from 52% in 2015). 70% of teens use Snapchat (up from 41% in 2015). 

Most platforms have an equal amount of creation and consumption except Youtube, where the most significant proportion is consumption. 

You will notice that Snapchat and Instagram have higher usage than Facebook. Interestingly you will note:

  • Instagram/Snapchat are designed to post pictures, whereas Facebook supports photos but videos, links, text updates, etc.
  • Instagram/Snapchat are designed to be used on a smartphone, whereas Facebook is multiplatform. This is confirmed when the stats show that 95% of teens have or have access to a smartphone (88% of teens have access to a computer at home).

31% of teens believe social media has a positive impact on their lives while 24% think it has a negative one. 45% believe it has a neutral effect on their lives. 

Most Snapchat users are on IOS and other cool information

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Tech companies are notoriously secretive about their user makeup and their internal operations. Snap filled its paperwork for its IPO (Initial Public Offering) and it makes for a fantastic read. You too can read the S1 here

As much as Android fans want to pretend they are as vibrant as the IOS community, the Snap S1 begs to differ. They clearly highlight that most users of Snapchat are on IOS thus making it the priority development platform for the service.

The majority of our user engagement is on smartphones with iOS operating systems. As a result, although our products work with Android mobile devices, we have prioritized development of our products to operate with iOS operating systems rather than smartphones with Android operating systems.
— Snap S1

The other interesting tidbit is that the mast majority of the service operates on Google's cloud service (instead of Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure). Snap recently signed a $2B 5-year deal with the sultan of search.

We rely on Google Cloud for the vast majority of our computing, storage, bandwidth, and other services.
— Snap S1

They also talk about a continued commitment to innovation and this is seen as a way to improve user engagement and thus improve ad revenue. Hopefully innovation is more than filters and glasses.

Another interesting tidbit is their underhanded acknowledgement of Facebook and its potential to disrupt Snapchat's business model.

Many of our current and potential competitors have significantly greater resources and broader global recognition and occupy better competitive positions in certain markets than we do.
— Snap S1

The final snippet of information I wanted to share was that they aren't profitable and may never be profitable.

We have incurred operating losses in the past, expect to incur operating losses in the future, and may never achieve or maintain profitability.
— Snap S1

Even with this grim view of the world, analysts expect the IPO to be a smash hit. Time will tell but what does it say when investors are willing to spend billions for a company that may never return a penny?