Snapchat Announces Memories, Another Reason to Jump on Board

Just as marketers are getting comfortable with Snapchat -- spending some time figuring out the difference between a Snap and a Story -- Snapchat announced a new feature called Memories. The Memories feature lets you save Snaps, which means they don't disappear until you delete them. Mind = blown.

Snapchat’s main market differentiator is the fleeting nature of posts, but now it seems it's time to allow users to decide which Snaps to save without the need to screenshot them. What’s even cooler is that in the past it was quite challenging to save video Snaps, this the new feature allows you to do that too.

So, why is this update so important to marketers? Because, unlike Stories, Memories can be saved and retrieved easily. No more worries about saving those amazing Snaps you made at your last company event or that rocking behind-the-scenes moment you captured. It’s also “super easy to find the Snap or Story you’re looking for in just a few seconds by typing keywords,” the official Snapchat blog says.

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You can upload your old photos from the camera roll, combine multiple Stories into one large Memories collection, and resend those Snaps you saved in Memories to your friends, or add to Stories again. The images will appear in a frame to let people know that it's an older photo.

I can envision businesses resending promotions a few times -- spaced out appropriately, of course, and #TBT being trendy again. Besides, it is probably safe to assume that Memories is another step towards commercialization of the network. More and more publishers are joining the fastest growing platform, and I suspect it won't be too long before we start seeing ads on Snapchat as well.

The update takes Snapchat storytelling to a whole new level. Not only is the network one of the most casual and personal out there; it now allows you to show your personal side in a much more meaningful and personal way. This is a way to solidify your business or personal brand by showing your true colors in a set of beautifully-organized Snaps.

If you’re still hesitant about Snapchat marketing, check this out -- Snapchat has more users than Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn -- and it's been around the least amount of time. Research shows that Snapchat is now the second preferred social network in U.S. Last year, it was cited fifth. As you can see, Snapchat is only getting started on its quest to take over social networking by increasing awareness, trial and demonstrating “stickiness.”

It looks like the sexting days of Snapchat are over -- or at least have moved to the background in lieu of all the marketing opportunities. Memories will be rolled out selectively over the next month or so. In the meantime, think of all the launches, openings, conferences and manufacturing processes you can show to the world.