Snapchat is now on the web!

To use Snapchat on the web, go to web.snapchat.com and sign in with your username and password. After opening Snapchat on the web, complete two-step verification on your phone. Then, you can continue your mobile conversations on the web.

What Is Snapchat?

Snapchat is an app made by Snap Inc., an American company. It’s for messaging and sharing media. Snapchat is known for its temporary pictures and messages that disappear quickly.

What exactly is Snapchat used for?

Snapchat is a popular app for messaging. Users can send pictures and videos, called snaps, which disappear after being viewed. The main purpose is to capture a photo or video, enhance it with filters or effects, and share it with friends.

Why do girls use Snapchat?

You can check out other singles’ Snapchat profiles and connect with potential dates in a fun way. Using Snapchat also allows for secretive communication with people your partner doesn’t know.

The History of Snapchat

2011: Snapchat, then Picaboo, launches

Spiegel and Murphy met at Stanford University. They created Picaboo, the first Snapchat, in 2011. In July, they launched the Picaboo app in the iOS App Store. It sends photos that disappear, but it doesn’t get much attention.

To solve the problem with screenshots, they found a solution. Now, iPhone users can take screenshots to save Picaboo messages from disappearing. Instead, they sent a message to let users know if someone saved their disappearing photo.

In September, Spiegel and Murphy renamed the app Snapchat, allowed users to add captions to photos, and re-released it on the iOS App Store. They focused on the app’s technology instead of branding and marketing to make it unique and modern. In case you’ve forgotten, here’s what early snaps looked like back then:

2012: Video arrives

Spiegel wrote Snapchat’s first blog post in May 2012. The post set the tone for what users could expect from the app in the future. He wrote that the photo app is not about unrealistic beauty or perfection. It’s about being funny, honest, or whatever you feel when you take and share a Snap.

Snapchat for Android launched in October on the Google Play store. This boosted its user base and led to a major milestone. Snapchat users sent about 20 million snaps per day, or roughly 25 snaps per second, after one year.

In December, Snapchat users sent 50 million snaps daily. The app then added the feature of recording and sending 10-second videos. The best part? Instead of switching modes, camera phone users can record videos by holding down the photo capture button.

2013-2014: Stories and Chat

Snapchat launched Stories in October 2013. Stories are short posts that last for 24 hours. Brands and users started using Stories to share their activities and in more detail.

In 2014, Snapchat ramped up innovation and launched a slew of new features and updates. They released Chat in May. It’s a messaging app with disappearing messages and video chat indicators. In June, Snapchat launched Our Story. This feature lets users share photos and videos from popular events.

In July, Snapchat introduced Geofilters. These filters allow users to customize their snaps with city-specific embellishments.

In October, Snapchat started showing ads in the “Recent Updates” section with friends’ stories. Users could choose to skip ads and, like other Stories, they vanished after 24 hours. Here’s what their first ad, for the movie “Ouija,” looked like:

In November, Snapchat and Square created Snapcash. It lets users send and receive money from Snapchat to their bank accounts. In December 2014, Snapchat started using Community Geofilters to make money. Users can make their own Geofilters or buy branded filters for their business or sponsored event.

2015: Discover and Lenses

In January 2015, Snapchat started giving advertisers many chances to make money from its 75 million users. Snapchat added a new page called Discover. It’s easy to find on the home screen. Discover has short ads from different publishers and channels like Vox, BuzzFeed, CNN, and Food Network. Here’s what it looks like in action:

Next, we introduced Tap to View. Before, users had to touch the phone screen to see snaps. Now, they need to tap once to start watching. In June, Snapchat introduced sponsored Geofilters. Advertisers can pay for brand exposure in specific locations. Here’s what McDonald’s first sponsored filter looked like:

In September, Snapchat launched the next big thing for avid selfie-takers: Lenses. Users could choose from a wide variety of Lenses to change their look. They had to turn their cameras to face themselves and hold a finger down on their face. From puppy ears to barfing rainbows, selfies got a lot more creative. Check it out below:

In December 2015, the Financial Times reported that Snapchat users watched 6 billion videos daily. The app introduced video recording three years before this happened.

What’s Next for Snapchat?

that short-lived messaging will keep getting more popular. We also expect Instagram and Snapchat to keep competing. Advertisers now spend more money on social media ads than on TV ads. We predict Snapchat will keep finding new, non-disruptive ways to serve useful ads.