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Snapchat recently published an official blog post positioning Snapcodes QR codes as a key marketing tool for advertisers, claiming they offer a more immersive and customizable brand experience than ordinary QR codes. The feature has been available to advertisers since 2017, allowing brands to embed logos, link to AR filters, and enhance analytics within the codes. Despite fluctuating historical usage of QR codes, Snap believes its solution has advantages and provides examples from retail, packaging, and TV advertising.
Snapchat recently disclosed that its public group Topic Chats feature, launched last November, is gradually gaining user acceptance, particularly performing well during the March Madness basketball tournament. Official data shows that the relevant topic groups have accumulated over 45,000 participants, with a peak of approximately 40,000 concurrent users. Snap views this data as a key signal of the viability of group chats in real-time event discussions. Although there is still a gap compared to the activity scale of X or Threads, it may provide Snap with new user engagement and monetization opportunities amid slowing growth.
A joint survey by Snapchat and Ipsos shows that among US daily active users aged 18-45, 95% are interested in health, 58% rely on social platforms to research complex health topics, and 61% use them to compare treatment options. Although Snap views this as a marketing opportunity for pharmaceutical companies, concerns about the reliability of online health information have been raised.
As 2026 approaches, the social media industry is set to undergo multiple changes: short-form video will continue to dominate content formats, platforms will face unique challenges (such as Reddit users' cooling attitudes toward advertising), and tensions between algorithms and users may further intensify. Meanwhile, after years of development, potential issues with artificial intelligence may come to a head in 2026. This article outlines key trends to provide strategic references for industry professionals.
As 2025 approaches, the social media industry faces many uncertainties: Will TikTok continue to operate in the U.S.? Can X (formerly Twitter) overcome its difficulties? How will generative AI change the industry landscape? Social Media Today has compiled multiple in-depth articles to help marketers identify key annual trends and response strategies.