Snapchat is rolling out an update to its
Discover custom content publishing platform that makes it significantly easier to publish news on the social network.
The feature, called Dynamic Stories, enables news publishers to
automatically upload stories to the platform in real time using their existing RSS feeds, eliminating the need to convert content for the Discover feed.
“By tying publishing on Snapchat
into our partners’ existing workflow, we’ve created an easy way for them to create daily content and significantly lower costs,” Snapchat wrote in a blog post announcing the launch.
“This new format will also play a significant role in supporting our continued effort to bring local content to our community across the globe.”
The Dynamic Stories update could
also help Snapchat and publishers reach the elusive Gen Z audience.
Dynamic Stories content is currently limited to text and photos, but may expand to video.
Ads, however, are being
sold in vertical video format. Snapchat is sharing some of the revenue with publishers — although the revenue, at least in this early stage, has been limited, sources told Axios, one of the more
than 40 publishers that have begun using Dynamic Stories after months of testing.
Other U.S.-based publishers participating thus far include Bloomberg, BuzzFeed, CNN, Complex Networks,
Condé Nast (Self, Vogue), ESPN, Insider, New York Post, Page Six, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TMZ, Tom’s Guide and Vice.
U.K.-based titles
include Condé's British Vogue and GQ UK, PinkNews, The Independent and The Mirror. French titles include Femme Actuelle, Foot
Mercato, Gala, Condé's GQ France and Vogue France, Le Figaro, Marie Claire FR, and Paris Match. Indian titles include
Condé's GQ India ad Vogue India, MissMalini, Pinkvilla, Sportskeeda, The Quint and Times Now.
More partners are
expected in the months to come.
According to Snapchat, the new feature enabled The Washington Post to reach more than 1.1 million Snapchatters with coverage of the war in Ukraine
during the first week of that conflict alone, and helped Foot Mercato quickly grow to more than 100,000 unique monthly viewers and nearly 10,000 subscribers.
Snapchat stresses that
it does not offer an unmoderated open newsfeed, “where unvetted individuals or publishers can broadcast false and misleading information to a large audience.”
All content on
Discover is from verified media publishers and content creators.