Snapchat Buzzwords

There are certain words 'buzzwords' relating to Snapchat.  Meanings of these 'buzzwords' are included within this section.

Snaps

A ‘snap’ is a photo or video that you can send to your friends. You can add a filter to your snaps, add text or draw over the image or video. After your friends view the snap, it self-destructs (disappears), in theory. You can double tap to reply to a snap by sending a photo or video and you can also start a text chat.

Bitmoji

A Bitmoji is a personalised cartoon character that you can create in the Bitmoji app. Most people tailor it to their personal characteristics. A variety of images are then generated with this likeness. These images can be used in Snapchat and also via the Bitmoji keyboard. The Bitmoji app releases new clothing lines for Bitmoji which are usually seasonal e.g. a tree costume at Christmas. 

Story

You can post a ‘story’ to your account. This means that all your friends can view your ‘story’ for 24 hours. You can add as many photos or videos to your story as you wish. You can see who has viewed your story and if someone screenshots it you can see their name by swiping up on your own story. Your Snapchat friends can send your stories to other people without your knowledge by holding down on it and selecting the contact or group they wish to send it to.

Discover

Snapchat Discover Stories allow users to explore Stories from different editorial teams. It is updated every 24 hours and produced by popular news outlets and magazines such as Sky Sports, Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan, Daily Mail etc. The Discover Stories feature is not age restricted and children may be exposed to inappropriate content.

Live stories

Live stories allow users to upload their photos and videos to a story that can be viewed by anyone in the world who has a Snapchat account. This story is also available for 24 hours. The purpose of a live story is to show other users worldwide a ‘community perspective’ with lots of different viewpoints.

Geo Story

If you have your 'location services' switched on, Snapchat allows you to create a Geo Story that only you and people nearby can add to. Everyone on your friends list can view this story, as can everyone on the friends lists of people who add to the Geo Story.

Private Story

Users can create a private story where they can select specific friends or groups to view it and select from those friends, who can add snaps to the private story.

Lenses

By long-tapping on the camera screen, you will find the AR (Augmented Reality) Lenses. These adapt to what is on screen, for example if you are using the front-facing camera, you may see a dog mask on your face but if you are using the rear-facing screen, you may see an animated version of your Bitmoji.

Photograph Filters

Once you have taken your Snap, using the AR filters or not, you will see the 'edit snap' screen where you can can customise your snap. There are lots of ways to do this, you can add colour filters to your snap (eg make it black and white), add Bitmoji stickers or custom stickers, add text and other graphic overlays.

Geofilters

If you have your ‘location services’ switched on, Snapchat will occasionally provide Geofilters that are specific to neighbourhoods and special locations, which will change from place to place. These could be unique to your city, or a special event. For a fee, users can create geofilters and pay for it to be active during a specified time frame, at a specific location - these are popular for weddings and birthday parties!

Blue Chat

Blue chat is the messaging section of Snapchat. Messages sent in "blue chat" are usually text based and disappear once you swipe out of the chat unless they have been saved. You can also send stickers, bitmoji stickers, voice notes, circular video messages and images from your camera roll. It does not contribute to streaks.

Stickers

Users can add images to their snaps which are called stickers and they can also be sent in blue chat. The most generic stickers are the time, current speed, temperature and battery stickers. They all show current stats such as the speed you are traveling, your phone battery level and the current temperature of where you are. There are a wide range of stickers including Bitmoji stickers, animated stickers and stickers you can create from your own images and emojis.

Friend Emoji

Friend Emojis signify how frequently one user sends a snap to another. For example, a yellow heart will appear beside a name if you’re both each other’s #1 Best Friend. Also, the Birthday Cake emoji will appear beside a friend’s name when it’s their birthday.

Group Chats

With Snapchat Group Chats you can send a snap, message, camera roll image, voice note or a video to a group of up to 31 friends. Groups can be created while sending a snap, or when you're making a new chat. Chats sent to a group are deleted by default after 24 hours. Snaps sent to a group chat can be opened and replayed just once by each recipient, but then it will also be deleted after 24 hours. Unlike other group chats you cannot get 'kicked' out of a Snapchat groupchat, you must leave in order to not be a part of the group.

Limitless Snaps

This is when you can set a snap to be viewed for an unlimited period of time. Once someone finishes viewing a limitless snap they have to tap to close it and it will disappear as usual.

Replay

If your friend sent you a snap that you’d like to watch again. You can replay each snap once, hold down on the Snap to see it again.

Screenshot

Snapchat will alert you if any of your friends take a screenshot of your photo, video or chat. The double-arrow (right) will indicate that a screenshot has been taken.

Memories

Snapchat Memories is where a user can store their own Snaps. It is below the camera screen and can be accessed by swiping upwards when on camera view. You can also access photos in your camera roll from the Memories section of the app. You can export, delete, edit and send snaps from Memories.

Streak

This is represented in the app with a (default) fire Emoji and number. The lowest number that you can get is 3. To get a 'Streak', you and another person need to send each other at least 1 Snapchat each in 24 hours. You can change the default Emoji in your settings. The emoji will change to an hourglass if the Snap Streak is about to end. Users often see the number of the streak as being related to the strength of a friendship (Higher streak=Better friends.) Often users will send a snap saying 'Streaks' to many, if not all, of their friends every day in order to make more streaks.

Snapchat Score

This is a number on a user's profile, generated by a special equation calculated by combining the number of Snaps they’ve sent, received and the stories they’ve posted. Basically, it shows how active a user is on the app and you can find yours in your profile.

Snapcode

The name for each user’s unique favicon (Yellow square with a ghost or bitmoji in it, found on the user’s home screen.) Instead of adding friends on Snapchat by inputting their username, Snapchat users may scan their friend’s unique Snapcode instead.

Trophy Case

Click on the ghost or your Bitmoji at the top of the Camera screen and you will find not only your snapcode, username, the place where you add friends, your star sign, and settings but also the Trophy Case! Tap the Trophies icon on your profile to bring up the Trophy Case.

Trophies are shown as emoji’s and show a Lock emoji until each achievement has been unlocked. Trophies can be achieved for a range of reasons but Snapchat tries to keep new trophies a secret to encourage users to explore their app. For example, if you send 50 black and white Snaps you will get the Panda trophy and if you apply 2 filters to 1 snap you will get a peace emoji.

This information can be found on the SBNI App available on IOS and Android © INEQE Group Ltd 2019