Next time you receive a Snapchat video of a person pouting with the aid of a silly selfie filter, it may lead to a facepalm rather than fits of laughter. With a new report claiming that older users are finally jumping on the app, you could soon be bombarded with snaps from your mom and dad.
According to ratings company ComScore, Snapchat is witnessing rapid growth in regard to its user base of over-35-year-olds. The new report claims that the Snapchat adoption rate among that age group has increased by 12 percent since 2013, and now stands at 14 percent of U.S. smartphone users aged 35 and over.
Additionally, older millennials are also gatecrashing the Snapchat party. ComScore claims that 38 percent of U.S. smartphone users aged 25-34 are on the app, up from just 5 percent three years ago. Despite the growth among these demographics, younger users still make up the majority on Snapchat. A whopping 69 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are currently using the app, up from 24 percent in 2013.
“As [Snapchat’s] smartphone penetration nears 15-20 percent among the age-35-plus population, it appears that the social network is approaching the point at which critical mass is achieved within a particular audience segment that eventually propels it to much greater heights,” ComScore states.
You know that sinking feeling you get when your parents, or relatives, add you on Facebook? Well, it looks like those pesky old folks are dead set on invading the one app that was a bastion of millennial mischief, with little to no clue as to how to use it. The worst part is they’ll probably be relying on your help when it comes to adding emojis to their snaps.
ComScore attributes Snapchat’s growing popularity among older users to its introduction of a steady stream of new features, including “Stories.” Another reason, which is not addressed in the report, could be the fact that older celebrities are utilizing the app to increase their social media brand power. Not one episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians goes by when the older sisters in the clan, including Kim (35), and Kourtney (37), don’t use or mention the app. Other older celebrity Snapchat users include Chris Pratt (37), Gwen Stefani (46), Kevin Hart (36), and the first lady herself, Michelle Obama (52). This proliferation among celebs, and the added publicity it brings, could also be responsible for changing people’s view of Snapchat from impenetrable to accessible.
Therefore, maybe it’s time you gave your folks a break, and let them join the fun. If, however, the mere thought of messaging your mother on Snapchat makes you cringe, there’s always its South Korean counterpart, Snow, which is still somewhat of a secret outside of Asia. You’re sure to avoid any unwanted friends on there.
