In a first for Snapchat, the platform is launching specially-designed profiles for brands.
In a blog post, the company confirmed it was beta testing Brand Profiles following last year’s launch of a new format known as Public Profiles — which are designated for creators and shows and offer additional features beyond traditional profiles, including analytics. Roughly 16 brands are involved in the closed test — from luxury houses like Dior and Gucci to fast-food purveyor Tim Hortons to movie studio Universal Pictures.
Brand Profiles will comprise four main components, Snapchat says: AR lens collections, whereby brands can save proprietary lenses to their profiles; native ecommerce stores for in-app shopping, powered by Shopify; content highlight reels, where brands can showcase their best Snaps and Stories permanently; and Public Stories — a feature available to all Snapchatters to share their day-to-day activities.
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As with Public Profiles, Brand Profiles will also enable owners to access audience demographics — as well as the interests — of users who consume their Stories. And Brand Profiles will also enable different team members collaborate on accounts, managing profiles as a group.
The test is currently available to the following brands: Ben & Jerry’s, Candy Crush, Dior, Gucci, Headspace, Nike‘s Jordan brand, Kylie Cosmetics, L’Oreal Paris, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Target, Tim Hortons, Too Faced, Universal Pictures, and VSCO. Brand Profiles will roll out to additional businesses later this year, Snapchat says.
