Snapchat Adds More Data to Win Back Influencers From Instagram

Prominent users will now get total Story views and see how long people watch their posts

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Snap Inc. is adding more data for social media stars to track how their shares are doing on Snapchat, the company announced on Wednesday.

It could turn out to be a pivotal move as Snapchat tries to win over top influencers who have moved to Instagram. These VIP users will now be able to see how many total views their Story posts get, how long people are watching their shares and more info on their audience.

The move comes a month after Vice President of Content Nick Bell said Snapchat had “just started to embrace the creator community.” Snapchat has seen many of these influencers — who built their audience on various topics including fashion, travel and comedy — turn to the Facebook-owned Instagram because of its tracking tools. Marketing firm Mediakix pointed out last fall that Snapchat had seen a 33 percent dip in influencer posts, though the study only tracked 12 top accounts.

Coupled with its redesign, this is another play for Snapchat to increase engagement — something that will keep users on the app and boost its ad revenue. Brands are also more likely to partner with users if they can measure how their Stories perform, giving it another revenue stream it had been missing out on. With Instagram consistently needled for copying Snapchat features, it looks like Snap has now taken a page out of its competitor’s book.

Shares of Snap were up about 0.5 percent in early trading on Wednesday to $18.66 a share.

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