New research from Snap Inc. and eye square reveals something key: the quality of time we spend on social media matters just as much as the quantity. To explore this idea, the study covered 13 global markets and reached a clear conclusion. In short, when people feel their time on a platform is worthwhile, they become more open to advertising. On top of that, they engage more with messages and act more often. According to the data, Snapchat stands out here, mainly because of its link to personal communication and its variety of ad formats.1## Why meaningful time matters
Takeaways 🚀
✅Documentation reorganization enhances user navigation.
✅Snapchat strengthens personal audience connection
✅Diverse formats increase ad recall
✅Context shapes stronger consumer response
✅Variety drives better purchase intent
For years, marketers measured social media success with familiar metrics: impressions, reach, and time spent. To be fair, these indicators are still useful. However, they don’t always explain why some environments deliver stronger brand results than others. For that reason, the Snap and eye square research points to a missing factor: “meaningful time.”
In the study, nearly three out of four Snapchat users said their time on the platform feels meaningful. As a result, that figure makes Snapchat the top-rated messaging platform on this measure among those studied.1The implication for brands is important. After all, when users see a platform as valuable, and not just a habit, they respond better to the messages that appear there.
Beyond that, the research shows that users who experience their time on social media as meaningful display:
- 85% more openness to ads
- 62% more engagement with relevant ads
- 74% more likelihood to act on relevant ads1Taken together, these figures suggest something simple. Receptivity doesn’t depend only on targeting or creative design. Instead, it also depends on the context where the ad appears.
Snapchat’s advantage: personal connection
The research makes one central point. Above all, Snapchat’s strength comes from its role in daily, close communication. To measure this, the study tracked 22 activities across different platforms. As it turned out, Snapchat ranked first globally for core communication behaviors with friends and family. These include chatting, sharing personal photos and videos, making calls, and using location features to stay in touch.1This matters because personal communication creates a different mindset than passive scrolling. For example, people usually open Snapchat with a clear intention. They want to talk to someone, check in with friends, or share moments from their day. In that environment, time feels more useful and more personal.
For brands, this creates a unique setting. Specifically, the study suggests that ads inside a platform built around real relationships can generate more receptivity. That sets them apart from environments based on passive consumption. In fact, in the reported results, Snapchat outperformed competing platforms across several brand metrics:
- Unaided ad recall: +6 points
- Aided ad recall: +7 points
- Favorability: +8 points
- Simulated brand purchases: +6 points1Together, these numbers support one idea. Ultimately, the platform environment can shape brand effectiveness.
Diverse ad experiences strengthen results
Another key finding is direct. Put simply, variety in ad exposure matters more than simple repetition. Notably, the study didn’t rely on a single format repeated many times. Instead, it found better results when brands used several formats on Snapchat while keeping frequency constant.
To test this, the research measured three levels of exposure:
- Video ad only
- Video plus AR Lens
- Video plus AR Lens plus Sponsored Snap1The results showed a clear pattern. For instance, unaided recall rose from 16% with video only to 22% with video plus AR Lens. From there, it reached 36% when Sponsored Snap was added.1 Meanwhile, simulated brand purchases also grew. They went from 19% with video only to 33% with the full mix of formats.1This data point is relevant. In other words, it suggests that brand building improves with richer, more varied interactions, not just more impressions. Consider this: someone who watches a video, interacts with an AR experience, and receives a Sponsored Snap gets to know the brand in several ways. As a result, that diversity creates a more memorable and complete relationship.
Why Snapchat’s format mix matters
Snapchat’s ad ecosystem stands apart from other platforms because of its structure. More precisely, it combines immersive, interactive, and direct communication formats. Video tells a visual story. Meanwhile, augmented reality invites participation. And Sponsored Snaps place the brand message inside a more personal messaging space.
From a brand-building view, this counts. That’s because each format serves a distinct purpose. Video introduces or reinforces a message. Then, AR deepens attention and interaction. Finally, Sponsored Snaps create a more direct and immediate touchpoint. As the research indicates, using them together improves recall, favorability, and purchase actions better than a single format does.1So, in the end, Snapchat’s advantage isn’t limited to reach. Rather, it offers several distinct ways to present a brand.
Cross-platform benefits: adding Snapchat to the media plan
The study also looked at how Snapchat performs alongside campaigns on other platforms. In particular, one test examined what happened when a Sponsored Snap was added to a Facebook video campaign. The result was a lift across the entire funnel:
- Unaided ad recall: +11 points
- Aided ad recall: +14 points
- Purchase intent: +16 points
- Simulated brand purchases: +7 points1These results point to something concrete. Above all, Snapchat can add extra value, not just repeat what other platforms do. That’s because it reaches people in a different communication environment. After all, a video in a social feed and a Sponsored Snap in a private chat are not the same experience. Each one triggers different behaviors, expectations, and levels of attention.
For advertisers, this leaves a practical idea. Simply put, platform diversification works better when it creates genuinely different brand encounters. By contrast, repeating the same message in nearly identical environments delivers less.
What the research means for marketers
The study’s overall message is clear. Fundamentally, strong brand results depend on more than exposure volume. To that end, the study highlights three strategic principles.
First, meaningful time counts. As noted, platforms where users feel connected and purposeful offer a better foundation for advertising effectiveness.
Second, context counts. For instance, Snapchat benefits from being immersed in close, personal communication. In turn, that makes users more receptive to brand messages.
Third, variety counts. Likewise, the research indicates that a diverse mix of formats delivers better results than repeated exposure to a single format, even at the same frequency.1For those looking to improve recall, favorability, and purchase intent, these findings suggest something important. Ultimately, Snapchat’s value isn’t only in audience size. It’s also in how the platform is used and how brands take part in that experience.
A fuller view of brand building on social media
It’s worth reading the study with one detail in mind: Snap Inc. commissioned it. Even so, it adds to a broader conversation about how digital advertising works. More broadly, the findings reinforce an increasingly relevant idea in marketing. Not all attention is worth the same. And not all social environments influence brands equally.
In the end, Snapchat’s strength combines two elements: meaningful user behavior and a diversity of ad experiences. According to the research, that combination drives better results in awareness, recall, favorability, and simulated purchases.1In such a crowded social landscape, this shifts Snapchat’s position. As a result, it no longer looks like just another reach channel. Instead, it emerges as a platform built around connection. If its conclusions hold across future campaigns, the message is direct. Brands achieve better results when they don’t just aim to reach audiences, but reach them in places where their time feels personal, intentional, and meaningful.
