11 Tips for Snapchat Power Users

As a follow up to my last post, Five Things I've Learned from Snapchatting for Brands, I have put together a list of pro tips to consider while using Snapchat. It's a finicky app that takes some getting used to, so I hope you find this post helpful.  

Get the Most of Your Tools

The number one thing I have been asked in the past year is 'how do you get all those colors?'  You see, Snapchat only shows you a handful of color options to select from when drawing, but in reality you have almost the entire color spectrum to choose from. You just need to explore a bit. It's simple enough, but hard to explain. 

By dragging your finger off the color selection tool, you can unlock lighter/darker shades of every color, in addition to the entire grayscale. This works on both Android and iOS versions of the app, even thought their color pallets are vastly different (but we'll touch on that later).

Save Often

Apps crash. It happens. Avoid total devastation by saving your drawings often while working on them. This can result in having a lot of extra images in your phone library, but if you commit to saving while making a detailed drawing, these can be compiled later to make a nifty timelapse-esque video for Instagram or Vine. 

Be Mindful of Your Data Usage

Most folks know that Snapchat is a total data drainer, but there are ways to make it more tolerable. Turning off notifications and background app refresh can be helpful. 

Bring.Extra.Power

The truth is, Snapchat is one of the most battery consuming apps out there. I don’t leave the house without an extra battery pack, or three. 

Storyboarding

I always make it a point to plan ahead when telling a story on Snapchat. Granted, not all content is in a narrative format, but if you’re going to be telling a story, a little bit of pre-production can go a long way. 

Tap-tap-tapparoo

Camera not focusing so well when taking a snap? Try tapping the screen. This forces the phone to focus and adjust to light, resulting in much better image quality.

Android or iOS

Not all Snaps are created equal. The differences between the UI of Snapchat on Android and on iOS are huge. In terms of drawing, it’s like two completely different apps. I like to think of it as having both the tools a painter and a designer in my pocket. Some snaps should be cleaner (Android), while others benefit from having that painterly aesthetic (iOS). See below for examples of how drawing style varies between the two versions of the app. 

iOS Snap (Left) compared to snap drawn on the Android app (Right)

There is also a significant difference in video quality between the iOS and Android devices - I much prefer an iPhone. However, only Android devices will allow you to change the font and size of your text in the native utility settings. Personally, I carry around a few different phones with me at all times but my current favorite for drawing is the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Any phone with a built in stylus is OK in my book!

Live Snapping from Events

Two of the most stressful Snapchat gigs I’ve ever had were made that way because of on thing - horrible cell and wifi service. Yeah, I’m talking about you, Coachella and SXSW! If you’re going to commit to making/posting content from a venue with a LOT of people, find a reliable place to sneak off to where you can post. 

Organize Your Feed

Now that Snapchat allows its users to choose the name they want displayed, it can cause your feed to look a little jumbled. Personally, I like to know who I'm  sending content to. I'll change people's display names to include their place of work, full name, and sometimes even adhere a special character prefix to as a reminder.

Can't Reach the Corners? Flip Your Phone!

When drawing within Snapchat, sometimes the app’s UI can get in the way of filling your canvas. If you’re having trouble, trying flipping your phone to be oriented horizontally. 

Save Your Conversations

Sometimes it can be tricky to remember exactly what you’ve been discussing with folks on Snapchat. Fortunately, you can save every image and text message within the ‘Chat’ function, just by tapping it once. 

If you found my post interesting, please share and, as always, be sure to add me on Snapchat to follow along. Username: 'mplatco'