Snapchat has become the perfect social media site for young millennials. It’s where we can get our news, chat with friends, and share as many photos and videos of our daily lives as our hearts desire. Plus, unlike Facebook, the app is virtually devoid of parents. Right?
Not anymore. A recent study from eMarketer reports that Snapchat is becoming more and more popular with older demographics.
Now, about 40 percent of the app’s users are over the age of 25, and more than half of new Snapchat downloads come from this age group.
But why do they want to sign up?
The Los Angeles Times reports that younger family members are often the ones who introduce older users to Snapchat, because they want to connect with them over this platform.
The app’s developers have also placed large billboards across the country with simply the Snapchat ghost on them, according to the LA Times, which prompted in-the-car discussion and, subsequently, got more users to sign up for the app.
Ryan Holmes from Hootsuite writes that older generations can benefit from Snapchat in unique ways, by harboring its advertising potential and breaking into a new space without a lot of competition. It’s also quick and easy to learn for newbies, so Holmes says it’s a great time for older users to get on board.
So what does this mean for Snapchat?
On one hand, Ian Kar from Quartz writes, if we millennials do the same thing we did with Facebook and abandon the app altogether once our family infiltrates, this could mean bad news for the popular app. Advertisers are paying to target us, the 18-to-24 year old demographic—not our parents.
On the other hand, more users means more money, even if it’s only temporary, so the likelihood that Snapchat’s developers are upset about this demographic shift is small.
Only time will tell what we will do once our parents can see our endless party stories, so be careful what you post!