Not that Snapchat is the beacon of the ‘New Internet’ but I think some of their momentum can be attributed to the fact that they understand that next-gen users expect both a different business model and user experience than what’s currently available on social media.
Interestingly, the founder (24) is averse to data collection “There’s a sort of weird obsession with the idea that data can solve anything” and accurately characterizes the current model “A lot of people look at Internet advertising as a tax on the system.”
Instead, he is catering to traditional editors who have to a feeling for what content the young user base wants because there is no crowd feedback (like YouTube) on the ads and no targeting tools (like Facebook), simply a measure of traffic.
Ultimately, I imagine Snapchat will become Corporatized like every other network that started off as fresh and cool before catering their product to Fortune 500 ads, but for the moment it seems like they have successfully tapped into a model that blends people’s desire for both privacy and social engagement.