Editor’s note: Tajha Chappellet-Lanier just wrapped up her internship with the Social Media Desk. As a parting shot, she offers her insights into Snapchat.

When I arrived at NPR in January I downloaded the Snapchat app for the first time. Four months later I am, on occasion, identified as “the NPR News Snapchat girl.” Usually it’s a joke, sure, but that’s also my nickname among NPR’s Snapchat following.

How did this happen? It’s been a transformation that has taught me a lot about Snapchat as a platform, the effort required to build a social community and the power of a brand like NPR. But even as I’ve learned so much, I’m constantly discovering new things about the app. This is the story of my Snapchat journey, the mistakes I’ve made and the things I still don’t know.

What’s Snapchat?

Snapchat’s user interface is notorious for making people over age 25 feel old. It opens to the camera screen (why?) and refuses to offer any guidance within the app. You have to know where to find what you’re looking for. The “filters” you can overlay on a given snap are a great example of this – who would think to swipe right on the preview screen?

(Confession: I first discovered how to activate filters completely by accident.)

Of course, the app is simple and fairly easy to operate once you get the hang of it. But Snapchat will not hold your hand in the meantime.

Going Native

Beyond a basic technical understanding of Snapchat comes the question of understanding Snapchat as a platform – what content works well there and how it should appear. This is more difficult to grasp. But it’s also more important.

I started off with NPR’s tried-and-true basic format, the Snapchat “Fact of the Day.” It was a low-maintenance way to maintain a presence on Snapchat (if not a particularly active one). It also fit with NPR’s brand and mission – it was information-driven and aimed at giving our audience a take-away they could use.

But Fact of the Day wasn’t particularly Snapchat-native. The videos produced could also have appeared on platforms like Instagram or Vine. It occurred to me that, while I’d occasionally receive a snap from a follower asking a question or expressing interest in a fact, for the most part our communication was one-way.

So, I started talking to Snapchat.

I started asking our followers questions and giving them “tasks.” How would you describe yourself? What are your interests? (Everything from astrophysics to self improvement.) How did you find out about the nprnews account? (They searched for us on Google!) What would you like to see in this space? (Everything from breaking news to behind-the-scenes to kittens).

And when people replied, I wrote back. “I’d love to see more kittens too!” I said. “Although then it might be a little difficult to focus on my work.” I was human, I signed my name and people were thrilled. Each reply was greeted with surprise and excitement: “NPR is talking directly to me!”

This experience was really fun, and I encourage the next owners of the nprnews account to keep asking questions of our followers. You’ll get some valuable feedback and people love being able to contribute.

Next, I tried to implement what I had learned. People seemed to want more content, so we began utilizing the “stories” feature for what became the “NPR News Snapchat Newscast.” And this is how “Snapchat girl” came to be.

Building Community

In addition to asking our following what I should be doing (more of) with the account, I also tried to engage on a one-to-one level. When our followers sent snaps directly to us, I responded by thanking them for the feedback and answering the questions I was qualified to weigh in on. These were mostly comments praising our work (because we have a wonderful, awesome, fantastic group of followers! See below). Sometimes I’d get a helpful hint or tip. For example, once I accidentally muted a snap before sending it out. A follower alerted me to this within moments and I was able to delete that snap and record a replacement!

Yes, it’s time-consuming to answer queries and respond to comments. But it’s also a really wonderful way to foster an engaged community. When I started addressing our followers directly, the number of snaps we receive went up hugely! The feedback really helped shape my editorial approach to the platform.

Brand Power

One of the most exciting things about running the nprnews Snapchat has been having the opportunity to help shape what NPR looks like in a relatively new, or at least evolving, space.

But even on a new platform, NPR brand loyalty is strong. Many of our followers admit that they specifically sought out NPR on Snapchat, seeking a name they know to help ease their way into a new place. Everything I’ve done on Snapchat has been made easier by the power of the NPR brand.

And yet, because of the fleeting nature of the app, every morning I got to decide what NPR will look like on Snapchat that day. What stories do I highlight? How colloquial or serious should I appear?

I tend to feel that, while Snapchat is a platform with its own sensibilities and NPR should adapt to the space, our tone should be in line with our other content. Thus, I address the Snapchat audience in a way that I feel is in keeping with the “NPR voice” on radio and Web. My approach was an attempt at being both personable and fairly causal.

I drew inspiration from my interactions around the newsroom. But I also depend on the editorial guidance of my editor (the wonderful Wright Bryan).

What I Still Don’t Know

Our numbers! Seriously, Snapchat offers hardly any analytics. We have access to just three numbers: the number of opens on a given snap, the number of screenshots on a given snap and the mysterious “score,” which, it turns out, is not at all related to following. (It’s the number of snaps your account has sent and received.)

What else would I like to know? Well, for starters, the total number of followers we have! Does the ~6,000 opens each snap gets represent the extent of our following? Or do we have more?

Also, why can’t I add a photo from my camera roll to my Snapchat story? Snapchat now offers the possibility to upload photos from your camera roll and send via Snapchat to a friend or follower. But the “My Story” option is noticeably absent from the options. Why?

Happy Snappin’

Does all of this seem like an inordinate amount of effort to put into talking to an audience of indeterminate size? Perhaps. That would depend how much you buy the “Snapchat is the future of news” narrative. But for me, at least, working with Snapchat has been a good exercise for thinking in a platform-specific way.

It’s grown on me as a storytelling platform, too. I enjoy watching what the Washington Post is doing by sending their account out into the field with reporters. And the Snapchat-curated location stories have become a daily ritual. So, four months after my first contact with Snapchat, you could say I’m pretty into it.

In fact, I’ve decided to make Snapchat a part of my personal social presence. I’ll be traveling around China for the next month, and will be sharing my experiences via Snapchat stories. Add “tajhasnaps” to follow along with me!

Cheers,

-Tajha