Snapchat rolls out a feature Instagram doesn't have: links

LOS ANGELES — You can now add web links to Snaps, a feature many had requested to Snapchat over the years. 

An update to the popular messaging app, introduced Wednesday, brings web links and features to add colorful backgrounds to your selfies. In addition, you can also alter your voice in your Snap by clicking on the speaker icon at the bottom of the screen to choose from a number of character voices.

The biggest addition to the update is adding a link to a Snap, something rival Instagram can't do on standard posts, and a feature you can expect marketers to grab hold of. Brands could do it before, by buying an ad, but the feature wasn't available organically, and certainly not to users. 

Adweek called it "a big win for media companies, which now finally have a way to direct users to their actual websites." A new paperclip icon shows up in the menu screen when shooting a selfie. When clicked, you can add the URL of a website. 

For Selfie lovers, Snapchatters can now grab a shot of themselves, and use the scissors tool to place patterns and colors in the background of a Selfie. Also, you can now add voice filters to your Snaps, opting for the speaker icon at the bottom of the screen to choose from a menu of funny voices. 

The features are available at the Apple and Google app stores, by opting for the Snapchat update.