Snapchat’s recent redesign was perhaps the most controversial, and unpopular, move in its relatively short life.

 

After digging the heels in early, it looks like Snapchat is bowing to public pressure, in part at least.

Select users are now able to view Stories in chronological order, the way they appeared before the redesign. Previously, Stories were sorted via an algorithm which prioritised content, similar to Facebook and Instagram.

 

The move, while something of an embarrassing reversal, makes sense for Snapchat’s power users. It allows them to to keep up to date with current content, and track when friends are nearby in real-time.

 

The potential trade off if that less frequent users may find it harder finding relevant content, as the feed is dominated by those who post most frequently.

Snapchat is feeling out the update (or roll back) gently. If it’s embraced, expect more users to be able to access old-school Snapchat. 

 

How brands and advertisers find the change will also impact its reach. Stay tuned. And snapping. Not necessarily in chronological order.