Snapchat is rolling out new tools to make it easier for public figures on the app to interact with their fans.
One feature — which will begin to roll out to prominent Snapchat users, known as Snap Stars, on Monday — will give them greater control over the management of the replies they get on their public stories. Using the Story Replies feature, they will be able to filter the replies based on what they do and don’t want to see and respond to.
Snapchat will filter out spam and negative feedback. It will also give creators the ability to block specific words.
Snapchat is also introducing a feature called Quoting that will allow public figures to share replies on their Stories, giving them a new way to interact with fans.
The features are part of Snapchat’s ongoing efforts to make its platform, built as a communication tool, friendlier for creators. Last summer, the company introduced Highlights, which allows public figures to save Stories to their profiles. Snapchat also lets creators sell their official merch within the app.
In addition to the creator-centric product updates, Snapchat is growing its partnerships team. The company has tapped Francis Roberts, formerly a partner manager for top creators at YouTube, as senior manager of digital talent. Roberts, who starts May 18 and reports to head of talent partnerships Jim Shepherd, will oversee Snap’s relationships with digital native talent.
