What Does "Recents" Mean on Snapchat? An In-Depth Look

As a small business owner, I rely on social media platforms like Snapchat to market my boutique clothing store and connect with customers. But when I first started using Snapchat, the "recents" section was confusing. What did it mean? Why did some contacts disappear while others stuck around?

After using Snapchat daily for over a year, I‘ve gained a deep understanding of how the recents feature works. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share insider tips from my experience leveraging Snapchat as a small business owner.

A Look at Snapchat‘s Recents Section

The recents section shows your latest Snapchat activity in real-time. It includes:

• Snaps sent and received
• Chat conversations
• Stories viewed
• Video calls
• Profile views

When you open your Snapchat chats, recents are at the top. Contacts are organized by those you‘ve interacted with most recently.

According to Snapchat, over 5 billion snaps are created every single day. With so much activity, the recents section is invaluable for small businesses like mine. It lets me instantly resume conversations with customers and continue developing relationships.

Factors That Determine How Long Contacts Stay in Recents

As a Snapchat power user, I‘ve noticed three key factors that influence how long a contact remains in your recents section:

1. Frequency of Interaction

How often you snap, chat, or view someone‘s story directly impacts recency. Frequent contacts consistently stay at the top of my recents for weeks. Occasional contacts linger for several days after our last exchange.

Stats show the average Snapchatter interacts with the app 25+ times per day. So daily contact keeps friends in recents.

2. Recency of Exchange

Your most recent back-and-forths are prioritized in the recents section. For my clothing business, customers who engaged with my story or sent snaps yesterday will be higher than those from a week ago.

According to Snapchat, over 60% of users engage with stories daily. Recent story views keep customers visible in my recents.

3. Inactivity

Lack of interaction is a surefire way to drop off someone‘s recents list. When I go more than a week without contacting a customer, they usually disappear from my recents.

Typical Duration in Recents

While recency varies, here are some general timelines I‘ve noticed for different user types:

• Active contacts: 1 month+
• Occasional contacts: 1 week
• Inactive contacts: Dropped within days
• New friends: Up to 24 hours

Best Practices for Leveraging Your Snapchat Recents

As a small business owner, I‘ve developed go-to strategies for making the most of my Snapchat recents:

Resume Conversations Instantly

When I open Snapchat to a customer‘s name at the top of my recents, tapping instantly continues our chat. Quick communication is crucial for small businesses.

Prioritize Some Friends with Snaps

Certain VIP contacts get access to exclusive snaps and deals. I send these directly from recents for priority delivery.

Clean Out Old Chats

Every Monday, I clear out older, inactive chats that have sunk down my recents. This keeps my list focused.

Engage New Followers

When I notice new followers in my recents, I start a conversation ASAP to build a relationship. An average of 20% will unfollow if you don‘t engage within 24 hours.

Pin Top Friends

I pin my 3-4 most important business contacts to the top of recents for quick access. This ensures I don‘t lose touch with key customers.

Separating Recents and Best Friends

It‘s crucial to understand the difference between your Snapchat recents and best friends:

Recents shows your latest back-and-forth activity. It changes constantly.

Best Friends indicate your 3-7 most frequent long-term contacts. This updates less often.

Both provide value! As a business owner, I use recents for timely client communication and best friends to reward my most loyal followers.

The Takeaway

As my clothing business continues growing on social media, mastering Snapchat‘s recents feature has been invaluable. The key lessons I‘ve learned are:

• Frequency and recency impact recents order: Contact customers daily to stay at the top.
• Engage new followers quickly: Reach out within 24 hours to build relationships.
• Resume conversations instantly: Use recents to continue important chats.
• Prioritize key contacts: Pin loyal customers for quick access.

I‘m happy to help other small business owners with any questions! Just send me a snap @christinesboutique.