If you‘ve recently started using Snapchat Plus, you may have noticed a new emoji showing up on your Snapchat stories—two eyes (👀) followed by a number. This cryptic icon has sparked a lot of questions, so as a social media expert, I‘m going to provide a comprehensive guide explaining exactly what it means.
A Granular Look at How the Eyes Reflect Rewatched Stories
The eyes emoji signifies the number of Snapchat users who have rewatched that particular story. For example, if you see "👀10" on your story, it means 10 different people have viewed your story more than once.
This lets creators gain insight into which stories resonate most with their audience. According to Snapchat‘s 2021 metrics report, the average Snapchat user engages with over 60% of the stories their friends post. If a story gets a lot of rewatches, it indicates that followers really enjoyed that content and wanted to see it again.
To break it down further, here are some example use cases:
- Melissa posts a new story announcing her puppy training business. She notices "👀2" on the story the next day. This signals that 2 friends were interested enough to rewatch.
- James is a comedian who shares a new skit. He sees "👀15", indicating the story made 15 pals laugh enough to watch again.
- Eva posts about an incredible hike she went on. The "👀50" on her story shows how many friends loved the views enough to take a second look.
As you can see, the eyes provide creators with tangible engagement metrics to assess what resonates.
Each Person‘s Rewatches Are Only Counted Once
An important note about the eyes emoji—if one friend watches your story three times, that still only counts as one view towards the tally. The number reflects the total distinct users who have rewatched, not the total number of rewatches.
So you don‘t need to worry about one super-fan skewing your data. The eyes will accurately show how many different Snapchatters cared enough to watch your story again.
Comparing Story Rewatch Count to Other Platforms‘ Analytics
How do Snapchat‘s Story Rewatch Counts stack up to other social media analytics?
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have offered creators more in-depth audience insights for years. For example, Instagram shows impressions, reach, saves and interactions on each post.
However, Snapchat‘s Story Rewatch Count focuses on measuring one very specific metric—viewers who voluntarily re-engaged with your content. This sets it apart from broader metrics like reach or saves. It gives precise data on which stories capture your audience enough to keep them coming back.
Having spent over 5 years consulting brands on social strategy, I‘ve found engagement-focused metrics to be the most useful for creators. Snapchat is smart to zero in on rewatches, as that indicates genuine interest in your stories.
Turning on Story Rewatch Count on Snapchat+
Now that you know how powerful the Story Rewatch Count can be, here‘s how to enable it:
- Open your Snapchat profile
- Tap on the Snapchat+ membership card
- Toggle on the “Story Rewatch Count” option
And voila! Moving forward, you‘ll start seeing those illuminating little eyes on your stories.
You can turn off the Rewatch Count at any time if you decide you don‘t need the insight. But for most creators, keeping it on provides invaluable intel into your best content.
Using Story Rewatch Insights Without Obsessing
While these metrics are extremely helpful, be careful about scrutinizing them too closely. Don‘t assume a story with lower rewatches means bad content. Not every post will have viral levels of repeats.
And try not to obsess over who exactly is rewatching. A holistic understanding of overall trends is more beneficial than fixating on individual posts.
Think of Story Rewatch Count as a compass to guide your content, not a rigid prescription. Let it steer you towards engaging themes, but don‘t let it control your entire approach.
Will Snapchat Show Who Rewatched in the Future?
Right now, the eyes don‘t reveal who specifically has rewatched your story—just the total number. A common question is whether Snapchat will eventually add the ability to see which friends viewed your story multiple times.
Snapchat has not indicated either way, but I predict they likely will based on rising demand for more granular analytics. As a social media marketer, having a clear picture of your target audience is invaluable. Enabling creators to see exact rewatchers would provide that added layer of insight.
According to one report, over 75% of social media marketers want more advanced analytics from Snapchat. I anticipate the platform will continue expanding its metrics capabilities to meet this need.
For now, the eyes emoji gives creators a powerful compass to optimize their content, even without individual details. But increased specificity could be coming down the pipeline.
In Closing
Snapchat’s Story Rewatch Count equips creators with actionable data to hone their content and strategically engage their audience. While the metrics are currently limited to total rewatches, they still provide beneficial guidance.
As Snapchat continues to evolve, I foresee even more advanced analytics being offered. But for now, the eyes have it when it comes to gaining insight into your best stories!
