Snapchat launches universal search to simplify navigation

Snapchat just made it much easier to navigate the app and find friends, groups, Discover publishers and Our Stories with a universal search bar that’s always accessible at the top of the app. Launching today for some people on Android and rolling out soon to all iOS and Android users, the search bar lets you dig out of Snapchat the best content and conversations.
The company tells TechCrunch the interface is designed for speed, so you can locate what you’re looking for and keep snapping. It might not be a coincidence that last year Snapchat was said to have acquired mobile search startup Vurb, which mysteriously shut itself down recently.
First and foremost, the visual style and “Quick Chat” suggestions will let you hop to a particular friend’s message thread or story a lot faster. Snapchat has been derided as confusing to some because of its unique layout and how it originally relied on users knowing how to swipe around. It only added navigation buttons in June 2016, but now users will be able to get around via search.
Improved search could be a huge boon to brands, businesses and influencers hoping to build their Snapchat audience. Previously, Snapchat only offered a fractured search interface, with boxes for finding specific conversations, accounts to follow and Stories or Discover channels scattered in three different places.
TechCrunch.com