Snapchat, Like Facebook, Now Boasts 4 Billion Video Views Every Day The platform has doubled daily views in just three months. But what does this metric actually mean?

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Reuters | Lucy Nicholson
The Snapchat logo is seen on the door of their headquarters in Venice, California.

If 4 billion daily views has become something of a milestone for leading online video platforms like YouTube and Facebook, Snapchat has just crossed this threshold with confounding velocity.

Following rumblings that Snapchat's "Live Stories" section -- or snaps curated around locations and major events, like the VMAs -- were garnering 4 billion views per day, a company spokeswoman confirmed this figure to The Los Angeles Times.

What's most impressive, perhaps, is the speed at which this number was reached. In May, CEO Evan Spiegel told Bloomberg that the company was clocking 2 billion video views per day. And in July, the company said it boasted more than 3 billion views.

Related: Long Considered an Eyesore, Vertical Video Is Now Being Embraced by Mobile Marketers

For comparison's sake, Facebook reached 4 billion video views in April -- which is also the latest available figure for industry forebearer YouTube. However, in 2012, YouTube changed its measurement metric to count total watch time as opposed to total daily views for a better sense of actual engagement. Given that videos autoplay in Facebook feeds and are counted as views after just three seconds, many have questioned the substance of this stat.

The same goes for Snapchat. While the company declined to clarify what constitutes a view, the Times pegged the figure at just one second. It should also be noted that, unlike competitors, Snapchat videos -- which are typically viewed in longer sequences called "Stories" -- can't be longer than 10 seconds each.

And despite massive viewership, the majority of which is by users aged 13 to 24, this isn't necessarily translating into major bucks for Snapchat -- at least not yet. Last month, Gawker obtained internal documents showing that the company had lost $128 million between January and November of 2014, while raking in only $3 million in revenue.

Related: At VidCon, the World's Biggest YouTube Convention, Rival Video Platforms Rush the Stage

Wavy Line
Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Business News

'I'm Not a Very Good Businessman': Kevin Costner Is Risking a Ton of His Own Money on New Project

The "Yellowstone" star discussed how he bankrolled his new epic movies — and his accountant isn't happy.

Marketing

The Rise of Nano-Influencers: How the Smallest Voices are Making the Biggest Impact

The bigger an influencer is, the more beneficial it is for a brand to collaborate with them, right? Not necessarily.

Business News

'I Am Just Floored': Woman Discovers She Won $1 Million Lottery Prize While Checking Her Email at Work

Initially, she thought the email was a scam, but went to lottery headquarters and walked away with a six-figure check after taxes.

Business News

Woman Goes Viral For Brow-Raising Email Signature About Working Moms: 'Everyone Is Feeling This'

The email signature was created in response to pressure to answer emails within 24 hours.

Science & Technology

How AI Is Transforming the Accounting Industry — and What the Future Will Look Like

It's time to harness the power of AI and transform bookkeeping.

Management

Which Hiring Strategy Is Right for Your Startup? My Experience Says This One

Startup businesses face a unique environment when it comes to adding the talent it needs during their earliest stages of operations, and every hiring decision is critically important to get right the first time.