Here's how Snapchat's business benefits from its new mapping feature (SNAP)

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June 22, 2017 3:31 PM

On Wednesday, Snapchat owner Snap launched a feature that lets users pull up a map that shows where Stories are being posted locally and around the world.

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On Wednesday, Snapchat owner Snap launched a feature that lets users pull up a map that shows where Stories are being posted locally and around the world.

Dubbed “Snap Maps,” the location-based feature mimics the functionality of Zenly, a French location-sharing app, which Snap quietly acquired in May.

The inclusion of an in-app map could help drive greater engagement on Snapchat, and enable Snap to better compete against the ever-present threat of Instagram and Facebook.

The use of location data is not necessarily new to Snap — it’s an integral part of Snapchat’s popular Geofilters and stickers. However, the mapping feature could have the added benefit of surfacing multiple points of interest for a user to choose from, rather than offering a single sticker or filter based on location.

Snap Maps could help Snapchat on three primary fronts:

Of course, Snap isn’t alone in its efforts to leverage mapping and location data. Facebook has long been adding location data to its portfolio of apps to improve the user experience; its chat app Messenger supports a map that can show nearby bars, restaurants, and points of interest. However, given that Snapchat users are already comfortable using location to add Geofilters to their images and videos, Snap could have a leg up when it comes to consumers trusting apps with their location data.

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