Snapchat has reported increased engagement across its platform since the COVID-19 crisis hit, much of it coming from communication between close friends.

In a blog post, the company said that as daily routines have been disrupted, Snapchatters are adjusting their interests, priorities, and choices. Not surprisingly, news and financial sites are seeing increases in activity, while equity trading apps have also seen a spike in interest, as have online shopping and food delivery, fitness & wellness, streaming & music, gambling games, online meditation services, and hobbies such as crafts and interior decorating and crafts.

Snapchat has also seen increased engagement on ads in its platform, with a 36 per cent increase in install volume for app ads, and a 19 per cent increase in swipe-up rate overall during late March compared to late February.

The company also revealed that to date, over 445 Discover Stories or Shows have been produced on COVID-19 by partners such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and trusted news organizations around the world. These have been seen by more than 68m Snapchatters, including over 40 per cent of Gen Z users in the US.

Snapchat also expedited the launch of a new feature, Here For You, which shows resources from expert localized partners when Snapchatters search for certain topics related to mental health and anxiety, including around COVID-19.

Additionally, it has launched a suite of creative tools to help Snapchatters share expert-approved best practices with friends and family, including a worldwide Filter with information sourced from the World Health Organization. In additions, Snap Lab, the team that makes Spectacles, has begun to produce medical face shields, which will be donated to help the fight against the virus.