Snapchat: Custom Development
Background: In June 2020, Snap introduced Snap Minis, which are small, HTML-based tools designed for friends to use within Snapchat. Since 2016, the company has focused on creating mobile-native civic experiences aimed at boosting political participation among users. To advance its civic initiatives, Snap sought an external developer experienced in building Snap Minis. They partnered with OmbuLabs to develop a new civic engagement app called the “Run for Office Mini.” The challenge was to find a collaborator that could become an integral part of the team and fulfill Snap's vision. Our objectives included providing an excellent user experience, ensuring high performance, achieving a native appearance while supporting multiple browsers, and incorporating Snapchat’s sharing capabilities to encourage user sharing of the Mini. We also needed to gather complex election information from a third-party API. Our approach involved collaboration with Snap's product, design, engineering, and public policy teams, along with BallotReady. Utilizing BallotReady’s CivicEngine API, we created a Mini that enables users to discover local elections they can participate in based on their interests, nominate friends for local office, and connect with nonprofit organizations for further assistance. This collaboration resulted in the successful launch of the Mini on October 5, 2021. Since its release, Snapchat has empowered tens of thousands of users to nominate friends for local office, with millions gaining a deeper understanding of civic matters. According to Axios, the Run for Office Mini reached nearly four million Snapchat users, enhancing their engagement. By October 10, 2021, close to four million users had interacted with the Run for Office Mini, and over 46,000 had nominated a friend to run for office.