Snapchat Reports Growing Engagement with Public Topic Chats

Snapchat has reported that its public group Topic Chats are gaining traction as more users seek to join topical conversations within the app. The feature, which was introduced in November, enables users to participate in public discussions on popular subjects.

This represents a notable departure for Snap, a platform that has long positioned itself as a private messaging service centered on close friends. With Topic Chats, Snap aims to expand its use case and connective capacity by offering a way to tap into broader conversations on trending topics.

According to Snap, the initiative is showing early promise, with its March Madness group discussion generating significant engagement in recent weeks. As per Snapchat: “The #marchmadness Topic Chat has quietly become a go-to place where tens of thousands of fans are reacting to the tournament together — live. From buzzer-beaters to bracket-busters, Snapchatters are showing up in the moment to share takes, celebrate wins, and process the plays as they happen.”

Snapchat said that more than 45,000 users have joined that specific group discussion, while at peak, up to 40,000 users were active in the chat simultaneously. This has also highlighted a new use case for the app, Snap said.

“Instead of scattering reactions across feeds, comment sections, or private messages, fans are gathering in one shared space,” Snap said. “Topic Chats offered a more communal, synchronous way to experience a live event, closer to watching the game together than just posting about it after the fact.”

While other real-time discussion platforms already facilitate similar experiences—and X still claims the most engaged group chats for live events—Snap is framing this new data as a key indicator of the viability of group chats as an option within its app, connecting groups of like-interested users in a novel way.

Snapchat is keen to explore new opportunities to get its growth back on track and solidify its value to its core user base. The company's growth has stalled in both the U.S. and Europe, and the app has struggled to maintain relevance as users age. Historically, Snap's approach has been more conducive to teen users than to adult discussions.

However, group chats might change that trajectory. If Snapchat can host engaging, lively group discussions, it could broaden its appeal and encourage users to spend more time in the app. That could lead to expanded connective opportunities, including ad placements, which might boost the overall value of its business.

It's an early example, and on balance, 45,000 users is not a huge audience compared to the millions of active users on Threads or X discussing real-time events. But it could represent an important opportunity at a critical time for Snap.