Snapchat has reportedly signed a deal with Oracle Data Cloud that will enable marketers to use data from offline purchases to target Snapchat users with more relevant ads.
The popular social network is not the only one that's offering "advanced targeting" of course.
Oracle (and its Datalogix unit) currently has deals in place with Google, Facebook and Twitter (among others). The Oracle Data Cloud essentially collects data from some 1,500 data partners (such as supermarket loyalty card providers and Web-based networks) and then matches up that data against information provided by these networks (which Snapchat will be able to do now) in order to provide more advanced targeting of users.
It appears that Snapchat is indeed finally gearing up for its expected IPO as new programs have been introduced steadily over the course of the past year. The company debuted Memories back in July which was a departure from their ephemeral messaging approach, and introduced Audience Match in September, a solution that enables advertisers to target users of the network based on their own databases of customer email addresses or mobile IDs.
Industry watchers are rightfully concerned about Snapchat, however. While Snapchat needs to provide advertisers with targeting capabilities of the nature offered by Oracle in order to compete, it leaves many wondering whether users will abandon a solution that once promised them that privacy was a priority.
Achieving a balance between user expectations and advertiser demand will be the key to Snapchat's future success.