Snapping into Action: How Snap Uses Insights to Drive Customer Stories

Last month at Quirks Los Angeles, industry leaders gathered to discuss the evolving landscape of market research, consumer insights, and the role of AI in shaping data-driven strategies. One of the most insightful conversations came from Amit Dogra, Head of Insights at Snap, Inc., who shared his expertise on leveraging research to craft compelling customer stories and drive commercial success. Moderated by Katy Emerson, EVP of Customer Success at Suzy, the discussion explored everything from segmentation strategies to the impact of AI in research.

The Role of Insights in Commercial Strategy

Snap operates as a two-sided business, with Snapchat users on one side and advertisers on the other. Amit emphasized that his team’s role is not just about gathering data but ensuring that insights drive meaningful action. The insights team at Snap works across three core functions:

1. Product Development – Identifying new AI features and capabilities to enhance the ad platform’s effectiveness.
2. Growth Strategies – Understanding advertiser perceptions, positioning Snap within the competitive ad space, and increasing customer acquisition.
3. Sales Enablement – Developing compelling narratives that highlight the unique value Snapchat offers to advertisers.

By integrating market research into these key areas, Snap ensures that insights translate into strategic decision-making and business growth.

Storytelling as a Catalyst for Action

Data without a compelling narrative can fall flat. Amit emphasized the importance of storytelling in research, advocating for insights that create urgency and drive action. His team follows two key principles:

• Visual Impact – Every research project must include at least one powerful visual that stakeholders can easily recall and reference. Whether it's a two-by-two matrix, a funnel, or a flywheel model, visuals help simplify complex data.
• Prioritization of Insights – Research findings should be categorized into P0 (immediate action needed), P1 (important but not urgent), and P2 (would enhance the user experience but is not critical). This framework ensures that research does not sit on a shelf but instead influences decision-making in real time.

A Case Study in Segmentation

One of Snap’s most impactful research projects involved developing a segmentation framework to better understand its diverse advertiser base. This segmentation was derived through a combination of survey data and behavioral analysis, ensuring a deep and nuanced understanding of different advertiser personas.

To drive adoption across the organization, Amit’s team focused on three core pillars:

• Context: Ensuring stakeholders understood why segmentation was crucial.
• Clarity: Presenting findings in a simplified, easily digestible format.
• Application: Tailoring insights for different teams (product, growth, and sales) to maximize usability.

By integrating these principles, Snap successfully aligned its teams around a shared understanding of its advertisers, leading to more targeted strategies and better business outcomes.

The Future of Market Research: AI & Beyond

As AI continues to reshape the research landscape, Snap is actively exploring ways to enhance efficiency and extract deeper insights. Tools like Reveal help synthesize qualitative research at scale, while FullStory provides behavioral analytics to complement UX studies. These technologies allow researchers to move beyond traditional methods, reducing time spent on manual analysis and increasing focus on strategic recommendations.

Amit predicts that the industry will continue to move towards:

• Speed and Agility – Faster insights generation through AI-powered tools.
• Blending Behavioral & Attitudinal Data – Breaking down silos between market research and UX research to provide a holistic view of customer needs.
• Elevating Insights to a Strategic Level – Ensuring research informs high-level business decisions, rather than serving as a passive data repository.

Final Takeaway: Research as a Competitive Advantage

In closing, Amit emphasized that researchers must remain proactive and adaptive. The market doesn’t wait while research is being conducted—insights must be timely, actionable, and embedded within business strategy. By focusing on speed, storytelling, and strategic influence, research teams can transform from data gatherers into key drivers of business success.

For those in the research space, Snap’s approach offers a roadmap for leveraging insights in a way that truly moves the needle. Whether through AI-powered tools, segmentation frameworks, or compelling storytelling, the future of market research is about making insights impossible to ignore.