Snapchat partners with Ticketmaster to match users with live events near them – TechCrunch

Snapchat is partnering with Ticketmaster to launch a new way for users to discover live entertainment events within the Snap Map, the company announced on Wednesday. The new feature will be accessible through a new in-app Mini. For context, Snap Minis are third-party programs that live inside Snapchat’s Chat section. The new “Ticketmatcher Mini” matches users with events they might be interested in based on their preferences.

To get started, users can access the Ticketmatcher Mini through the rocket icon in the Chat section of the app. From there, users will be promoted with a brief survey to gauge their interests. The app will then display suggested upcoming shows based on your preferences that you can swipe left and right to browse through. The company sees this as a reimagined dating app that pairs users with interesting events as opposed to partners.

If you find something you’re interested in, you can see if your friends have matched the same event. You can also invite your friends to the event and start a guest list via chat. Users also have the option to post the event to their story to see if others are interested in joining. Once you’ve decided on an event, you’ll be redirected to Ticketmaster’s website to purchase tickets.

Image Credits: Snap

Users will also be able to browse through upcoming events at venues nearby through a new Layer on Snap Map. The company notes that this is the first time it has integrated a partner to Snap Map through its new Layers feature. The company’s Layers feature allows users to add data from some of Snap’s chosen developer partners directly to their map so they can see the world in a particular view.

The new Ticketmatcher Mini is rolling out in 21 countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kindom and the United States.

Today’s announcement comes a few days after Snap announced that it plans to introduce mid-roll advertisements during Snapchat stories for Snap Stars, which is what the platform calls its biggest creators, who must apply for the Snap Star distinction. A Snapchat spokesperson told TechCrunch that this feature is already in very early beta for a small set of U.S.-based creators, but the platform plans to roll it out more broadly to Snap Stars in the coming months. These advertisements will appear as mid-roll ads inside of their stories, and the creator will earn a share of the ad revenue. That payout is determined by a payment formula, which weighs factors like posting frequency and audience engagement.