Snapchat has quickly evolved from being a marketing curiosity to becoming very close to being a staple for any marketing mix. Not only has the platform been able to grow its user base quickly, it’s also taking steps to be much friendlier with brands. That says a lot considering the fact that its CEO once dismissed advertising.

2016 is set to be a huge year for Snapchat as the platform has gone through several evolutions to make it more attractive to advertisers.

The Audience

Snapchat’s audience has grown by leaps and bounds, and it’s even putting pressure on Facebook. Snapchat is now seeing its users complete 8 billion video views per day, more than five times where Snapchat sat a year ago. As far as we know Facebook is also seeing 8 billion daily video views. When it comes to reach and audience, Snapchat is right up there with Facebook.

External Integration

Snapchat’s largely an isolated experience. Users who are on Snapchat stay on Snapchat, but the platform is evolving on this front slightly. It’s launching app-install ads that will eventually run on a cost-per-install basis. But this is just the beginning as Snapchat will soon allow advertisers to link to their own websites from Snapchat. Why does this matter? It has the potential for brands to leverage their audiences on Snapchat by mobilizing them to take action.

Catering to the Casual User

During the Oscars Snapchat, for the first time ever, allowed users to view the event’s Live Story online via desktop. This meant users with and without Snapchat accounts could go online to view the content. It’s unclear what this means for Snapchat’s long-term ambitions, but efforts like this make the platform more approachable for casual users by exposing them to one key element and then potentially converting them to users.

A Unique Marketing Opportunity

The brands that are really succeeding on Snapchat are doing so because they’re embracing two key aspects of the platform. First, it’s immersive. The content you’re consuming on Snapchat at any given moment is your sole focus until that moment passes. There are no distractions. You have their attention at that moment, so you have to make the most of it. Second, it’s opt-in. Users get content they’ve chosen to receive or view. Brands are talking to people who already care, so they don’t need to make them care. They just need to make that act of caring pay off.

Snapchat’s on a strong trajectory right now, and it’s only going to grow. It’s time to talk about Snapchat in the same breath as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.