Snapchat to Roll Out First Ads

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They’re here.

Snapchat announced that ads will appear on its messaging app for the first time this weekend, acknowledging that it needs to make money.

But the Venice startup said its ads won’t be “creepy and targeted.”

“The best advertisements tell you more about stuff that actually interests you,” Snapchat said Friday on its blog. “Some companies spend a lot of time and collect a lot of data about you to figure that out. The product we’re releasing today is a lot simpler.”

Snapchat’s ads will appear under its Recent Updates section, but users will have the option to view or ignore them. After 24 hours, they disappear. The startup promised to keep ads out of personal Snaps and messages.

The announcement isn’t surprising, as there were reports that ads and sponsored content would hit the photo-sharing app perhaps as soon as November. Recent investments most likely increased the pressure on Snapchat to start generating revenue.

Staff reporter Melissah Yang can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MelissahYang for the latest in L.A. tech news.