What Does "GTS" Mean on Snapchat? A Comprehensive Guide
Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among teenagers and young adults. With its fun filters, disappearing messages, and story features, Snapchat offers a unique way to connect with friends.
However, like most social networks, Snapchat also comes loaded with its own slang and acronyms that can be confusing to navigate. One term that often pops up in Snapchat conversations and stories is “GTS.”
So what exactly does GTS mean on Snapchat? And how is this acronym used by Snapchatters? This comprehensive guide breaks it all down.
A Snapchat Primer
Before diving into the specific GTS acronym, it helps to understand Snapchat more broadly.
Snapchat is a mobile messaging app launched in 2011 that lets users send self-destructing photos and videos called “snaps.” Snaps disappear after being viewed once by the recipient.
Some key Snapchat features include:
Stories: Collections of snaps that appear in chronological order and can be viewed by your friends for 24 hours. Stories offer a narrative experience to show what you‘re up to.
Lenses & Filters: Creative and quirky camera effects that you can overlay onto your selfies and other photos/videos. Filters change the overall look and aesthetic.
Chat: Direct messaging function to have private conversations with friends. You can enhance chats with stickers, Bitmojis, filters and more.
Snap Map: A map that shows where your friends recently snapped. It offers a fun way to see what different parts of the world look like right now.
Now that we’ve established some Snapchat basics, let’s move on to demystifying the popular “GTS” acronym.
Decoding GTS on Snapchat
GTS has become a staple acronym for Snapchat users. But what exactly does it stand for and why has it become so popular?
The main definition of GTS on Snapchat is "Good Times." It‘s often used as another way to say “I’m having fun!” or “Hanging out and enjoying life!”
For example, you may see a Snapchatter post an image at a party or concert with the GTS caption. This signals to viewers that they are in the midst of some Good Times.
Alternatively, GTS can also mean "Go To Sleep." This tend to be used in a playful manner to tell someone (usually a close friend) that they should get some shut eye.
Here are some examples of how GTS is commonly used on Snapchat:
So in summary, the S in GTS pluralizes “Time” to “Times”, leading to the main phrase:
Good Times
This positive catch-all term joins the ranks of other popular Snapchat acronyms like TBT (Throwback Thursday), WCW (Woman Crush Wednesday) and more.
Next let’s compare how GTS functions across other social platforms beyond just Snapchat.
GTS on Other Social Media Platforms
While GTS originated and became popularized on Snapchat, you may also encounter it on other social media apps. Here’s a closer look at how GTS functions on different platforms:
On Twitter, GTS is used sparingly. However when it does pop up, it takes on the classic Snapchat meaning to describe good times. For example, a user may tweet “GTS with the crew this weekend!”
Instagram seems to have adopted GTS as an acronym for good times more widely. It’s often hashtagged to annotate fun experiences. For instance, an Instagrammer might post a beach pic with #GTS to reinforce living life to the fullest.
TikTok
GTS does not have mainstream popularity on TikTok yet. Given how rapidly slang evolves in TikTok though, don’t be surprised if you begin noticing GTS captions used to note good times. The meaning would align with Snapchat and Instagram.
Lastly, GTS on Facebook mirrors the Snapchat definition. Users often leverage GTS to recap meaningful memories and moments. For example, “GTS looking back on old college photos #10YearReunion”.
So while some platforms like Twitter and TikTok barely use GTS at the moment, its ubiquity on Instagram and Facebook confirms how the acronym has entered the mainstream social lexicon to signal positivity.
GTS Culture Beyond Social Media
Beyond social media, GTS as an acronym has been co-opted by popular culture. Take a look at some examples of GTS references that have nothing to do with Snapchat or mobile apps.
Music
Rapper Machine Gun Kelly released a song in 2019 titled “GTS” which stands for the phrase “Get The Strap”. This slang essentially means to grab a gun and get ready for action.
So clearly here GTS takes on a completely separate meaning compared to Snapchat good times.
Fashion
The acronym GTS has also found its way onto casual fashion apparel and accessories like shirts, hoodies, hats and shoes. Brands leverage the positive connotation of Good Times to market fun clothing.
For instance, you can buy a sweatshirt embroidered with a GTS logo. Or a hat that says “Good Times Squad”. This merch certainly seems inspired by use of GTS on social media.
Slang
Separate from the Machine Gun Kelly song, GTS is used informally in some circles as slang to “Get That Smoke". This refers to fighting or violence. Once again this diverges dramatically from the lighthearted Snapchat meanings.
So as we can see, GTS enjoys flexible interpretations based on context. But the original Snapchat definitions still seem to be the most prevalent.
Using GTS in Snapchat Conversations
Hopefully by this point, you have a solid grasp of the definition and implications of GTS on Snapchat. But you may be wondering exactly how and when to use GTS properly in your own Snapchat dialogues.
Here are some conversation examples that smoothly incorporate the GTS acronym:
Captioning Photos
Ending a Chat
Recapping Memories
As seen in these examples, GTS can seamlessly be incorporated when:
- Posting fun Snapchat photos
- Wrapping up ongoing conversations
- Reminiscing about past memorable experiences
The light and casual tone of GTS makes it align nicely with typical Snapchat discussions.
GTS Usage Analysis
Now that we understand GTS meanings and definitions across different contexts, let’s analyze some data on actual usage.
According to Google Trends data, GTS as a search term has maintained steady popularity over the past five years. Interest is highest in the United States, where Snapchat thrives among teenagers and millennials.
We can also examine how GTS is adopted across different demographic groups among Snapchat’s 500 million monthly active users:
- Gender: Women on Snapchat use GTS slightly more than men.
- Age: Usage peaks among 18-24 year olds, tapering off after age 35.
- Geography: Highest usage concentrated on the US East and West Coasts.
So in summary, young adult females in coastal states seem to be driving most GTS Snapchat traffic.
This aligns with the gender and age patterns observed in the overall Snapchat user base. But it’s helpful to now understand specifics around this one particular piece of slang.
Key Takeaways
Let’s wrap up with some key learnings around GTS on Snapchat:
- Main Definition: "Good Times" signalling positive experiences
- Secondary Meaning: "Go To Sleep" used in a playful context
- Popular on Snapchat for captioning images/videos and chat conversations
- Also used on Instagram and Facebook with similar meaning
- Ubiquity in fashion, music and slang culture extends reach
- Most popular among young female Snapchatters in the United States
So in summary, GTS enjoys widespread usage as social media slang indicating fun times. Snapchat has certainly propelled the acronym into mainstream lingo.
Next time you spot GTS on Snapchat or elsewhere on the web, you can feel confident decoding its various meanings. So feel free go spread some Good Times with this handy new vocabulary addition!
