Snapchat’s rollout of a new Pixel tracking tool is indicative of a wider push by the industry’s major players to deliver more relevant metrics to marketers and make content campaigns more transparent and appropriate for both brands and end users.

A study published last month by social analytics enterprise Simply Measure found that measuring return on investment is the biggest challenge for social marketers. There is also growing pressure on social media platforms and tech giants such as Google, Facebook and others, to do more to provide meaningful metrics, cut down on fake news and improve brand safety.

Snapchat has not been a major force in the ad industry until now. Indeed, the social media platform only recently made the decision to monetise its content. However, it revealed earlier this week that its Pixel tool, which certain advertisers have recently trialled, is now set for a more comprehensive rollout to help brands improve their ad and content campaigns.

Snap Pixel works by creating code on websites that tracks the actions of a viewer or reader after they have consumed a piece of content online. This feature is hugely beneficial for brands, as it allows them to get a better perspective on how their creative is driving positive customer actions rather than having to rely on guesswork.

Facebook and Google offer similar features for advertisers, but Snapchat had previously appeared lukewarm on this sort of sophisticated targeting for ads, with CEO Evan Spiegel stating they were “creepy” because they allowed extensive tracking of consumer habits. However, the platform’s desire to match the heavyweights of digital advertising alongside the aspiration to flesh out its analytic and measurement capabilities means the feature is now going live to its users.

More specifically, Pixel will allow brands to access more in-depth stats and data about how content performs across various channels, as they will be able to link together insights for mobile apps and websites. The tool will be limited to measurement at launch, but Snapchat has said that retargeting options will follow before the end of the year. This practice will increase its usefulness further, as it will empower marketers to target audiences and consumers with whom they have already engaged more effectively.

“It lets marketers measure the revenue, performance, growth and acquisition driven by Snapchat — such as website visits, purchases, and sign-ups — across devices,” Snapchat said in a statement on Wednesday. “Over the coming months, we’ll release additional features beyond measurement — such as custom audience creation and real-time optimization — designed to help businesses drive the most meaningful user actions for them.”

TechStyle Fashion Group is among the brands that have already benefited from the new tool. Senior Vice President of Media Laura Joukovski said they expect to get more value from Pixel in the coming months. “It’s still pretty early days so there are some things that we’re testing and learning on, but we want to get as much data as we can. The pixel gives us a whole new and better way of seeing what’s going on and a new opportunity to harvest direct-response signals beyond the click.”