• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 13, 2017

To help users find their way around -- and perhaps even give them some direction -- Snapchat is testing a universal search feature. Sitting atop every screen, the new function began appearing on select users’ apps on Thursday.

For Snapchat, the search bar is part of a broader redesign, which includes new navigation options and a global live story, which will feature snaps from around the globe.

Among other new shortcuts, a “Quick Chat” menu displays the people with whom users are most often in contact. From there, users can easily jump into one-to-one chat exchanges with friends.

The changes -- which are expected to roll out more broadly over the coming weeks -- are just the latest changes to come from Snapchat.

Last month, it partnered with Shazam so users could identify songs within earshot, and added group messaging to its platform.

Snapchat also recently introduced two new creative tools: Scissors and Paintbrush. Scissors can be used to cut out part of a Snap on the Preview Screen to turn it into a sticker. Paintbrush can be applied to Snaps in Memories; it turns a Snap into something akin to an artistic experience.

Standing in stark contrast to struggling social networks like Twitter, Snapchat is presently thriving.

Indeed, despite direct competition from Facebook and other tech giants, the company is positioned for “explosive” growth in ad revenue over the next few years, per eMarketer.

The research predicted the playful messaging app would generate $366.69 million in ad revenues, in 2016, and $935.46 million, this year.

Casting a shadow over Snap’s success, however, a former employee just recently accused the company of inflating its growth figures.