Growing Snapchat
Snap points creators to Spotlight to reach people beyond their friends. Post from a Public Profile, then promote what already works.
Basics
How many people use Snapchat?
493 million people a day and 971 million a month, Snap reported for the second quarter of 2026.[1]
How do you grow a Snapchat Public Profile?
Share to Spotlight, keep your best Snaps on your profile, and be yourself.
| Step | Snap's advice |
|---|---|
| Share to Spotlight | It reaches the wider Snapchat community |
| Add Stories and Spotlight Snaps to your profile | They stay visible longer |
| Be authentic | Use Lenses and Filters to show your personality |
| Post regularly | Sharing Snaps, Stories and videos keeps you top of mind |
| Read Insights | See views and subscriber growth |
When can you earn money on Snapchat?
Once you have 50,000 followers and 15,000 hours of view time in 28 days, with 3,000 of those hours from Spotlight. You must also be 18 or older, a Snap Star and live in an eligible country.[4]
Advanced
Can you advertise on Snapchat?
Yes, through Ads Manager. The minimum is $5 a day; Snap recommends $20 to $50 a day so an ad gets through its exploration phase, which usually takes 4 days or more.[5]
What does Snap Promote cost?
Promote turns a Spotlight post, Public Story or saved Snap into an ad, right from the app. Snap gives these averages from its 2024 data.
| Goal | Snap's 2024 average |
|---|---|
| More followers | $0.05 per follow |
| More views | $0.57 per 1,000 views |
| More website visits | $0.17 per click |
Sources [6]
What can you do with Snap's API?
Create and manage campaigns, ads and audiences, collect leads and pull performance stats, through the Ads API. A separate Public Profile API manages creator and business profiles.[7]
Which paid options on Snapchat are worth it?
Post for free first; promote posts that already hold viewers. The order is our view.
| Option | Cost | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Spotlight and Stories | Free | Reach to new viewers |
| Snap Promote | Your budget | More followers, views or visits from one post |
| Ads Manager | From $5 a day | Full targeting and ad formats |
Compare Growing TikTok and Growing Instagram, go back to the Snapchat username rules, or check your name on all of them at once.
Sources (7)
- PrimarySnap Inc.: Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results, filed with the SEC
- PrimarySnapchat Support: Tips for Content Creators
- PrimarySnapchat for Business: Public Profiles
- PrimarySnapchat Support: About Snapchat's Monetization Program
- PrimarySnapchat for Business: Ads pricing
- PrimarySnapchat for Business: Snap Promote
- PrimarySnap for Developers: Ads API