Snapchat is more than just an app for sharing quick photos and videos; it’s a budding platform for earning money online. If you’re looking for ways to leverage Snapchat for income, this article will guide you step-by-step, from achieving Snap Star status and building your follower base to optimizing content for monetization. Crucially, I’ll share real income figures from Snapchat to give you a clearer picture. Let’s explore the most effective ways to make money from Snapchat in 2025!
The channel Money Mind aims to bring transparency to the “make money online” space, with the creator sharing experiences and strategies for earning on platforms like Snapchat. This guide aligns with that spirit, offering practical insights.
Why is Snapchat a Potential Goldmine?
Snapchat is rapidly becoming one ofthe fastest-growing social media platforms, especially with its TikTok-like Spotlight feature and unique Stories. This opens up significant opportunities for content creators looking to earn from views and advertising. Unlike many other platforms, Snapchat offers a rather attractive ad revenue-sharing program if you meet specific requirements.
Furthermore, Snapchat is actively encouraging creators to join by providing supportive tools and programs. With increasing transparency about how to monetize on the platform, now is the golden time to start. So, how can you seize this opportunity? Let’s break it down.
First Step: Achieving Snap Star Status to Monetize Snapchat
What is a Snap Star and Why is it Crucial?
To begin earning on Snapchat, the prerequisite is achieving Snap Star status – that little star icon next to your account name, indicating you’re a verified creator. Without Snap Star status, you can’t join the monetization program, regardless of your follower count or view numbers.
Snapchat defines Snap Stars as individuals or creators who produce high-quality, entertaining content. Typically, they prioritize accounts that clearly show an identity (featuring a face or a specific representative like a mascot). Anonymous accounts or those just posting generic, unoriginal content will find it harder to get accepted.
How to Apply for Snap Star
The official way to get Snap Star status is by filling out the application form on Snapchat’s website. In this form, you’ll need to provide information about your account and demonstrate that you’re an influential creator. However, experience shows that very few get accepted this way.
A more effective approach is to seek support from individuals connected with Snapchat representatives. These connections can help expedite your verification process. If you have at least 100,000 followers on Snapchat and a significant following on other platforms, your chances of getting support are higher. Notably, Snapchat sometimes seems to prioritize female creators.
PRO TIP:
Connect with the creator community on platforms like Discord or Instagram to find someone who can introduce you to a Snapchat representative. Ensure your account is ready with quality content before making contact.Building Your Follower Base on Snapchat
Rapid Follower Growth with Spotlight
To reach 100,000 followers – the minimum often needed to be considered for Snap Star – you need an effective growth strategy. One of the quickest methods is leveraging Spotlight, Snapchat’s TikTok-like feature where you can post short videos and reach millions of users.
Spotlight allows your content to be easily discovered, even if you don’t have many followers yet. By posting engaging content, you can attract a large number of followers in a short time.
Using Automation Tools to Save Time
Manually posting on Snapchat can be incredibly time-consuming, especially if you already have content on other platforms like TikTok. A smart solution is to use an automation tool like Repurpose.io. This tool allows you to connect your social media accounts and automatically repost content from TikTok to Snapchat Spotlight.
How to use Repurpose.io:
- Sign up for a free account on Repurpose.io.
- Connect your TikTok and Snapchat accounts.
- Set up automation to repost both old and new content, for example, 3 posts per day to Spotlight.
This strategy not only saves time but also helps you maintain a consistent posting schedule – a crucial factor for follower growth.
Goal: Aim for at least 100,000 followers before applying for Snap Star. Focus on creative, entertaining content that suits Snapchat’s primarily young audience.
Meeting Snapchat’s Monetization Requirements
Once you have Snap Star status, you need to meet specific thresholds to join Snapchat’s monetization program. Here are the basic requirements:
- Follower Count: A minimum of 50,000 followers.
- Views in the last 28 days: Meet one of the following criteria:
- 10 million total views on Snapchat.
- 1 million views on Spotlight.
- 12,000 hours of watch time.
- Posting Frequency: Post at least 25 times to Spotlight each month and be active on Spotlight or Public Stories for at least 10 days in the last 28 days.
- Other Conditions: You must be 18 years or older and live in a country supported by the monetization program.
Pro Tip: Based on experience, 1 million Spotlight views is often the easiest target to hit. Focus on creating viral content for this feature to quickly meet the requirements.
How to Earn from Stories and Spotlight
Snapchat pays creators through its Unified Payout Program, meaning you’ll receive revenue from both Stories and Spotlight concurrently. However, these two features operate differently and have varying earning potentials.
Earning from Stories
Stories are where creators typically earn the most on Snapchat. When you post a series of images or videos to your Stories, ads are interspersed between the slides. You earn based on the number of ads your viewers see.
Strategies to Optimize Stories:
- Attractive Thumbnail: The last image in your Story sequence will often display as a thumbnail. Choose an intriguing image or title to entice viewers to click.
- Viewer Retention: Content needs to be engaging to prevent viewers from swiping away mid-Story. The more people watch your entire Story sequence, the more you earn from ads.
- Post Multiple Slides: A Story sequence can have dozens of slides. Utilize this to increase ad placement opportunities.
Earning from Spotlight
Spotlight functions similarly to TikTok, where ads appear between videos. Ad revenue is shared with creators whose videos are near the ad placement. However, Spotlight generally yields less income than Stories.
Pro Tip: Focus on Stories to maximize income, but don’t neglect Spotlight as it’s an effective way to boost followers and views.
Real Earnings from Snapchat: Figures and Analysis
To give you a clearer idea of Snapchat’s earning potential, here are some actual figures. Snapchat pays in Crystals, with 1 Crystal equating to $0.10 USD.
- On an average day, with 226 Crystals, you could earn $22.60.
- For a Story with 160,000 total views (spread across 7 slides), you might earn $12.60, which translates to an RPM (Revenue Per Mille, or per 1,000 views) of about $0.08.
- On average, Snapchat’s RPM hovers around $0.10. This means if you achieve 1 million views on your Stories, you could earn $100 per day.
Analysis: To make $100/day, you don’t need 1 million views on a single slide. If you post 60 slides daily, you only need an average of about 16,000 views per slide – a perfectly achievable number if you have a substantial follower base and engaging content.
Achievable Goal: With the right strategy, earning $3,000/month from Snapchat is attainable, especially if you combine content from other platforms and maintain a high posting frequency.
Tips to Optimize Content for Snapchat Monetization
To boost your Snapchat earnings, focus on content optimization. Here are some helpful tips:
- Create Reasonable Clickbait: Your titles and initial images need to be enticing, but the content must deliver quality to avoid disappointing viewers.
- Post Regularly: Ensure you meet the minimum posting frequency requirements and keep your audience engaged with fresh content.
- Repurpose Content: If you have successful content on TikTok or Instagram, use tools like Repurpose.io to easily repost it to Snapchat.
- Test and Adjust: Monitor the performance of each Story or Spotlight video to identify what type of content attracts the most views, then focus on developing more of it.
Conclusion
Making money from Snapchat in 2025 is no longer a distant dream if you understand the right steps and strategies. From achieving Snap Star status and building a follower base to optimizing content on Stories and Spotlight, every step plays a crucial role in your journey to generating income from this platform. With the potential to earn hundreds, even thousands, of dollars per month, Snapchat is a worthwhile supplementary income stream to consider. Start today by creating quality content and applying the tips in this article. Are you ready to turn Snapchat into your new income source?
