How to Make Money on Snapchat

Co-authored by Ben Whitehair

Last Updated: September 27, 2022 References

Working with Brands

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Promoting Yourself

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Building a Following

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Millions of people are already using Snapchat to connect with friends, share photos and record memorable experiences for their entire social circle to see. But what most users don’t realize is that social media platforms like Snapchat have also created a whole new set of opportunities to pull in extra cash just by taking advantage of the app's unique format. It all starts with gaining devoted followers to ensure that your activity is being seen. From there, you can make the app work for you by posting content as an official brand ambassador or generating attention for your other business pursuits.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Working with Brands

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Advertise for a brand you support. Many companies are constantly on the lookout for influential users who might be able to attract attention to their products or services. Offers for sponsored content and ongoing partnerships will usually start to come in after you’ve gained a large enough following. If a certain brand proposes to compensate you in exchange for marketing to your fanbase, take them up on it!^{[1]
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Ben Whitehair
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Expert Interview. 3 June 2021.}
- By advertising for a big company, you stand to make thousands of dollars from a single story.^{[3]
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- This type of arrangement will work best if you actually like and use the brands you’re endorsing.
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Get paid to post content on a brand's Snapchat story. If you’re a recognizable part of the Snapchat landscape, you might even be invited to take control of a company’s account on behalf of the brand. As part of guerrilla marketing campaign, you’ll be responsible for posting original sponsored content that’s more organic than traditional ads. This is another excellent form of cross-promotion that will effectively serve to bring together both users’ followings.^{[4]
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- For instance, if your Snapchat is outdoor themed, you might spend a day hiking with gear sent to you courtesy of The North Face and use the company’s story to tell users what you like about it.
- You’ll typically have to have a pretty high-profile account before you’ll be approached for story takeovers.
Advertisement
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Post to popular public stories to get more attention on your account. Reach out to larger accounts and share snaps that provide exposé-like coverage of various activities and events. By adding your snaps to stories like the SXSW music festival or the city of Chicago, you can make sure that they’ll be viewed by users who follow those accounts. The traffic from these stories will be redirected back to your account, netting you lots of new followers in the process.^{[5]
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- Other organizations may even offer to pay you for the right to use your snaps in their stories. Even if they don’t, however, it’s still great exposure and can go a long way in getting you noticed.^{[6]
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- Although Snapchat recently eliminated local stories from its features, there are still plenty of places you can send your snaps to for airtime, such as small businesses and local news networks.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Promoting Yourself

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Include a link to your website. New advances in social media technology have made it possible for users to embed URL links through apps like Emoticode. Downloading one of these programs will allow you to share the online address of your personal or business website to your followers. It will be much easier to get new eyes on your page if people aren’t forced to open a separate browser to find it.^{[7]
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- If you make a living by selling a particular product or service, be sure to display a link to your online store so that interested followers know where to go to make purchases.
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Sell directly through Snapchat. Teaming Emoticode with a money-processing program like Snapcash can make it possible to turn your account into an entertainment hub and merch marketplace in one. Use your snaps to advertise specialty products, services or offers, then process the payments straight from your buyers. With the right marketing, you can watch your personal brand become a public business.^{[8]
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- Managing your product sales through Snapcash can help you keep up with order details without the need to go through other programs.^{[9]
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- Make sure you've taken the proper steps to secure your identity and payment options before exposing your financial info on Snapchat (or any other apps, for that matter).^{[10]
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Buy your own Snapchat filter. Companies like Geofilter and Confetti now offer a unique service that lets users design and upload their own custom Snapchat filters. All you have to do is create a filter that represents your business, brand or image, then pay a small fee to have it published. Once it’s been approved, other users will be able to add the filter to their snaps, garnering your account more attention.^{[11]
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- Each time another user applies your custom filter, it will be like free advertising.^{[12]
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- Use your filters to get the word out about upcoming sales, events and appearances.
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Be original. Your Snapchat stories won’t leave a lasting impression if they’re no different from anyone else’s. Instead of simply sharing selfies or broadcasting photos of your lunch, highlight some unique characteristic or mode of presentation that will help you stand out. More people will be motivated to follow you if they can’t get your type of content anywhere else.^{[13]
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- Give your account a distinct theme. Your snaps might be centered around documenting thrill-seeking adventures, touring local eateries or even performing short comedy sketches.^{[14]
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- Try not to make the same type of post all the time. This can quickly get repetitive. Always be looking for unusual or exciting moments to share.
- Strive to be the only person doing what you do on the app.
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Keep your content accessible. This may be the most important criteria of all. No one wants to feel like they’re being sold something, and if you’re not careful your users will catch onto the fact that you’re using your account to do the bidding of other companies. The snaps you post to your story should be personalized, authentic and come from a place of genuine interest.^{[15]
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- Package your stories in creative, engaging ways that allow you to relate to your followers’ preferences.
- Give your Snapchat followers a more interactive experience by asking questions, posting surveys and urging them to share and post their own responses to your stories.^{[16]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Building a Following

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Add your friends and personal contacts. Whether you’ve just downloaded Snapchat or you’re a longtime user who’s looking to expand your reach, the first step is to start accumulating followers who will see your stories. Send a follow request to your friends, family members and everyone you’re connected with on other social media platforms. These people will provide your core audience.^{[17]
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- You can discover who among your acquaintances is on Snapchat by using the “Add From Contacts” option.^{[18]
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- Have your close friends spread your info around to everyone they know as a favor to you.
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Make as many connections as you can. After adding friends and family, you can concentrate on convincing other users to follow you. Begin following friends of friends, local celebrities and entertainers and any other accounts that you like. Chances are, they’ll give you a follow in return.^{[19]
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- Post your snapcode publicly. A snapcode is a one-of-a-kind series of symbols that other users can simply scan with their phones to begin following you.^{[20]
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- Network on social media message boards. You and other members will be able to exchange info, follow one another and help your respective stats up to become more visible.^{[21]
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Get shout-outs from users with lots of followers. In some cases, you may be able to appeal to influential users to share your username or give you a verbal shout-out in one of their snaps. This message will be delivered to a much wider audience, and their devoted followers will be encouraged to check out your account. Cross-promotion is a great opportunity for everyone to secure new followers.^{[22]
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- You may be expected to pay for shout-outs from private companies and high-profile individuals.
- Message another user directly or mention them in a snap to bring your account to their attention.
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Use your other social media accounts to advertise. Since the user discovery feature isn’t very sophisticated, it can be difficult to get your name out there. This is where platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will come in handy. Take advantage of your contact base on these sites by sharing your Snapchat info and teasing the kinds of exclusive content they’ll be able to find there.^{[23]
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- Display your Snapcode as a temporary profile picture to let the people on your friends list know how they can follow you.
- It will help to reserve your Snapchat for specialized posts that your followers won’t be able to see anywhere else.

Expert Q&A

Question

What ways can I make money on Snapchat besides sponsored content?

Ben Whitehair
Social Media Expert
Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.

Ben Whitehair

Social Media Expert

Expert Answer

You can sell your own products, your own book, your own membership site, your own coaching program, etc. Add value to your audience on Snapchat that then has them wanting to make a purchase of one of your other things. Some people also design and sell custom filters.

Warnings

Make sure you abide by Snapchat’s user policies. If you use the app inappropriately, you might be at risk of having your posting privileges revoked.

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