We’re currently entering the Snapchat renaissance. Don’t believe us? Just ask the D’Amelio sisters Charli and Dixie, who are only two of the many big-name creators (like David Dobrick and Hannah Stocking) now active on Snapchat, using the app to connect with their audience and, of course, to “snap their friends.”
The social media platform has come a long way since its early days as a friends-only messaging app. (And an even longer way since Kylie Jenner declared the app dead in 2018, effectively tanking its status — and stock value.) Today, Snapchat is repositioning itself as a creator-focused social platform to rival the likes of TikTok and YouTube. Earlier this month, at the Snap Partner Summit 2023, the platform announced the expansion of the public Stories option to all users aged 18 or above, as well as the promise that creators will get more exposure on the Snap Map.
At the summit, the app also announced the launch of a new Stories revenue share program, offering creators a new way to monetize their following. Interested in making money on Snapchat? Read on for everything you need to know about revenue sharing on Snapchat.
How revenue sharing works on Snapchat
If you’re a creator, you’ve probably heard of revenue sharing programs before. That’s because many social platforms, like TikTok and YouTube, already offer these programs.
Now, Snapchat is joining the ranks. So, how similar (or different) is Snapchat’s revenue share program from other platforms’? And how exactly does it work?
How Snapchat’s Stories revenue share program works
Snapchat’s revenue sharing program goes hand-in-hand with its newly expanded public Stories feature. So, before we dive into the former, we need to talk about the latter.
Creators have long been asking Snapchat for the option to share their Stories publicly, rather than just with their friends. And Snapchat has finally answered the call. Earlier this month, the app launched its public Stories feature to all users, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Now, users aged 18 or older can share their Stories publicly, helping them reach a much wider audience. This is perfect for creators looking to expand their reach and monetize on Snapchat — which leads us to the platform’s new revenue sharing program.
Snapchat’s Stories revenue share program enables creators to earn a cut of the platform’s revenue from advertisements placed between their public Stories. Unlike on other platforms where ads are often displayed between different creators’ videos (and hence it’s hard to determine who should get the revenue share), on Snapchat, ads will always appear between the same creator’s public Stories. That means the more often you post public Stories, the better your chances of earning ad revenue.
Perhaps calling Snapchat’s revenue sharing program “new” is a bit of a misnomer. The platform actually piloted the program with select creators over a year ago. This month, it expanded the eligibility for the program to even more creators. So, are you eligible?
Who’s eligible?
Want to get in on Snapchat’s revenue sharing program? Currently, the program is available by invite only to users 18 and over meeting specific eligibility criteria. Also note that payouts from the program are only available to Snapchatters in certain countries (you can find out which here.)
To qualify for the program, creators must have at least 50,000 subscribers on their public profile, have more than 25 million monthly Snap views, and post at least 10 public Stories — each 20 Snaps long — per month. It also goes without saying that users must publish content compliant with the platform’s community and content guidelines.
How much are creators making from Snapchat’s Stories revenue share program?
Currently, Snapchat is keeping mum on the exact dollar amounts creators are pulling from its revenue sharing program. According to The Information, global head of creator partnerships Jim Shepherd declined to share the details of the revenue split at the Snap Partner Summit earlier this month. However, he did reveal that creators had made amounts ranging from thousands to millions of dollars through the program.
Sounds too good to be true? Not at all. Early creator reviews have corroborated Shepherd’s claims. Creator Hannah Stocking revealed to Fortune that she made $30,000 over the course of 72 hours through the program, while another early adopter said he made $1,500 per day. That’s some serious cash!
The positive reviews of Snapchat’s revenue sharing program arrive as a breath of fresh air, especially given the disappointing payouts from most creator reward programs out there.
I don’t have 50,000 subscribers yet, what should I do?
To be eligible to join Snapchat’s revenue sharing program, you need to have at least 50,000 subscribers. Don’t have them just yet? Don’t sweat it.
Begin by inviting your existing audiences on other platforms to follow you on Snapchat. Then, focus on consistently creating original Snapchat content and the followers will, well, follow. You’ll also want to read on to learn how to get more eyes on your Snapchat Stories.
5 Tips for getting more Snapchat Stories views
Followers are only one half of the equation. To be eligible for Snapchat’s revenue sharing program, you need to consistently hit 25 million Snap views. Here’s how:
1. Post frequently
You’ll want to post public Stories frequently and in shorter periods of time. Snapchat suggests creators post somewhere between 20 to 40 Snaps to their public Stories every day.
That’s a lot of Snaps! Luckily, Snapchat has also introduced a new Stories scheduler feature to help you out. Learn more about scheduling your public Stories.
2. Create longer Stories
Longer stories equal more engagement. And that equals more cash.
To elaborate a bit: longer-form content is highly engaging because it gives creators more time to forge deeper connections with their audience. Viewers who are invested in you and what you have to say will be more likely to follow you and keep up with all your future content, which means more views — and more earning potential!
3. Be authentic
You know all the old adage: “just be yourself.” Well, that applies to Snapchat, too. Research has shown the importance of authenticity when it comes to digital content. Audiences want to get to know and interact with the “real you.” So get out there and create Snap Stories that reflects who you are and what you want to say — and don’t forget to connect with your community via Snapchat’s Story replies feature.
4. Catch viewers’ attention with strong hooks
With Snap Stories, you have only a few seconds to grab your audience’s attention. Think about creating a strong hook to each of your Stories to draw your viewers in. The best way to create a catchy hook is to outline the content of your Stories in your first Snap (without giving too much away.) You can also hook viewers’ attention by using dynamic motion and bright colors in your very first Snap.
5. Use closed captions
Be sure to use Snapchat’s closed captions feature! These subtitles provide context for viewers that help keep them engaged from start to finish.
Start Snapping!
We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: we truly are living through the Snapchat renaissance. If the positive reviews of the platform’s new revenue sharing program are anything to go by (and, spoiler alert, they are), it seems Snapchat’s value in the creator economy will just continue to rise. So, as a creator, you’d be wise to jump aboard the Snap train once again. Who knows, it could make you thousands (or millions!) in cold hard cash.
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