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Does Snapchat Spotlight have ads?

Does Snapchat Spotlight have ads?

Snapchat Spotlight is a feature within Snapchat that allows users to view short videos submitted by other users from around the world. Videos featured on Spotlight have the potential to go viral quickly, gaining millions of views. Snapchat launched Spotlight in November 2020 as a way to compete with other short-form video apps like TikTok. One of the main questions surrounding Spotlight is whether or not the videos shown contain advertisements. This article will examine that question in depth.

What is Snapchat Spotlight?

Snapchat Spotlight is a public feed inside the Snapchat app that showcases the most entertaining Snaps submitted by Snapchatters. Videos featured on Spotlight often include trends, memes, challenges, or other viral content.

Spotlight aims to highlight the most interesting Snaps from the Snapchat community. Any Snapchat user can submit their public videos to be considered for Spotlight. Snapchat has a team that reviews all Spotlight submissions to ensure they meet guidelines before being featured.

Videos published to Spotlight have the potential to receive very broad distribution across Snapchat’s large network. Snapchat claims Spotlight receives over 125 million monthly active users. So Snaps featured in Spotlight can gain views and exposure at a significant rate.

Spotlight Incentives

To encourage more users to submit quality content, Snapchat also provides incentives and money for videos that perform well on Spotlight. Creators of top-performing Snaps can earn cash rewards based on the number of unique views their content receives.

This incentive program makes it attractive for Snapchatters to create viral-worthy content to publish on Spotlight. The availability of cash bonuses means there is stiff competition to go viral on the platform.

Are There Ads on Snapchat Spotlight?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of how Spotlight works, let’s dig into the key question: does Snapchat run ads on Spotlight videos?

The answer is yes – Snapchat does monetize Spotlight content by showing advertisements. However, the ad experience is designed to be non-interruptive and seamless for viewers.

How Snapchat Runs Ads in Spotlight

Here are the main ways ads are integrated into the Spotlight feed:

– Between videos – The main ad placement is between Spotlight clips. After watching one video, an ad may play before loading the next clip.

– Scrollable carousel – Multiple advertisers can be featured in a horizontal scrollable carousel between videos. Viewers can flip through the ads before continuing.

– Brand partnerships – Snapchat partners directly with brands to produce fun sponsored videos designed specifically for Spotlight. These native ad formats blend right into the experience.

– Stickers and filters – Sponsored stickers, lenses, filters, and more are incorporated in some Spotlight videos. Creators include these branded elements in their Snaps.

Overall, Snap aims to have advertising on Spotlight that engages viewers and amplifies branded content rather than interrupts consuming videos. The integrated ads allow Snapchat to monetize the growing amount of content being produced and viewed on Spotlight.

Types of Ads on Snapchat Spotlight

Snapchat offers advertisers a variety of different ad formats and placements to run campaigns on Spotlight and reach its audience.

Video Ads

Short video ads 6 seconds or less play between Spotlight clips. This gives brands a chance to capture viewers’ attention with engaging video creative.

Collection Ads

Collection ads feature multiple products or items that users can swipe through horizontally. They allow advertisers to showcase a product line or range of offerings.

Lenses

Sponsored augmented reality lenses and filters can be overlaid on Spotlight videos. Lenses are interactive and memorable.

Stickers

Stickers featuring branded content, logos, or mascots can be added to Spotlight videos to promote brands in a fun way.

Snap Ad Formats

Other Spotlight ads include Snap ad formats like Commercials (longer videos), Story Ads, App Install Ads, Collection Ads and more.

Sponsored Spotlight Challenges

Brands can also sponsor custom challenges that encourage creators to produce relevant content using specific branded lenses, stickers, or features.

Snapchat Spotlight Advertising Statistics

Here are some key statistics around Snapchat Spotlight ads:

Spotlight Monthly Audience

– 125 million monthly active users

Ad Reach

– Snapchat claims Spotlight ad campaigns average over 30 million views per day.

Spotlight Engagement

– The average time spent watching Spotlight videos daily is over 30 minutes per person.

– Over 1 billion Snaps are created to Spotlight per month.

Spotlight Demographics

– 58% of Spotlight viewers are between 13-24 years old.

– 55% are male, 45% are female.

Benefits of Advertising on Snapchat Spotlight

Here are some of the main benefits and upsides for brands running ads on Spotlight:

– Massive reach – Tremendous daily views and Snapchat user base allows ads to gain significant impressions.

– Vertical video – Full-screen vertical ads fit perfectly with the Spotlight content experience.

– Brand safety – Spotlight content is screened by Snapchat to ensure brand safety for advertisers.

– Youthful audience – Reach Snapchat’s very large Gen Z and Millennial user base.

– Ad creativity – Ability to produce fun, engaging video ads optimized for the platform.

– Viral opportunity – Potential for branded videos to go viral quickly on Spotlight when content resonates.

– Measurement – Snapchat provides robust advertising measurement tools for understanding campaign performance.

Snapchat’s Advertising Business

It’s important to understand that advertising across all parts of Snapchat – including Spotlight – is the core of Snap’s growing business.

Snapchat ads generated $4.54 billion in revenue for Snap in 2022, representing a 48% year-over-year increase. As Snapchat has launched popular features like Spotlight, its ability to monetize those experiences with non-interruptive ads is critical to the health of its business.

The company is focused on developing appealing ad products that connect brands with Snapchat’s hard-to-reach millennial and Gen Z audience. The launch of Spotlight in late 2020 expanded Snapchat’s reach, engagement, and monetization capabilities even further.

Snap is constantly evolving its advertising business model and products. The integration of ads into Spotlight is one of the company’s latest strategies for sustaining advertising growth in the long run. For brands, buying ads on Spotlight provides a new way to interact with some of the most coveted consumers worldwide.

Conclusion

In summary – yes, Snapchat’s Spotlight feature does contain advertising in the form of video ads, lenses, stickers, and other formats integrated between videos.

Ads on Spotlight allow Snapchat to monetize the viral video content being produced and viewed. The company carefully designed the ad experience to maintain engagement and not detract from Spotlight’s core content.

With over 125 million monthly active Spotlight users, predominantly Gen Zers and millennials, advertising on Spotlight grants brands access to Snapchat’s valuable young audiences.

As Snapchat continues growing the amount of time spent watching Spotlight content, advertising will remain a key part of the company’s larger strategy to diversify revenue streams and drive its business forward. Overall, the launch of Spotlight expanded Snapchat’s monetization opportunities through the addition of seamless, integrated ads within a highly engaging video feed.