Yes, Snapchat still has the Spotlight feature in 2023. Spotlight allows Snapchat users to share public Snaps that can be seen by all Snapchatters. It gives Snapchatters a chance to go viral and potentially earn money if their Spotlight Snap gets a lot of views.
Spotlight was launched by Snapchat in November 2020 as a way to compete with TikTok. It gives Snapchat a dedicated place for viral, public videos instead of only private, encrypted messaging that Snapchat was previously known for.
Spotlight has continued to be a core part of the Snapchat app even a few years after initial launch. The Spotlight feed showcases the most entertaining public Snaps submitted by Snapchatters from around the world.
What is Spotlight on Snapchat?
Spotlight is a public feed inside the Snapchat app where anyone can submit videos or photos that have the chance to go viral to a huge audience.
Spotlight sits on the far right of the main Snapchat camera screen. Just like the friends and discover pages, you can swipe right to access the Spotlight feed.
The Spotlight feed shows Snaps submitted to Spotlight in Stories-like vertical full screen format. You simply tap and hold to skip between different Snaps quickly.
Spotlight aims to show the most engaging Snaps from the entire Snapchat community. The feed is personalized for each user based on their preferences and interactions.
Snapchat describes Spotlight as a “new entertainment platform for user-generated content to capture and present the most entertaining Snaps from our community.”
Spotlight submission guidelines
Any Snapchatter around the world can submit their Snaps to Spotlight directly from the Snapchat camera.
To submit, you hit the “Spotlight” icon after taking a Snap. This adds it to the public feed.
Spotlight submissions must follow these guidelines per Snapchat:
– Vertical orientation works best
– Captions help provide context
– Stickers make Snaps more engaging
– Keep it short and snappy
– Have fun and get creative!
Spotlight is moderated and Snaps must adhere to Snapchat’s content policies to avoid removal. Inappropriate, dangerous, or explicit content is not allowed.
Spotlight incentives
One of the unique parts of Spotlight is that Snapchat pays out cash bonuses to creators of the top-performing Spotlight Snaps.
This incentive program helps attract viral, high-quality submissions from users.
Snapchat says they award millions per month to Spotlight creators. The amount you can earn depends on the total daily views compared to other Snaps on Spotlight.
Only users 16 and older are eligible for Spotlight bonuses. The money is deposited into your Snapchat account balance weekly and can be cashed out to Venmo or PayPal.
What types of content go viral on Snapchat Spotlight?
Many types of Snaps can go viral and earn lots of views on Spotlight, including:
– Comedy skits
– Pranks and stunts
– Talent shows / Impressions
– Life hacks and DIYs
– Fitness and dance challenges
– Strange facts and tricks
– Animal videos
– Satisfying cooking and art
– Harry Potter / gaming / pop culture memes
Generally lighthearted, funny, entertaining content tends to perform best on Spotlight based on what gets featured. But creativity is key – you never know what exactly each day’s users want to see.
Examples of viral Spotlight Snaps
Here are some examples of Spotlight Snaps that have earned millions of views:
– A girl pretending to be shocked at how dirty her boyfriend’s room is with the caption “When your boyfriend lives like THIS”
– A prank where whipped cream was sprayed into an unsuspecting friend’s hand while they slept
– Someone sculpting various objects like a flip flop and rolling pin out of kinetic sand
– A list of “Weird ways to eat oreos” including using them as bun sandwiches, dipping in mustard, and eating sideways
– A relatable meme about Harry Potter fans being obsessed with what Hogwarts house they are in
As you can see, funny, relateable, visual humor is very popular on Spotlight.
How to increase views on Snapchat Spotlight
It takes creativity and effort to create a Spotlight Snap that rises above the fierce competition. Here are tips to get more Spotlight views:
Make it visually engaging
Eye-catching visuals are key. Use effects, stickers, backgrounds, text, drawings, and more to spice it up. Sitting and talking to a camera is likely to flop.
Get right to the point
Hook people within the first few seconds. You want viewers to instantly “get” what your Snap is about and stay to see the end.
Try trending audios, effects, and lenses
Leverage what’s already popular with the Snapchat community like viral sounds and augmented reality lenses.
Post at optimal times
Aim for evenings and weekends when the most Snapchat users are active. Avoid overnight and weekday mornings.
Use captions
Captions help explain what’s happening for context and searchability. Use emojis too.
Cross-promote
Share your Spotlight Snap on other social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok to gain a wider audience.
Analyze performance
Pay attention to view counts and average percentage watched to optimize future Snaps.
Snapchat Spotlight statistics
Here are some key statistics about Snapchat Spotlight:
Daily active Spotlight viewers
| January 2021 | 100 million |
| June 2021 | 140 million |
| January 2022 | 175 million |
Snapchat has not provided more recent official data but the number likely continues increasing.
Time spent watching Spotlight per day
| January 2021 | Over 30 minutes |
| June 2021 | Over 40 minutes |
Again, this statistic likely keeps growing as Spotlight matures.
Spotlight Snaps produced every day
| November 2020 | Over 1 million |
| February 2021 | Over 2.5 million |
| June 2021 | Over 5 million |
Snapchatters are submitting more and more Snaps as Spotlight’s popularity increases.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s Spotlight feature continues thriving as a destination for entertaining short-form vertical video. Both viewing and content creation on Spotlight is surging.
Spotlight incentivizes Snapchatters to produce viral Snaps through cash bonuses. Funny, creative, visually engaging Snaps tend to gain more views and earnings.
While Spotlight gives Snapchat a way to compete with TikTok, it provides a unique experience tailored to Snapchat’s features and audience.
Overall, Spotlight seems here to stay as a core part of the Snapchat app. It gives “Snappers” a new outlet for self-expression and entertainment beyond just private messaging.