Snapchat introduced the Spotlight feature in November 2020 as a way for users to share short-form videos publicly to compete for a share of over $1 million per day. This incentive program sparked interest from content creators and led to a surge in Spotlight submissions. As of October 2023, Snapchat is still distributing payments through the Spotlight program, but some key details have changed.
How does Snapchat Spotlight work?
Spotlight allows Snapchat users to share public videos that are visible to the Snapchat community. When you post a video to Spotlight, it becomes eligible to receive a share of the daily Spotlight award pool. The amount of money you can earn depends on the engagement your video receives compared to other Spotlight submissions. Factors like total views, watch time, and sharing activity determine the size of your share.
Snapchat leverages complex algorithms to identify the top-performing Spotlight videos each day. Their system tracks metrics like views and time spent watching to gauge a video’s popularity. The company then distributes the daily Spotlight fund between high-engagement posts. Each country where Snapchat is available has its own Daily Fund allotment.
User eligibility
Any Snapchat user aged 16+ located in an eligible Spotlight market can participate. Users younger than 16 can view Spotlight content but cannot submit videos or earn rewards. Currently, Spotlight is available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, with plans for future expansion.
Content guidelines
Spotlight submissions must follow Snapchat’s community guidelines and terms of service. Videos should be vertical orientation, 3-60 seconds long, and showcase original content. Snapchat prohibits illegal, dangerous, hateful, sexually explicit, or misleading content. Users have tools to report inappropriate videos for review.
Is Snapchat still paying for Spotlight?
Yes, Snapchat continues to pay creators for viral Spotlight videos as of October 2023. However, the program has gone through some changes since launching nearly 3 years ago.
Lower payout amounts
When Spotlight first debuted, Snapchat allocated over $1 million per day to reward top videos. For context, TikTok was estimated to distribute around $50,000 per day at the time. The massive Spotlight prize pool attracted influencers and led to a surge in submissions. In July 2021, Snapchat decreased the Daily Fund to $750,000 as fewer videos went ultra-viral. Payouts per user subsequently dropped as well.
In 2022, Snapchat quietly reduced Spotlight rewards further. While the company no longer publicly discloses the Daily Fund amount, payouts per video are estimated to be about one-tenth the size of early 2021. The average per-video earning is now in the low hundreds, rather than thousands, of dollars. Experts attribute the lower rewards to decreased competition and retention challenges.
Limited earnings visibility
During the initial Spotlight rollout, Snapchat provided creators with real-time metrics on video views, watch time, and estimated earnings. This visibility enabled influencers to tweak their content strategy to maximize payouts. In spring 2021, Snapchat removed the earnings tracker and replaced it with periodic updates on payments received.
The company claimed this change would enhance the focus on entertaining content rather than monetary rewards. However, it means Spotlight participants now have limited data on how their videos are performing and projected earnings. Snapchat still confirms when you have received a share of the Daily Fund.
Stricter moderation
Snapchat has also tightened up video moderation within Spotlight. The company now manually reviews Spotlight submissions to check for rule violations and copyright infringement. It acknowledged early problems with low-quality posts flooding the feed. Tighter controls aim to highlight genuinely engaging content within Spotlight.
As a result, there is now a longer delay between video submission and being visible to viewers. Moderation can hold up public visibility for over 24 hours in some cases. This change aims to improve the user experience but may discourage frequent posting.
How much money do Spotlight videos make in 2023?
Spotlight payout amounts vary significantly based on the level of engagement. Here are some estimates on Spotlight earnings based on recent reports:
- 100,000 views: $100-$300
- 500,000 views: $500-$1000
- 1 million views: $1000-$2500
- 5 million+ views: $5,000-$10,000 (rare)
These payments assume the video receives strong watch time metrics and sharing activity. Quickly scrolling past a Spotlight clip or exiting partway through reduces the payout amount. Also, accounts with multiple viral videos tend to earn on the higher end of these ranges.
Top-performing videos
Occasionally a Spotlight post goes mega-viral and captures over 50 million views. For example, @misslailamusic scored a $135,000 payday in late 2021 with a single video. However, these home run videos are rare, with one report estimating only 0.33% of Spotlight videos earn over $1,000.
Average earnings
The typical Spotlight creator earns closer to the minimum end of the payout spectrum. Average earnings per video are estimated at $250 or less currently. That translates to a few hundred dollars per month for regular posters. Unless your content converts viewers exceptionally well, it is tough to replace an income solely via Spotlight.
Other ways Snapchat pays creators
Beyond Spotlight, Snapchat provides some other monetization pathways for influencers and content producers. However, these initiatives remain smaller in scale compared to leading platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Gift-giving
Users can purchase virtual gifts to send their favorite creators during live streams on Snapchat. The company introduced gift-giving in late 2021. There are currently six tiers of gifts available, with prices ranging from $0.99 to $14.99 per gift. Snapchat shares the gift revenue with creators, reportedly providing at least 50% of the value.
Creator marketplace
Snapchat is testing a new internal platform connecting influencers and brands. The closed beta provides select creators access to paid partnership opportunities from advertisers. This marketplace helps diversify monetization beyond Spotlight. However, it remains small in scope for now.
Public profiles
Snapchat now enables creators to build public profiles showcasing content to both friends and the Snapchat community. Influencers can use these profiles to grow followings and redirect to external websites and apps. The platform tools are still emerging but provide some incremental value.
Should you try earning money from Spotlight?
Here are some pros and cons to weigh if considering creating Snapchat Spotlight content:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Potential to earn without a huge following | Very difficult to earn significant income |
| Discoverability algorithm helps new creators | Payout opacity provides limited insights |
| Can repurpose videos from other apps | Significant competition for limited Daily Fund |
Ultimately, dedicating effort to Snapchat only makes sense if you are already creating videos optimized for short-form mobile apps. Repurposing existing TikTok or YouTube Shorts content on Spotlight may deliver incremental reach and revenue. However, don’t expect it to become a primary source of income without already having a large following or truly exceptional retention metrics.
Snapchat Spotlight strategies
If you are going to invest time into Spotlight, here are some tips to maximize your payout potential:
Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds
Grab attention immediately with an eye-catching visual, tight editing, or surprise element. Strong starts keep viewers watching.
Use viral audio and visuals
Leverage trending memes, effects, soundtracks and concepts that are hot on TikTok and other apps. Familiarity can boost views.
Encourage shares
Make content people will be excited to send friends or post on their own Story. Sharing activity matters.
Optimize for mobile
Vertical orientation, bite-sized duration, large text, and stable framing engage mobile viewers.
Post consistently
Daily posting improves visibility and odds of striking a viral hit. But focus on quality over quantity.
Cross-promote
Leverage your presence on other platforms to drive traffic to viral Spotlight content.
Conclusion
Snapchat continues rewarding viral videos through its Spotlight program as of October 2023. However, the available payments have declined significantly from over $1 million per day in late 2020. Nowadays, average earnings per video are in the low hundreds, unless you create a mega-viral hit. Building Spotlight into an influencer income strategy only makes sense if you already produce compelling mobile-first short videos.