Snapchat allows users to connect with each other in two main ways – by adding them as friends, or by following their public stories and content. While there are some similarities between friends and followers on Snapchat, there are also some key differences that impact how you interact with other users.
The main differences between Snapchat friends and followers
The key differences between Snapchat friends and followers are:
- Friends – You can directly message friends, see their private stories, view their location on the Snap Map, and interact via chat. Adding someone as a friend on Snapchat requires them to add you back.
- Followers – You can view public content from accounts you follow including their public stories, but you cannot directly message them or view private stories unless they also add you as a friend. Following someone does not require them to follow you back.
Adding friends on Snapchat
To become friends with someone on Snapchat you need to send them a friend request, and they have to accept it in order for you to be connected. Here are some tips for adding friends on Snapchat:
- Search for people by username or name – You can find friends by searching their Snapchat username or name in the Add Friends section.
- Import contacts – Snapchat allows you to find friends by syncing your phone contacts and seeing who uses Snapchat.
- Add nearby – See Snapchat users who have opted to be shown as nearby you and send them friend requests.
- Snapcode – Scan someone’s unique Snapcode to add them as a friend.
- From Camera Roll – Upload Snapcodes you’ve saved to your camera roll to add friends.
Once your friend request is sent, the other user will see it in their pending requests. They need to swipe right on your request to confirm you as a friend. You’ll then be connected and gain access to messaging them, viewing private stories, seeing their location, and more.
Viewing friends on Snapchat
Once someone accepts your friend request, they will be added to your main Friends page on Snapchat. Here are some things you can do with Snapchat friends:
- View Stories – See snaps and stories your friends post to their private story that only friends can view.
- Chat – Directly message friends through text, video, or audio chats.
- See Location – View your friends’ locations if they choose to share it on Snap Map.
- Replays – Replay snaps a limited number of times.
- View Profiles – See your friends’ public profiles showing their snapped photos, videos, stories and more.
Snapchat friends gain access to more private and direct forms of communication compared to followers. You can also save conversations, replay snaps, video chat, and more with your Snapchat friends.
Following accounts on Snapchat
In addition to adding friends, you can also follow other Snapchat accounts to view their public content. Here’s how following works on Snapchat:
- Public Content – When you follow an account, you can view their public stories.
- No Approval Needed – You can follow any account without requiring them to approve it.
- One-Way Connection – Following someone doesn’t require them to follow you back.
- Discover – Follow Snapchat Discover channels like publishers, creators, brands to see their content.
Following accounts on Snapchat is a simple way to stay updated with your favorite celebrities, influencers, creators, publishers, brands and more. Their public stories will show up alongside your friends’ stories when you swipe down to view Snapchat.
Viewing followers on Snapchat
Snapchat has different views to help you manage your followers and friends:
- Followers – View the list of accounts following you and your public content.
- Following – See who you are following and their public stories.
- Friends – Separate view of just your connected Snapchat friends.
- Quick Add – Find nearby users and friends-of-friends to follow or add.
Accounts with public profiles on Snapchat can grow large followings of viewers interested in their content. While you can’t directly message followers, having more of them expands the reach of your public stories and content.
Key differences summarized
To recap, here are the major differences between friends and followers on Snapchat:
Friends | Followers |
---|---|
Two-way connection | One-way connection |
Full communication access | View public content only |
Private stories | Public stories only |
Interact via chat | No direct messaging |
See locations on Snap Map | No location access |
Tips for managing friends and followers
Here are some tips for effectively managing your friends and followers on Snapchat:
- Add close friends for direct communication – Reserve your main Friends list for close connections.
- Follow interests and influencers – Stay updated on public figures, creators, publishers and topics by following them.
- Post public stories for followers – Share content you want a broader audience to see via public stories.
- Keep private stories for friends – Use private stories to share exclusives just for close friends.
- Grow your audience – Promote your public profile to gain more Snapchat followers.
Using friends and followers for different purposes
In general, Snapchat friends and followers serve different purposes:
- Friends – Your Snapchat friends are for close connections, direct communication, private stories, and daily interactions.
- Followers – Your followers help expand your reach and views for public content meant for larger audiences.
Determining whether to add someone as a friend or just follow them depends on how you want to interact on Snapchat. Adding mutual friends strengthens personal connections, while following public figures helps you discover new content.
In summary
Snapchat friends and followers allow for different types of connections and interactions. Friends enjoy full messaging access and private stories. Followers can only view public content posted by accounts they follow. Managing both friends and followers helps optimize your Snapchat experience for closer social connections and expanding your audience reach.