In the world of social media, Snapchat has maintained its unique position as a platform built around ephemeral content, private communication, and real-time interaction. But with recent updates and a shift toward more public-facing content, many users are wondering: What are followers on Snapchat?
If you’re used to platforms like Instagram or Twitter, the term follower might sound familiar. However, Snapchat treats followers a bit differently—and understanding how it works can help you use the app more effectively, whether you’re a casual user, content creator, or brand marketer.
In this post, we break down exactly what followers on Snapchat are, how they work, and why they matter in 2025.
What Does “Follower” Mean on Snapchat?
Snapchat originally didn’t have a concept of followers in the same way as Instagram or TikTok. Instead, it focused on mutual friends—you added someone, they added you back, and you could exchange Snaps.
But that changed with the rise of Snapchat Public Profiles and Snapchat Creator Accounts.
📌 Followers on Snapchat are users who subscribe to your Public Profile but whom you haven’t necessarily added as friends.
This allows you to build an audience, post Stories, share Spotlight content, and showcase your brand or personality—without needing to approve each viewer manually.
Friends vs. Followers: What’s the Difference?
| Friends | Followers |
|---|---|
| Mutual connection | One-way subscription |
| Can view private stories | Can view public content only |
| Requires both users to add each other | Only one side (the follower) needs to subscribe |
| Used for messaging and personal Snaps | Mostly for content distribution and discovery |
So, if you’re a private user just sharing fun moments with close friends, followers might not concern you. But if you’re looking to grow an audience—whether you’re an influencer, business, or creator—followers are your community.
How to Get Followers on Snapchat
To have followers, you first need to create a Public Profile.
✅ Steps to Enable a Public Profile:
- Open Snapchat and go to your profile.
- Tap on “Create Public Profile” under the “Public Profiles” section.
- Follow the prompts and confirm your setup.
Once you have a Public Profile, anyone can follow you by:
- Tapping the Subscribe button
- Discovering you in Spotlight or search
- Clicking shared links to your profile
🔥 Tips to Attract More Followers:
- Post engaging and consistent Public Stories
- Share viral-worthy Spotlight videos
- Promote your Snapcode and profile URL on other platforms
- Use trending lenses and filters
- Collaborate with other creators
What Can Followers See on Snapchat?
Your followers can access any content you share to your Public Story or Spotlight. They cannot see private Snaps or messages unless you interact with them directly.
Your Public Profile also includes:
- A bio/about section
- Your subscriber count (if enabled)
- Public Stories and past content
- Saved Lenses, if you’re a Lens Creator
Snapchat is putting more emphasis on content discovery in 2025, so maintaining a polished Public Profile can help boost visibility in search and the Discover tab.
Should You Enable Follower Count?
Snapchat gives you the option to show or hide your subscriber count on your profile. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:
✅ Show Your Count If:
- You’re building credibility as a creator or influencer
- You’ve already gained a substantial following
- You want to attract brand deals or partnerships
🚫 Hide Your Count If:
- You’re just starting out and growing your audience
- You want to avoid judgment or comparison
- You prefer privacy and authenticity over public metrics
Whether you show it or not, Snapchat tracks followers behind the scenes, giving you insights into your audience through in-app analytics (available on Creator Accounts).
Snapchat Followers for Brands and Creators
For businesses, creators, and influencers, followers on Snapchat represent an opportunity to:
- Build a loyal audience
- Share behind-the-scenes content
- Drive traffic to your website or eCommerce store (via links)
- Monetize via Snapchat Creator Marketplace and brand partnerships
Snapchat’s Creator Program continues to expand in 2025, offering incentives and rewards for top-performing content. The more followers you have, the more reach and potential earnings you unlock.
Are Followers the Same as Subscribers?
In essence, yes. Snapchat uses the term “subscriber” for Public Profiles, but in casual usage, people often say “follower.” Whether someone taps “Subscribe” to your public account or refers to themselves as a “follower,” it means the same thing: they want to see your content.
Can You See Who Follows You?
Snapchat does not show a complete list of your followers for privacy reasons. However, Creator Accounts can access audience insights like:
- Demographics
- Interests
- Views and engagement on content
This helps you understand your audience even if you can’t view specific usernames.
How to Manage Followers on Snapchat
You can manage who sees your content by customizing your privacy settings:
👤 For Personal Profiles:
- Set stories to be seen by “Friends Only” or “Custom” groups
- Block or remove unwanted followers or friends
🧑🎤 For Public Profiles:
- Use moderation tools to control comments and mentions
- Disable replies from followers if necessary
- Turn off subscriber count display
Final Thoughts: Followers Are Snapchat’s New Social Currency
In 2025, followers on Snapchat are more than just a vanity metric—they’re a gateway to audience growth, brand exposure, and content monetization.
Snapchat’s transformation from a messaging app to a content platform makes understanding how followers work more important than ever. Whether you’re a rising creator, established influencer, or digital-savvy business, embracing the follower model on Snapchat can give you a significant edge in your social media strategy.
🔑 Quick Summary:
- Followers = users who subscribe to your public content
- They don’t need to be friends to see your stories or videos
- You can grow your followers via engaging content, Spotlight, and cross-promotion
- Managing your followers is easy through Public Profile settings
- Followers are key to monetizing your presence on Snapchat
Need help creating a Snapchat growth strategy or building your Public Profile from scratch? Let’s talk! Reach out for expert consultation and start turning followers into fans today.
