How to get verified on Snapchat: Snap Star verification process

Key Takeaways

Being a Snap Star on Snapchat means more attention, potential earnings, and a shiny yellow star on your profile.
To become a Snap Star, you need to regularly post engaging content, have reach beyond your personal network, and follow Snapchat’s guidelines.
Snapchat verification is not available for purchase. Only Snapchat itself decides who gets verified and it’s free of charge.

No matter which social network you’re on, you’ll notice there are different badges and symbols distinguishing various groups of users. Twitter has blue checkmarks for users paying $8 a month for added features, and gold checkmarks for businesses at $1,000 a month. Instagram and Facebook also have verified badges for public figures, celebrities, or brands via Meta Verified. But the badge everyone wants now is on Snapchat, where a shiny yellow star means you’ve been verified.

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Can anyone get verified on Snapchat?

Snap Star verification program

A Snap Star, according to Snapchat, is a “public figure or creator who brings some of the best and most entertaining content” to the platform. Snap Stars not only receive more attention on the service, with their posts featured to users who don’t follow them, but they also have the opportunity to earn money through ads on their stories. Early adopters of being a Snap Star have reported earning thousands of dollars, which adds to its allure.

A yellow star displayed on your public profile signifies that you are a Snap Star, or a verified personality on Snapchat. Snap Stars gain their verification status from Snapchat, based on criteria like the level of engagement with their account, the authenticity of their identity, and the quality of the content they share. Snapchat+ subscribers also see a star, but it’s not yellow, and it indicates they pay $3.99 a month.

The Snap Star verification program was launched in early 2022. Initially, Snapchat selected a group of influencers and other notable users to join the program. After a few months of building awareness and excitement, they began accepting applications from the general public. However, not everyone who applies gets accepted into the program. Snapchat has certain expectations for their verified users. Here’s what you need to know.

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How do I become a Snap Star?

Snapchat recently launched an online form for Snap Star verification. It asks for a few pieces of basic information, including your Snapchat account name, full legal name, the category or categories your content falls under and links to press coverage about you. From there, the company reviews the application and notifies you of their decision. There are no public metrics on what Snapchat expects from Snap Star users. That said, the company is looking for certain activities.

Regular posting and engagement with an audience, as well as reach beyond your personal friends and family, are vital. One influencer who goes by the name of MattyKay released a document to Insider outlining things that Snapchat recommends for Snap Stars to optimize their results, including:

Focusing on ‘day in the life experiences’ by posting 20 to 50 Snap stories a day, so that subscribers are engaged for longer
Posting directly to the Snap Map, a feature that allows Snapchat users to see each other’s location, so that users who aren’t subscribed can easily discover your content
Making a strong ‘tile’ on your feed, which is the most recent Snapchat photo or video taken
Captivating viewers in the first one to three snaps so they watch the whole story
Encouraging non-subscribers to subscribe a few times a week, and subscribers to turn on story notifications
Using captions, since a lot of people watch stories with sound off
Balancing commercial content with authentic personal content

There are lots of scams and third parties that promise easy Snapchat verification. None of them are legitimate. Only Snapchat itself makes the decision about who becomes Snap Star verified, and they do not charge fees or accept money for verification.

You can fill out the Snap Star verification form here.

Why should I want to be verified on Snapchat?

Snapchat, with its 375 million daily active users, is one of the most successful social networks globally. It skews young, reaching 75% of millennials and Gen Z in the US. The platform’s users are highly engaged, often returning over 30 times a day. This has made Snapchat a hot spot for advertisers, particularly those targeting Gen Z consumers. It stands as a key digital marketplace for reaching younger audiences.

Being verified on Snapchat means your content gets shown in the feeds of people who don’t follow or subscribe to you, exposing it to broader audiences who can then follow you. It also enables you to earn passive income through interstitial advertisements in your feed.

Snap Stars have access to the Gifting tool, allowing fans to send virtual gifts via Snap Tokens, a virtual currency purchased with real money. These gifts are converted into Crystals, a second virtual currency that can be exchanged for cash once you’ve accumulated enough. Although it sounds complex, it’s essentially another way to earn money from your content. Plus, users who send Gifts get priority placement in reply feeds, boosting your engagement.

Snapchat's Director Mode is another swing at TikTok photo 1

What is Snapchat and how does it work?

Snapchat has changed a lot in the past few years. Frequent updates means the app looks and works almost nothing like it originally did.

Are celebrities verified on Snapchat?

Yes, many celebrities and influencers are verified on Snapchat, from the Kardashians to Alix Earle.

Can you lose verification on Snapchat?

Yes, Snapchat reserves the right to revoke Snap Star verification at any time. If you violate the Terms of Service or Community Guidelines by posting harmful or illegal material, your Snap Star status can be revoked. It also reserves the right to remove verification for actions like artificially inflating your follower count through buying or selling followers, or for threatening or harassing Snapchat employees or contractors. Additionally, Snapchat may de-verify an account for “ceasing to meet the eligibility criteria described above,” which can be a catch-all reason to remove users they no longer wish to have verified.

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Are there other kinds of Snapchat verification?

In addition to Snap Stars, Snapchat also offers verification for businesses and corporate entities.

The process there is much more transparent: the business must be an authentic profile that represents it, and it must be “broadly known by the public.” The process begins automatically when the email address for the Snapchat business account is verified in the app. Verification does not provide access to the features that Snap Stars have, such as Gifting or advertising revenue share; it is simply used to reassure viewers of your content that it represents your company.