Snapchat goes after TikTok with new Spotlight feature

Snapchat has perfected ephemeral videos and messaging. Now, the social media company is branching out with a new TikTok-style feature known as Spotlight.

The feature will allow Snapchat users to create short videos that can be discovered across the platform. Think of it as Snapchat’s version of TikTok or even Instagram’s recent Reels feature. These type of videos are often crafted with the sole purpose of going viral.

Spotlight will have its own dedicated tab in Snapchat, and is launching in 11 countries, including the U.S. and UK. Videos can be up to 60 seconds long, giving users plenty of flexibility to get creative. To encourage users to post regularly, Snapchat said it’ll split $1 million between the most popular creators on the platform every day.

You don’t necessarily need to have a large following to earn money — your video just needs to be popular for you to get some money. Snapchat determines popularity by unique views, so as long as new eyes are viewing your content, you have an opportunity to earn part of Snapchat’s $1 million pot.

“We designed Spotlight to entertain our community while living up to Snapchat values, with our community’s well being as a top priority,” Snapchat said. “Spotlight content is moderated and doesn’t allow for public comments.”

Everyone’s Spotlight feed will look different. Snapchat’s algorithm will show you content based on what you’ve viewed in the past and how long you’ve engaged with that content. It’s not too dissimilar to TikTok and Reels, so the experience will largely feel the same. Of course, you’ll get access to all of Snapchat’s unique features, lenses, and other creation tools.

Snapchat originally sparked the Stories craze. As the market has evolved, TikTok is now king, and Snapchat is clearly acknowledging its popularity with Spotlight. The social media giant said it will continue to evolve Spotlight based on user feedback.

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