Platform-SpecificSnapchat
Snap Ads
Snapchat's full-screen vertical video ad format.
Definition
Snap Ads are full-screen, vertical video ads that appear between Snapchat content. They can include interactive elements like swipe-up calls-to-action and can be used standalone or as part of larger formats like Story Ads.
Examples
6-second video ads between Stories
Interactive ads with swipe-up functionality
Commercial ads in premium content
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Snap Ads, answered.
What are Snap Ads?
Snap Ads are full-screen vertical video ads on Snapchat that appear between and within content — Stories, Discover, and the app's feeds. They're brief, immersive, sound-on-capable vertical videos with a swipe-up/attachment action for users to learn more or convert. Snap Ads are the core ad format on Snapchat, reaching its large, predominantly younger audience.
Who is Snapchat's audience?
Snapchat skews toward younger users — Gen Z and younger millennials are heavily represented — making it valuable for brands targeting those demographics. The platform's audience is highly engaged with visual, ephemeral, and AR content. For advertisers whose customers are in these younger cohorts, Snapchat offers meaningful reach; for older-skewing audiences, it's less central. Audience fit is the key consideration.
What ad formats does Snapchat offer?
Beyond standard Snap Ads (full-screen vertical video), Snapchat offers Story Ads (in Discover), Collection Ads (shoppable product tiles), Dynamic Ads (catalog-driven, personalized), Commercials (non-skippable in premium content), and distinctive AR formats — Sponsored Lenses and Filters that let users interact with branded augmented-reality experiences. The AR formats are a signature Snapchat capability for engaging, playful brand interaction.
What creative works on Snap Ads?
Native, authentic, fast vertical video that fits Snapchat's casual, personal style and grabs attention in the first seconds, designed sound-on but legible without it. Over-polished traditional ads underperform; content that feels native to the platform and its younger audience does better. For AR formats, interactive and fun branded experiences drive engagement. As across vertical video, the hook and native feel are decisive.
What are Snapchat's AR ad formats?
Sponsored Lenses (branded augmented-reality experiences users apply to their camera, often interactive or playful) and Sponsored Filters/Geofilters (branded overlays users add to their snaps). These leverage Snapchat's leadership in AR to create engaging, shareable brand interactions that go beyond passive video — users actively play with the brand. They're distinctive to Snapchat and strong for memorable, interactive brand campaigns.
