Brands turn to Snapchat to reach Gen Z; creator monetisation remains a slowburn

Snapchat is doubling down on India’s advertising and creator economy this festive season, claiming rapid growth in content engagement and brand adoption. According to the platform, total time spent watching content has doubled over the past two years, Spotlight posts have grown 4x, and Snap Stars have increased 1.5x. Yet creators and agencies say monetisation on the platform is still a challenge.

India, home to 377 million Gen Z consumers, is a battleground for social platforms. Snapchat says, “The excitement with brands is going through the roof. Every major product category that understands the value of Gen Z is on Snapchat and increasing their presence,” said Saket Jha Saurabh, Director and Head – Content & AR Partnerships, Snap Inc.

Fashion, lifestyle, beauty, entertainment, e-commerce, and consumer internet brands are actively using the platform. “Any brand that cares about Gen Z is engaging with us. A lot of D2C brands are also tapping in because Gen Z is thinking and buying differently,” added Saurabh.

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Creator Growth vs Creator Frustration

On the creator side, Snapchat announced strong momentum at its Creator Connect Delhi event on September 26. Internal data shows content engagement has doubled, the number of Snap Stars has risen 1.5x, and Spotlight posts have grown 4x over the past year. Actors Ammy Virk and Sonam Bajwa headlined the event, underscoring Snapchat’s cultural cache in North India.

Yet, the path to becoming a Snap Star—and earning money—is steep. To qualify, a creator must have at least 50,000 followers, 10 million views, and 12,000 hours of watch time in just 28 days. For emerging talent outside metros, these thresholds are daunting.

“Snapchat has always been my favorite platform because it feels authentic and real,” said voice artist and creator Sonal Kaushal.

Monetisation: Two Sides of the Story

Snapchat emphasises that monetisation happens in two ways: on-platform revenue sharing and off-platform brand deals. Programs like Snap School and Snapchat Creator Connect aim to mentor creators, while initiatives such as Snap With Stars pair emerging voices with established Snap Stars.

Some creators see a clear upside. Snap Star Amulya Rattan said she has worked with brands like Maybelline, Myntra, and Amazon through Snapchat. “It’s motivating to know that simply being myself can translate into real earnings,” she said.

But others argue that the revenue share is limited to a small set of top-tier creators. “The opportunity is real, but unless you’re already big, monetisation is negligible. Snap needs to widen access,” said an influencer manager who handles talent across platforms.

The Festive Season Pitch: AR at the Center

With Diwali and other festivals around the corner, Snap is aggressively pushing augmented reality as its differentiator. “80% of Snapchatters in India use lenses. During Diwali or Holi, AR usage goes through the roof,” Saurabh said. The message to brands is clear: festive campaigns must integrate AR alongside Story Ads, Snap Ads, and Sponsored Snaps to get results.

He added, “Brands who do well on Snapchat don’t rely on just one format. They mix Story Ads, Snap Ads, Sponsored Snaps, and AR lenses. Hitting users across all touchpoints is key. Festive campaigns are best run with a multi-format, full-funnel approach.”

But agencies point out that AR-heavy strategies often demand higher creative investment and may not be scalable for smaller advertisers. “AR drives engagement, but it’s still a niche compared to video-led storytelling on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts,” said the head of a digital agency, requesting anonymity.

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Agencies: Cautious but Interested

Agencies remain an important part of Snapchat’s ecosystem. While Snap has rolled out tools like Ads Manager for brands to discover creators and track metrics such as returning audience, watch time, and trending content, agencies continue to play the role of intermediaries.

Shubham Singhal, Co-Founder & CEO of Dot Media, said: “We’re witnessing a clear shift among Gen Z creators gravitating towards Snapchat for authentic expression and storytelling. The appetite for vertical-first, immersive content has never been stronger. What’s exciting is that both emerging and established creators are experimenting with new ways to connect with their audiences here.”

Athletes, Entertainers, and Local Adoption

Beyond influencers, Snapchat is building traction with athletes and entertainers. Cricketers like Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh, and Washington Sundar share candid updates on the platform, while Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra uses it to inspire fitness and sports culture. Stars like Diljit Dosanjh, Guru Randhawa, and Rashmika Mandanna also engage directly with fans on Snap, helping drive mainstream visibility.

The platform has also expanded into smaller cities through on-ground activations in Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, underscoring its focus on regional adoption.

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The Good and the Bad

For advertisers, Snapchat offers a young, highly engaged user base, innovative AR formats, and creative diversity across chat, content, and camera. For creators, it provides new monetisation streams and the chance to differentiate from Instagram or YouTube with vertical-first, aesthetic-driven storytelling.

But challenges remain. The verification bar for Snap Stars is high, on-platform monetisation is concentrated among top creators, and AR campaigns often require bigger creative budgets. Transparency on advertiser numbers and clear benchmarks for ROI are still missing.

At 250 million monthly users in India, Snapchat is too large for brands to ignore. But it is also still carving out its distinct positioning in a crowded social media market. As festive campaigns roll out, the real test will be whether Snap can deliver consistent results for both brands and creators beyond headline growth numbers.

“The value of Snapchat was never in question,” Saurabh said. “But the real work is to educate the ecosystem on how best to use it.”