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Snapchat Spotlight with AI video: what to post and how

How to post AI-made videos to Snapchat Spotlight: vertical format, what content fits, topic tags, rules to follow, and a two-week posting plan you can copy.

, 4 min read

The short answer

Snapchat Spotlight is Snapchat's public feed of short vertical videos. To post AI-made video there, export 9:16 at 1080x1920, open with something that grabs attention in the first second, add a topic tag, and make sure the video is original and follows Snapchat's content guidelines.

Spotlight shows videos to people who do not follow you, so it can be a way to reach a younger, mobile-first audience that you may not reach on other apps. Snap's length limits, eligibility and any payout programs change, so check Snap's Creator help pages for current terms.

Format basics

  • Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical.
  • Resolution: 1080x1920.
  • Safe zone: keep text and faces centered. Snapchat overlays your name, caption and buttons near the edges.
  • Sound: optional but helpful. Use sounds from Snapchat's library or audio you own.

The same 9:16 file you make for TikTok or Shorts usually works, as long as there is no other app's watermark on it. Upload the clean original.

What content fits Spotlight

Spotlight favors quick, visual, fun content. Videos that feel like they were made for a phone tend to fit better than polished brand spots.

  • Satisfying visuals: a loop of a marble run, sand being raked, paint mixing.
  • Quick facts with a twist: one surprising fact, shown not told.
  • Mini sketches with original characters: a two-line joke with a cat chef or a talking houseplant.
  • Transformations: a messy room becomes tidy, a plain sneaker gets a custom paint job.
  • Reaction-free trends: use the format of a trend, but your own idea and original audio.

Avoid copyrighted characters, real people's likeness and brand logos. Keep content suitable for Snapchat's broad audience and follow its content guidelines, which are stricter than many people expect for Spotlight.

Topics and captions

When you post to Spotlight, you can add a topic tag. Pick a specific one that matches what the video shows. Topics help Snapchat place your Snap in front of people interested in that subject.

Keep the caption short. One line that adds a joke or context is enough. Put the main text in the video itself, because many people will not read the caption.

A two-week Spotlight test

Theme: an original character, a small orange cat who runs a tiny bakery. One Snap a day.

  • Day 1: the cat opens the shop at dawn, flips the sign. Text: "Day 1 of my bakery."
  • Day 2: the cat burns the first batch, tiny smoke cloud. Text: "Day 2. Learning."
  • Day 3: a pigeon customer orders one crumb.
  • Days 4-7: one small event per day: a rainy day, a new oven, a rival bakery opens across the street, a busy morning.
  • Days 8-14: repeat the best-performing setup with new events.
  • Track: views and shares for each Snap after two days. Keep making the situations that get shared.

Prompt for day 1: "Vertical 9:16, 3D cartoon style, a small orange cat in a white apron flipping an 'open' sign on the door of a tiny pastel bakery at sunrise, soft warm light, gentle push in, cozy."

Try this prompt in Create Video

To keep the cat looking the same every day, design it once in ClickPop's Characters studio. The reference photos you draw there go with every video so the look stays consistent. The YouTube Shorts studio can then build each day's Snap with a hook, beats, captions and payoff.

Rules for AI content

Snap has rules on manipulated media and requires that content not deceive viewers. If your Snap shows a realistic person, place or event made with AI, disclose it. Clearly cartoonish characters like the cat above carry less risk, but read Snap's current community guidelines and Spotlight terms before you post AI content at volume.

Spotlight also expects original content. Reposting other people's clips, or mass-posting near-identical AI videos, is the kind of thing platforms filter out.

How to make a Spotlight Snap, step by step

  • Pick one idea that can be understood in a second with no sound.
  • Write the on-screen hook: five words or fewer.
  • Generate the main shot in 9:16, with the subject centered and space at the bottom.
  • Add one or two follow-up shots that pay off the hook.
  • Burn in short captions in the center area.
  • Add audio from Snapchat's library or audio you own.
  • Post to Spotlight with a specific topic tag and a one-line caption.
  • Check views and shares after two days and note what worked.

Keep the cost of each Snap low while you learn. Draft on a cheaper model such as Auto in ClickPop, which uses fast Seedance, and save higher-quality models for the ideas that already proved they get shared.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Uploading a file with another app's watermark.
  • Landscape video with black bars.
  • Text at the very bottom under the caption.
  • Content that breaks Snapchat's guidelines, which apply to Spotlight in full.
  • Using a real person's face, a celebrity look-alike or a copyrighted character.
  • Planning around a payout program without checking Snap's current terms.

Questions

What size should a Snapchat Spotlight video be?

Vertical 9:16 at 1080x1920, with important content kept in the center.

Can I post AI-generated videos on Spotlight?

Yes, if they are original and follow Snap's guidelines. Disclose realistic AI content and avoid real people's likeness.

Can I repost my TikTok videos to Spotlight?

Yes, upload the clean original file without TikTok's watermark.

Does Snapchat pay for Spotlight videos?

Snap has run creator payout programs, and their terms change. Check Snap's Creator help pages for what is available in your country.

Snapchat Spotlight with AI video: what to post and how | Click Pop