How to sign up for Snapchat: a step-by-step guide for small businesses

Signing up for Snapchat takes about five minutes and you only need an email address or phone number. This guide walks through the process step by step, from downloading the app to switching on a public profile so customers can find you.

What you need before you start

You need a smartphone (iPhone or Android), an email address or phone number that you can access, and a date of birth. Snapchat requires users to be 13 or older. If you already have a personal Snapchat account, you do not need to sign up again: you can switch it to a public business profile instead.

Step 1: Download the app

Open the Apple App Store on iPhone or Google Play Store on Android. Search for Snapchat and tap Install. The app is free and about 80 MB. Open it once the download finishes. If you already removed the app and want to recreate it, uninstall first from Settings then re-download: Snapchat does not let you have two accounts on one device, but you can log out and back into different accounts.

Step 2: Create your account

Tap Sign Up and enter your email address or phone number. Snapchat sends a verification code to confirm it is yours. Type the code and set a strong password, then enter your first name and date of birth. Your birthday is not shown publicly; Snapchat uses it to enforce the age limit and to personalise safety settings.

Step 3: Username and Bitmoji

Snapchat asks you to choose a unique username. This is your public handle: someone who knows it can search for you. Pick something that matches your business name. Skim through the suggestions because Snapchat tells you whether a name is taken before you commit. Next you can create a Bitmoji, which is a cartoon avatar that appears next to your name. You can skip this and add it later.

Step 4: Start following and add friends

Snapchat suggests accounts to follow based on your interests. Tap through or skip these. The signup process is complete once you reach the camera screen. At this point you have a basic private account, which is fine for personal use. Businesses need a public profile so anyone can follow them without approval.

Step 5: Switch to a public account

Public accounts let anyone follow you, and your public Stories appear in Snapchat's Spotlight and Search sections where new audiences can discover them. Tap your profile icon at the top left, tap the settings gear, and scroll down to "Public Profile." Follow the prompts to create a public profile with your business name, website link and a description. Once your profile is public, the Follow button replaces the Add Friend button on your profile.

Step 6: Post your first public Story

A public Story is a photo or short video visible to everyone for 24 hours. Tap the circle at the bottom of the camera screen, take your first snap, and tap the send button. Choose My Story from the list, then tap the public toggle so it shows to everyone rather than just friends. Your first Story tells people who you are and what you share.

Step 7: Check your privacy settings

Go back to Settings and review who can send you snaps, contact you and see your location on the Snap Map. For business accounts, set Snaps and Chat to Everyone if you want customer messages, or Friends Only if you want to manage enquiries manually. Disable the Snap Map location sharing unless your business relies on foot traffic. You can change any of these later.

What to do if you get stuck

Snapchat's support centre at help.snapchat.com covers common signup problems: verification emails not arriving, username already taken, or account locked after too many attempts. If your business needs a full social media strategy beyond Snapchat, Victory Digital's social media marketing team can help plan and manage your presence across multiple platforms. Contact us at [email protected] to talk through your options.

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