It’s hard to make friends when you’re the new one in class. We’ve all been there.
It can feel just as challenging trying to make friends when you’re new on a social media platform, especially Snapchat.
Compared to platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where you can search for friends using tags, keywords, and phrases, Snapchat is an outlier.
Here’s the question: is it still possible to easily find friends (old and new) on Snapchat to follow? The answer is yes.
But first, let’s take a quick look at why Snapchat itself just might be even more influential than you think.
Why Is Snapchat Important?
A whopping 5 million snaps are posted each day, on average. That number becomes a little less surprising when you consider that over 75% of 13-34 year-olds in the U.S. use Snapchat.
As of 2021, Snapchat was the most popular social media platform for teenagers. Businesses have also been flocking to Snapchat, following the path of Generation Z.
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This all adds up to an incredible number of users.
And massive potential for new Snapchat friends.
Getting Snapchat Friends Isn’t Hard
While it may not be what you’re used to, finding friends on Snapchat is easy.
Not only are there a variety of ways to find your current friends but new ones, as well.
Snapchat recently reported an overall increase in teenagers watching videos on electronic devices – there are many users glued to their phones just waiting to be your Snapchat friend.
You can find old friends you haven’t connected with for a while. Celebrities whose lives you’d love to stay up to date on. Brand new friends you just met on social media.
The possibilities are at your fingertips.
5 Steps for Finding Snapchats to Follow
Ready to make some friends? Here’s a list of basic steps to follow to increase your Snapchat friend’s list.
Pick and choose what works for you, and you’ll grow your social circle in no time.
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1. Add Friends by Using Snapcodes
Snapcodes are similar to QR codes. All you need to do is scan them, and you’re good to go. Follow the steps below to use Snapcodes to add new Snapchat friends.
Scan It With Your Phone
Have your friend:
- Tap their profile icon on the top left.
- Tap their Snapcode on the top of the screen (should be a yellow square).
Then you:
- Open your camera on your phone.
- Hold it above the other phone’s screen.
- Scan the Snapcode.
- Tap the pop-up to add a friend.
Save It to Your Camera Roll
Have your friend:
- Tap their profile icon on the top left.
- Tap their Snapcode on the top of the screen.
- Select “Save Snapcode” to save a copy to their camera roll.
- Send the picture to you through text.
Then you:
- Tap on your profile icon on the top left.
- Tap on the gear icon on the top right.
- Select “Snapcodes.”
- Select “Scan from Camera Roll.”
- Select the photo you wish to scan.
Directly Share the Snapcode
Have your friend:
- Tap their profile icon on the top left.
- Tap their Snapcode on the top of the screen.
- Select “Share URL” to share directly via Snapchat, Messenger, and Gmail, among others.
Then you:
- Tap the shared URL to add a friend.
Search Online for Snapcodes
There are many celebrities who have publicly posted their Snapcodes, including all-too-famous Kylie Jenner (@kylizzlemynizzl) at the top of the list.
Many regular users also post their Snapcodes on social media. Try searching on Instagram, Facebook, or even Google to find possible new friends.
2. Promote Your Own Snapcode
There’s no need to stick solely to your list of personal friends when building your Snapchat. There’s a whole worldwide web out there. Why not take advantage of it?
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Even if you’re new to Snapchat, you’ve likely had other social media accounts before. Maybe even a few. It’s time to leverage the people you’ve already reached out to.
Letting others know about your personal Snapcode can be a fantastic way to make more Snapchat friends. Let others come to you. Here’s how to do that.
Update Your Profile
No one wants to be friends with an anonymous user. Add some personality to your username. Upload an image to your profile if you really want your new friends to add you back.
Post Your Snapcode on Social Media
This can be one of the best ways to make new friends on Snapchat. Promote, promote, and promote yourself some more.
You always have to accept friend requests first, so it’s still possible to whittle down your friend’s list to the people you really want to follow back.
3. Quick Add and Snap Stars
Quick Add is a Snapchat feature that gives you friend suggestion recommendations based on your contacts and friends list. Snap Stars, on the other hand, allows you to check out some of the most popular Snapchats you can subscribe to.
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Find Friends in Quick Add
- Swipe down from the middle of your screen.
- Scroll to “Quick Add.”
- Tap “Add” to add friends or “X” to remove the suggestions.
Find Users to Follow Using Snap Stars
- Swipe down from the middle of your screen.
- Scroll to “Popular Snap Stars.”
- Tap “Subscribe” for users you would like to add.
4. Search by Your Friend’s Name
This method works even if you don’t know your friend’s exact username. With Snapchat, it’s safe enough to take a guess – you never know who may pop up.
Search by Name
- Swipe down from the middle of your screen.
- Type your friend’s full name or nickname into the search bar up top.
5. Add by Phone Number
Can’t quite remember how your friend spells their full name, but you have their phone number? Here’s what you can try instead.
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Search for Friends by Phone Number
- Swipe down from the middle of your screen.
- Type and search for your friend’s phone number.
Yes, There Are Celebrities on Snapchat
Want to make yourself some famous friends? There are tons of celebrities on Snapchat, many of whom have shared their Snapcode or username.
These are accounts you can subscribe to so you can see what’s going on in the lives of your favorite superstar. They might not add you as a “friend,” but it’s a fantastic way to keep up with what’s going on in their world.
Curious what’s out there? Can’t decide who to follow? Here, I’ll help.
Some of the Best Snapchats to Follow
David Dobrik
Snapchat name: @daviddobrik
David Dobrik is no stranger to change, although he is largely known for his weekly vlogs.
This user started on Vine, later moved onto YouTube, and as of now has a massive following on Snapchat. Follow him if you’re looking to start your day with a dose of humor.
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Cassey Ho
Snapchat name: @blogilates
This fitness guru is no runner-up. With an admirable goal of simply wanting to motivate others, Cassey Ho has managed to reach many.
So many, in fact, that across all social media platforms, she currently has over 4 million followers.
Brittany Furlan
Snapchat name: @brittanyfurlan
Another comedian with an impressive following at over 600,000 followers on Snapchat alone, Brittany Furlan is primarily known for her tongue-in-cheek humor.
Another excellent choice for when you need a funny story to brighten up your day.
Christine Mi
Snapchat name: @miologie
An artist with a flair for what’s funny, Christine Mi has surely found her niche. She frequently posts selfies with great works of art painted on top of them.
This artist has also been able to use Snapchat to her advantage and has partnered with multiple large brands.
The Washington Post
Snapchat name: @washingtonpost
A well-known and respected news outlet, The Washington Post also has a Snapchat account. Follow them to keep up to date on what’s happening, where, and when.
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Can Adding Snapchat Friends Help My Business?
As social media’s influence becomes ever larger, more and more businesses are looking to it to increase their brand.
For company’s wishing to engage with a younger crowd, getting on Snapchat is vital. With Snapchat now reaching 70% of 13-24 year-olds, it’s an easy platform to pick.
Snapchat has been making it even easier for businesses to reach their target audience. As of last June, Snapchat released its targeted Dynamic Ads globally after being available as beta in the U.S.
In the end, not only individual people but also businesses stand to expand their reach massively by using Snapchat.
Conclusion
I’ve been there, too. It can be disheartening when you first set out to make more Snapchat friends.
With its differences from other social media platforms, including the inability to search key terms to find people to follow, things may seem rough.
Fear not, for growing your Snapchat social circle is absolutely possible. All it takes is a little patience and a little work.
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Head on out to Snapchat – it’s time to make some friends!
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Image Credits
All screenshots taken by author, April 2021