Last updated June 15, 2026
To use Snapchat for your business, create a business account, secure it with multi-factor authentication, set a social media policy for your staff, then grow your following by sharing your Snapcode across your other channels. The security steps matter most, because a hijacked business account can be used to scam your own customers.
TL;DR. Snapchat can work for a business that sells to a younger audience, but it is also a target for account takeover. Set up a business account, turn on multi-factor authentication, and limit who can log in before you start posting. Grow your following by sharing your Snapcode on your other channels, and put a written social media policy in place once more than one person posts.
Snapchat still reaches a large, mostly under-35 audience every day, which is why it shows up on so many marketing plans. You can set up a profile through Snapchat for Business in a few minutes. But the same thing that makes any business social account valuable, direct access to your audience, is exactly what makes it a target. Before you post a single Snap, you want the account locked down.
What is Snapchat, in plain terms?
Snapchat is an app for sending photos and short videos, called Snaps, that disappear after they are viewed. You can string Snaps together into a Story that stays visible for 24 hours. The appeal for businesses is the candid, behind-the-scenes feel. Instead of polished ads, your audience gets a human look at your company, which keeps your brand top of mind when they are ready to buy.
Is Snapchat right for your business?
Snapchat is not for everyone. It rewards brands that sell to younger consumers and have something visual to show. Here is a quick way to tell whether it earns your time.
| Your situation | Is Snapchat a fit | What to prioritize |
|---|---|---|
| You sell to under-35 consumers | Strong fit | Lock the account, then post Stories |
| You are B2B or sell to older buyers | Weak fit | Spend your time on LinkedIn instead |
| One person manages your social | Workable | MFA plus a password manager |
| A team posts on your behalf | Workable with rules | A written social media policy |
How do you secure a Snapchat business account?
A business social media account is a brand asset, and account takeover is a common attack. If someone hijacks it, they can impersonate you, message your followers with scam links, or lock you out entirely. Lock it down before you grow it.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication. This is the single highest-impact step. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency notes that MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. Our team breaks down why in this guide to multi-factor authentication.
- Use a strong, unique password. Never reuse the password from another tool. A password manager makes this painless, and CISA covers the basics in its Secure Our World guidance.
- Limit who has access. Only give login rights to the people who post. When someone leaves the team, rotate the credentials the same day.
- Watch for phishing. Most account compromises start with a fake login prompt or a malicious message. The FTC publishes plain-language small business cybersecurity guidance worth sharing with your team, and you can read our own primer on phishing attacks.
How do you grow a following on Snapchat?
Unlike Twitter or Instagram, hashtags do not help much on Snapchat. People have to find and add you by username, because Snapchat has almost no built-in discovery. That means you grow your audience by promoting your account everywhere else you already have a presence.
- Share your Add Me URL. Post a custom link on your other channels so people can add you in one tap. Swap in your handle here, https://www.snapchat.com/add/yourusername
- Promote your username. Put it in your other social profiles, your email signature, your blog, and your website footer.
- Plan content worth following. Tease a useful or fun series of Snaps and announce it on your other accounts so people have a reason to connect.
- Use your Snapcode. Set your Snapcode QR image as the profile picture on your other networks. Anyone who points their camera at it gets added automatically.
Why does a social media policy matter?
The moment more than one person can post, you need a written social media policy. It sets the rules for who posts, what is off-limits, how to handle direct messages, and what to do if an account is compromised. It also protects you from accidental data leaks, where an employee shares something in the background of a Snap that should never have left the building. We cover the why in our piece on the benefits of social media policy reviews.
Here is our honest take. For most of the small and medium businesses we support, Snapchat is a nice-to-have, not a priority. The security habits behind it are the part that actually matters, because the same weak password or missing MFA that loses a Snapchat account is what loses an email inbox or a bank login. Get those fundamentals right and the marketing choice becomes a lot lower stakes.
Social platforms come and go, but the security fundamentals do not. If you want help securing your business accounts, training your staff to spot phishing, or building a social media policy that holds up, that is exactly the kind of work our cybersecurity team does every day. Call us at (866) 570-3065 or request a free consultation.
Snapchat for business, common questions
Is Snapchat still worth it for business in 2026?
Yes, if your customers are under 35. Snapchat still reaches a large daily audience in that age range, and few competitors use it well, so there is room to stand out. It works best as one channel in a wider plan, not your only one.
How do I keep my business Snapchat account from getting hacked?
Turn on multi-factor authentication, use a unique password stored in a password manager, and limit logins to the people who actually post. Most takeovers start with phishing, so train your team to recognize fake login prompts.
Do I need a social media policy for Snapchat?
Yes, the moment more than one person can post. A written policy sets who can post, what is off-limits, how to handle messages, and what to do if the account is compromised. It also helps prevent accidental data leaks in the background of a Snap.
What is a Snapcode and how do I use it?
A Snapcode is your account’s QR image. Set it as your profile picture on your other networks, and anyone who points their Snapchat camera at it is added to your account automatically. It is the fastest way to grow a following.
Can a hacked social media account put the rest of my business at risk?
It can. Attackers use a hijacked account to message your customers with scam links, harvest credentials, or impersonate your brand. If staff reuse that password elsewhere, the damage can spread to other systems, which is why account security ties back to your broader cybersecurity plan.
