Snapchat is working hard to add new features and more reasons to use it. Everything out of the ordinary, even remotely interesting, isn’t enough, as if you were photographing every single aspect of your daily routine. Geofilters are another way to share things on the social network, and that includes your location.
Geofilters are layers of animation that you can add to your images. They are only found in certain areas, hence the geographic part of the name. For example, if you pass by a cafe that has created its own geofilter for Snapchat and you take a selfie of you and your macchiato, there may be an option to add the overlay to your image.
Geofilters are also time-limited to add some exclusivity. You have to be really knowledgeable to collect some of these!
How to use geofilters on Snapchat
Using geofilters on Snapchat is pretty simple. You must have location services enabled to use them. Let’s check this out before we start using geofilters.
On Android:
- Open Settings on your phone.
- Select Apps and then Snapchat.
- Select Permissions and change Location to on.
On iOS:
- Open Settings on your iDevice.
- Scroll down to Snapchat and select it.
- Select Location and change the setting to While Using the App.
Note that by turning on location, you are potentially introducing where you are to other Snapchat users while using the app. This may include Snap Maps.
Access geofilters now.
- Open the app and take a photo or video.
- Enter Edit mode for this image and swipe right to access geofilters.
- Select the filter you want to add.
Sometimes you can add more than one geofilter, to do this simply select and hold the filter to add it.
The geofilters available on Snapchat will differ depending on where you might be at the time. If you’re in a big city, you’ll probably have plenty to choose from. If you are in a more remote area, there may be only a few or none at all.
How to create your own geofilters on Snapchat
If the geofilters you see on Snapchat don’t excite you, you can make your own. Both individuals and businesses can create their own filters and publish them to the platform for people to use. If you are a creative person or want to promote something, you can.
The upside is that the creation process is very simple. The downside is that you have to pay to drop them on Snapchat. Currently, the price is around $5.99 for a 20,000-square-foot range, but that goes up for larger spaces and longer timelines.
Here’s how to create a geofilter.
- Sign in to Snapchat as you normally would.
- Select the ghost icon in the top left.
- Select the gear settings icon in the upper right corner of the next screen.
- Select Optional Geofilters.
- If you are using the wizard for the first time, follow the wizard. Otherwise, tap the phone icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select the event or event on the next screen.
- Choose a suitable template and modify it according to your needs using the on-screen tools.
- Select the green checkmark when your geofilter is finished.
You can also use the Snapchat website to create a geofilter or upload an image for approval using your graphic editor.
Tapping this green checkmark will take you to the Tell us about your Geofilter page. Here you need to provide some data about your geofilter.
- Give it a name and change the Filter Type if needed.
- Add a start and end date and time.
- Set a location and range for the geofilter to appear. The default is 20,000 square feet, but you can expand it if you want.
- Select Continue when you are satisfied with the location.
- Select OK when Submitted for Review. pop-up window appears.
- Wait for confirmation. This can take from an hour to several days.
- Pay for the geofilter after approval.
After payment and confirming the purchase, the geofilter will activate on the date and time you specify. Snapchat users in your domain will be able to use your geofilter on their snaps while it is active. You can check how many times people use it in My GeoFilters.
Using geofilters on Snapchat is another way to interact with the world around you and a way for businesses to advertise events and promotions. Filters are a very popular aspect of the social network, so geofilters are probably really popular!
