Here’s how your Snap score can go up randomly:
You can raise your Snap score by doing basic things like sending Snaps, receiving Snaps, and posting Stories.
Beyond that, Snapchat doesn’t say what exactly controls the Snap score, but it seems like using the app is what does the most.
Viewing stories, adding friends, increasing engagement, and interacting with the app might raise the score.
So if you want to learn all about how the Snap score works exactly, then you’re in the right place. Let’s get started!
What Is a Snap Score?
Before I explain how a Snap score can go up, I should probably start by explaining what it is and get us all on the same page.
Essentially, your Snap score is a number that you can see on your Snapchat profile.
If you go to your profile page, you can look under your face (or icon).
Below that is the Snap code, and under that is information that includes your Snap score.
You can also see your friend’s Snap score by looking at their profile.
You can only see the score if you are actively friends, though, so no checking the Snap score of complete strangers on the app.
If we peel back a few layers, the Snap score appears to be a bit of a nebulous idea.
Snapchat doesn’t really explain what the score is or how it works.
Despite that, users have unofficially decided that a higher score is better (especially for anyone who uses Snapchat for professional purposes like marketing).
As far as official statements from Snapchat, the score is not tied to anything that definitely matters.
Snapchat doesn’t claim to use the score in any part of its algorithms or practices.
It’s just a mysterious score that happens to be there.
How Does the Snap Score Work?
Snapchat doesn’t publish its algorithms, and that includes whatever controls the Snap score.
According to the support site for Snapchat, the score is “determined by a super-secret special equation that combines the number of Snaps you’ve sent and received, the Stories you’ve posted, and a couple other factors.”
So, we can take a few things away from that statement about how snap scores work.
Clearly, sending and receiving more Snaps and posting more Stories will add to your Snap score points.
It’s also possible that additional engagement with your Snaps can also impact the score.
In fact, a lot of people speculate on this, but the only things known for certain are that sending and receiving Snaps will raise the score. Snap score increases are directly linked to these activities.
How is a Snap Score Calculated?
Snapchat’s algorithm for calculating Snap Scores is a closely guarded secret, but it’s believed to be based on a combination of factors. Here’s a breakdown of what likely contributes to your Snap Score:
Sending and Receiving Snaps: Each snap you send and receive adds to your Snap Score. This is the most straightforward way to see your score go up.
Posting Stories: Sharing your day-to-day moments through Stories can also boost your Snap Score. The more you post, the more your score increases.
Snap Streaks: Maintaining Snap Streaks with friends can significantly boost your Snap Score. The longer the streak, the more points you accumulate.
Engagement with Other Users: Interacting with other users, such as commenting on their stories or sending them snaps, can also contribute to your Snap Score. The more you engage, the higher your score.
Quality of Snaps: The quality of your snaps, including the number of views, likes, and comments, can impact your Snap Score. High engagement on your content suggests that quality matters.
It’s worth noting that Snapchat’s algorithm is constantly evolving, and new factors may be added or weighted differently over time. So, staying active and engaged on the platform is your best bet for seeing your Snap Score soar.
Why Does the Snap Score Matter?
But, let’s hang on for a moment.
Why does the score even matter?
Unofficially, it’s a way for influencers to compete with each other.
Some might even try to use a high Snap score to evaluate Snapchat-based marketing.
This means that an influencer with a higher score might be able to charge more to provide sponsored content or promote a product or service.
If you live in the Snapchat marketing world, it might be something to take seriously.
As a casual user, it really doesn’t impact your experience.
It’s not an official thing at all, and there isn’t any significant evidence that says Snapchat uses the Snap score to influence how the app runs.
However, it might be interesting for you to see who is how active on Snapchat.
Especially if you don’t receive a response from a person, but see their Snap score increasing.
Why Might the Snap Score Increase Randomly? (4 Reasons)
Now that we’ve covered the basics of the Snap score, we can get back to the original question.
You know that sending and receiving Snaps will raise the score.
But, sometimes it seems like the score just goes up on its own, even though you aren’t sending or receiving more Snaps than usual.
I’m going to reiterate that Snapchat has not publicized an explanation for this.
I can only speculate, but based on using the app and comparing my notes with other people who are trying to crack the code, there are a few very likely reasons why your snap score increase might happen unexpectedly.
#1 You’ve Added Friends
This one is pretty simple.
If you have more friends, then there’s a good chance that how many friends you have will lead to sending and receiving more Snaps.
Since we know that raises the score, that’s enough.
Also, having more friends increases your total network, so some of the “other stuff” might also increase your score.
It’s possible that your Stories reach more people (even outside of your direct friends) and that more people on the platform are interacting with your content.
The short answer is that having more friends increases the odds that your score will go up, even if we can’t pin down exactly what mechanism is causing the change.
#2 Others Are Engaging With You
This is a little harder to analyze.
We know that your activity on the app affects your score.
It’s speculated that engagement from other users can raise your score too.
So, if other people are interacting with your Snaps and Stories, such as frequently open snaps, the assumption is that raises the score.
I can’t tell you if more views or views from more users definitely raise the score, but there’s a good chance that is the case.
It really seems like the Snap score is designed to measure how much activity you generate on the platform.
If that assumption is true, then when others engage with your content (such as your Stories), it will raise your score beyond just sending and receiving Snaps.
#3 You’re Making More Content and Sending Snaps
For the same reasons, making more content is likely to lead to a higher Snap score.
First, we can add a simple speculation.
If sending Snaps or maintaining a snap streak raises the score, posting Stories might too.
It’s still a guess, but intuition suggests that this is the case, even if Stories are weighted differently in the algorithm.
But, here’s how some people guess it works.
If you make a video and send it to a bunch of people, it only raises your score by so much.
But, if you send a bunch of unique videos, it will raise your score more.
The simple calculus is then easy to follow.
If you make more content, your score will go up faster.
#4 You’re Maintaining Streaks
This one is a lot more of a guess, and it’s really hard to determine with any amount of certainty.
It might be the case that streaks count toward your Snapchat score.
After all, Snapchat does keep track of your streaks.
So, the guess is that extending your streak records and maintaining more streaks will help your score and potentially raise it pretty quickly.
If nothing else, maintaining more streaks will inevitably increase the number of Snaps you send and receive, so it can at least push your score in that way.
Can You See Your Friend’s Snap Score?
Yes, you can see your friend’s Snap Score if you are mutual friends on Snapchat. Here’s how you can check it:
Open Snapchat: Launch the app and navigate to the Friends section.
Find Your Friend: Tap on your friend’s profile picture or username.
View Their Score: Their Snap Score will be displayed next to their username.
Keep in mind that you can only see your friend’s Snap Score if you are mutual friends on Snapchat. If you are not friends with someone, you will not be able to see their Snap Score.
While there are third-party apps and websites that claim to track Snap Scores, these methods are not officially supported by Snapchat and may not be accurate. It’s always best to use the app itself for the most reliable information.
By following these steps, you can keep an eye on your friend’s Snap Score and maybe even engage in a little friendly competition to see who can get the highest Snap Score!
