Snapchat Stories for Business: How They Work (2026)
Scott Fensome4 min read
A business on Snapchat posts Stories from a Public Profile, and a Public Story can be seen by your friends, subscribers and potentially non subscribers for 24 hours. From the web you can upload MP4 video of 5 to 60 seconds at 540x960 or larger, and schedule it to go live later.
Stories are the follower side of Snapchat. Spotlight is the discovery side. This post covers the Story side for a brand.
What you need first: a Public Profile
Every business Story comes from a Public Profile. Snap's business help says Public Profiles are free, need no payment method, and are required if you want to advertise. You set one up from Ads Manager, and each username needs its own unique email address.
A few profile limits from Snap's setup guide:
- Display name: 30 characters maximum
- Profile photo: at least 320x320 pixels, PNG or JPG, 2MB maximum
- Up to 100 Public Profiles per business account
Your profile is live and searchable the moment you create it, so have some content ready.
Public Story vs Saved Stories
| Public Story | Saved Story | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it stays | 24 hours | Permanently on your profile |
| Who can post | Profile Admins, Collaborators, Story Contributors | Profile Admins only |
| Content | Your Snaps in the order you created them | Up to 100 Snaps or 5 minutes, whichever comes first |
| Posting from web | Yes, with scheduling | View only on web, create in the app |
Public Story
Your Public Story is your Snaps in the order you created them. Snap describes it as your daily point of view: behind the scenes, daily activity, what's happening now. It lasts 24 hours.
Insights Viewers on your profile cannot post. Admins, Collaborators and Story Contributors can, from the app or the web.
Saved Stories
Saved Stories stay on your profile permanently. They can be videos or images, taken from Stories you already posted or straight from your camera roll.
Two details from Snap's help page that matter if you upload video:
- Each Snap is 10 seconds, so a longer video is automatically cut into 10 second segments.
- Snap recommends giving each Saved Story a narrative and avoiding more than 15 Snaps, even though the limit is 100.
Saved Stories can only be created in the app. In Ads Manager you can view them but not change them.
How to post a Snapchat Story from the web
- Go to Public Profiles, then Public Stories in Ads Manager and choose Post to Snapchat, or log in at my.snapchat.com with your Public Profile username.
- Click Choose Media.
- Pick a file within Snap's limits: MP4 video, 5 to 60 seconds, at least 540x960.
- Choose which Profile or Profiles to post to.
- Optionally click Schedule and set a date and time.
- Agree to the terms.
- Click Post to Snapchat. It can take a few moments to go live.
One catch: you can't post the same upload to your Public Story and Spotlight at once from the web uploader. Snap says you have to repeat the process separately.
How far ahead can you schedule? The Business Manager dashboard I use states that Story and Spotlight posts can be scheduled up to 30 days in advance through Profile Manager. Snap's help article itself doesn't give a number.
Snapchat Story video specs
| Spec | Web uploader | Public Profile API |
|---|---|---|
| File type | MP4 | MP4 |
| Length | 5 to 60 seconds | 5 to 60 seconds |
| Minimum resolution | 540x960 | 540x960 |
| Description field | Not stated | No description field on Story posts |
| Maximum upload | Not stated | 1GB by multipart upload, in chunks of up to 32MB |
Snap's docs don't specify an aspect ratio for Stories beyond the 540x960 minimum, which is 9:16. Export at 1080x1920 and you meet it with room to spare. Keep text clear of the top and bottom of the frame, as covered in safe zones for Reels text.
The full side by side with Instagram and Facebook is in video specs for Reels and Spotlight.
Posting Stories by API
Snap's Public Profile API can post Stories, but access is allowlist only, so it's only available to approved apps. Uploaded media must be used within 24 hours of being created or the post fails. Unlike Spotlight, Snap's docs don't mention a review step for Stories.
Should a business post Stories or Spotlight?
Both, usually, because they do different jobs. Stories reach people who already subscribe and disappear after a day. Spotlight is reviewed and recommended to people who don't follow you yet. The same 9:16 clip can work on both if it's 6 to 60 seconds, has sound and isn't letterboxed. See Spotlight vs Stories and the Snapchat Spotlight requirements.
Reel Uploader is waiting on Snap's approval for the Public Profile API. Once Snap approves the app, one upload will go to Spotlight and Stories alongside Instagram and Facebook Reels, saving the two separate passes through Snap's web uploader. For the whole workflow, read the cross posting guide.
Questions people ask
How long does a Snapchat Story last for a business?
A Public Story is viewable for 24 hours. Saved Stories stay on your profile permanently.
Can I upload a video longer than 60 seconds to my Story from the web?
No. Snap's web uploader accepts 5 to 60 seconds.
Do I need to pay for a Snapchat Public Profile?
No. Snap says Public Profiles are free and don't need a payment method.
Can more than one person post to our Story?
Yes. Profile Admins, Collaborators and Story Contributors can post. Insights Viewers cannot.
Sources
- Snapchat Business Help: Post to your Public Story on web
- Snapchat Business Help: Add Saved Stories to your Public Profile
- Snapchat Business Help: How to set up a Public Profile for your business
- Snapchat Business Help: Post Snap Spotlight content to your Profile
- Snap for Developers: Public Profile API, Profile Asset Management
Written by Scott Fensome
Runs a daily vlog channel and posts the clips to Reels, Shorts and Spotlight himself. Built Reel Uploader to do it without getting a new Page flagged.
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