Everything you need to know about making your own Snapchat filter

If you've used Snapchat then you're probably familiar with the app's geofilters, the illustrations you can overlay on top of your photos and videos. 

Earlier this year, Snapchat expanded the ability to make these illustrations to all users with a feature that enables anyone to pay for custom geofilters. Unlike the app's other location-based filters for neighborhoods or cities, which may stay at a specific location indefinitely, on-demand geofilters expire after a preset period of time. 

The idea is to allow Snapchatters an easy way of creating small-scale temporary filters for special occasions and events. (Note that users can still submit regular geofilters for neighborhoods or local landmarks free of charge.) 

Making a filter and getting it approved for Snapchat is a pretty straightforward process that can be completed in a day or two if you know what you're doing. Here's what you need to know.

Getting Started

The first step is to create the actual artwork for the filter. Snapchat has specific requirements for the illustrations you'll need to keep in mind for it to be approved.

For the graphic itself, Snapchat suggests that filters "don't cover up too much of the screen" and use "no more than two lines of non-stylized text." The company's guidelines also prohibit photographs of people (illustrated characters are okay), personal information and hashtags or emails addresses. 

Two of Snapchat's sample templates.

IMAGE: SNAPCHAT

There are also specific file size requirements you'll need to adhere to in order for the filter to work (Snapchat provides a set of templates you can use as a starting point.)

You can review Snapchat's full set of guidelines and tips on its website.

Submitting and pricing

Once you've got your artwork nailed down, the next step is to upload it to Snapchat and map out where you want it to appear.

After uploading the file (you'll see a preview of how it will look on a phone) you'll be asked to map out a geofence for the filter. This is the area where users will be able to see the filter at the specified date and time. This step is particularly important as it (along with the duration) will determine the price of the filter.

IMAGE: SNAPCHAT

The minimum area for a geofilter is 20,000 square feet, or part of a city block. Filters around this size that last less than a day cost about $5. Prices go up from there depending on the duration and size of the fence your draw (the maximum size is 5,000,000 square feet, which is several city blocks). You can experiment with different areas to see how much they'll cost on Snapchat's uploader tool. 

Keep in mind that smartphone's GPSS isn't always perfect, so you may want to err on the side of a slightly bigger fence than what you think you'll need, particularly if it's an area without WiFi or if it has a poor signal.

What happens next

After you have the area mapped out, the last step is to pay for your submission and wait for Snapchat's approval. Snapchat says it expects most submissions to be approved within one business day. But if you are planning the filter for a big event, like a party or wedding, it's probably a good idea to give yourself an extra day or two in case there are any adjustments you need to make.

Snapchat provides stats for how many times a filter has been viewed and used

After it's approved and the filter goes live, you can check in on its metrics, which may be particularly useful for businesses. Snapchat provides stats on how many times a filter has been viewed and used. Views are the number of times a Snap with the filter applied was seen by someone on Snapchat (either directly or via a Story) and uses counts how many times a snap with your filter was sent. You can check out these figures on Snapchat's websites after logging in and checking "my orders."