Still not clear what followers on snapchat is

practical bit that confuses people: followers only see what you post publicly, your public story and spotlight. anything sent to my story with private settings only goes to friends. so if you've got a public profile and followers aren't seeing anything, check which story you're actually posting to.

Friends on snapchat are two-way, you both add each other. Followers are one-way: people subscribing to a public profile without you adding them back. You only get followers once you have a public profile set up, and for a brand that is the one you want - nobody is accepting thousands of friend requests by hand.