Elon Musk's $8/mo Twitter Blue shake-up explained

Here are the Twitter Blue benefits, as outlined by new Twitter owner Elon Musk

➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: $8/mo for new Twitter perks

• 💰 Elon Musk announced a $8/mo plan for new Twitter Blue perks

• 🤖 It would come with a checkmark in an effort to defeat the bots

• 💬 Priority placement in replies, mentions & searches to thwart spam/scams

• 📺 You’ll be able to post longer video and audio than average users

• 🙅‍♂️ Half as many ads and paywall bypass for some publications

Elon Musk wants to expand the perks of Twitter Blue and abolish the current “lords & peasants system” for who gets a verified Twitter badge and who doesn’t. That’s good news if you’re without the blue tick mark and are willing to pay $8/mo for it.

No timetable has been announced, but Musk, now the owner of Twitter, is moving fast for two reasons:

• 1) to defeat SPAM and scams on Twitter and

• 2) raise money for the revenue-strapped company.

There are more perks to the $8/mo Twitter Blue subscription besides a blue check mark. You’ll also surface higher in replies, mentions and searches – the thinking here is that bot armies and scammers won’t willing to pay to ruin the Twitter experience.

Privileges like posting longer videos and audio will also be rolling into Twitter perk – a benefit bestowed upon some creators and brands, but not everyone. Finally, you’ll see half as many ads, Musk says, and Twitter will work with certain publishers to let Twitter Blue members bypass their paywalls.

For content creators, this is a no-brainer. But for everyday Twitter users, there’s serious hesitation to pay when so many other social media platforms are free. If it does make Twitter infinitely better, however, there’s an incentive to stay. And at least we know it won’t cost $20 per month, like previously reported.