Twitter revamps monetization model with Subscriptions and ultra-long tweets
Twitter revamps monetization model with Subscriptions and ultra-long tweets
Get ready for 10,000-character tweets
Twitter is replacing its Super Follows tool with a new Subscription model that lets individual users charge fees for accessing exclusive content including videos and essays.
Users who sign up for the Subscription program will be able to offer exclusive tweets to subscribers, as well as special profile badges and subscriber-only Spaces (Twitter’s version of live-audio chat rooms).
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Twitter Subscriptions
💸 Twitter has rolled out a new monetization model
🧱 Some users can now release content behind paywalls
👋 This new Subscription system replaces Twitter’s Super Follows tool
💰 Twitter won’t be taking a cut of the profits for the first 12 months
Creators will be able to choose between three price tiers – $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 – and will receive all the money paid by subscribers, minus the revenue charges levied by Android and iOS. According to CEO Elon Musk, Twitter will take no cut for the next 12 months.
“You will receive whatever money we receive, so that’s 70% for subscriptions on iOS & Android (they charge 30%) and ~92% on web (could be better, depending on payment processor),” Musk said.
“At any point, you can leave our platform and take your work with you. Easy in, easy out.”
To be eligible to start your own Subscription, you must have at least 10,000 followers, have tweeted at least 25 times in the past 30 days, and be at least 18 years old.
The new monetization model looks to tie into the latest update to Twitter Blue. Premium subscribers are now able to post tweets containing up to 10,000 characters and format their posts with bold and italicized text, which Twitter is framing as a way for professional writers and hobbyists to produce exclusive, subscription-ready content.
“We’re making improvements to the writing and reading experience on Twitter! Starting today, Twitter now supports Tweets up to 10,000 characters in length, with bold and italic text formatting,” Twitter said.
“Sign up for Twitter Blue to access these new features, and apply to enable Subscriptions on your account to earn income directly on Twitter. Tap on “Monetization” in settings to apply today.”
Twitter introduced the option for Twitter Blue subscribers to send very, very long tweets back in February, expanding the character limit to 4,000. The 10,000 limit here, combined with the extra formatting tools, look like a more sincere effort to turn Twitter into a play where essays and think pieces can be hosted – the kind of content which takes a long time to create and users might want to monetize.
This is only the latest move by Musk to boost Twitter’s revenue. Blue tick verification was relaunched as a paid feature in the revamped Twitter Blue, and Musk cut the company’s workforce in half to save on costs.