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16 Comments

Twitter just announced paid "Super Follows" to let you charge for tweets

  1. 6

    Twitter has been sitting on a goldmine for the longest time and they've finally started the extraction process.

    Right now, Twitter is the best way in the world to convert intellectual capital into social capital [1]. But to convert that newfound social capital into financial capital, users have to go off platform: linking people to their SaaS products, paid newsletters, consulting websites, etc.

    But through new features like Super Follows and paid newsletters (via Twitter's recent acquisition of Revue), and their secretive Clubhouse rival Spaces, Twitter is moving to capture all of that lost value.

    It's a good time to be bullish on the future of Twitter.

    [1] For example, if you gain an insight about running your business, not only can you personally put that insight to use as you continue operating, but you can also share it publicly in exchange for followers and public credibility.

    1. 1

      I see #RIPTwitter is trending because of these changes. However, I am now even more excited about the Twitter platform because we can monetise our work without going elsewhere.

      People are saying they wouldn't pay for tweets, and that's perfectly okay. It's seriously no different to free/paid content on YouTube, Patreon, Substack etc. There's the choice to follow for free, and there's the same choice when paying for someone's content.

      I've already gone in on the Revue newsletter and moved away from Substack. The experience alone was worth it for me.

      Then there's Twitter Spaces which I can host, but I haven't hosted yet. However, I have been listening in on other people's Spaces, and I'm really enjoying the conversations thus far. It's a super (pun intended) exciting time for the Twitter space right now, and I'm all for it.

  2. 3

    This is cool, but if I'm a creator wanting to monetize my content and not worry about platform changes, I still think my best long-term option is to own a mailing list (via a third-party like Substack if necessary, but ultimately have those email addresses in my possession) - not rely on the audience systems of platforms, especially since those platforms will likely make it more and more expensive for me to reach my audience on them - Facebook is the classic example. I believe that everything will go the way of email list ownership. I could be naive here though.

    1. 1

      I still think my best long-term option is to own a mailing list (via a third-party like Substack if necessary, but ultimately have those email addresses in my possession)

      Twitter claims it will let you freely export emails you collect for Revue newsletters built on the platform. If true, this significantly reduces the platform risk of building a newsletter on Twitter.

      1. 1

        The ability to export your subscribers is built into Revue. If they removed that option, then I think there would be uproar.

  3. 3

    This is such a great example of tech realizing the power of communities.

    It’s a big shift for twitter - and I think a really important one when it comes to having alternatives for say closed facebook groups - or people who use patreon and are tired of being gouged on fees.

  4. 2

    Wondered, is this somehow related to acquiring Revue.

    1. 4

      Revue can be a piece of the puzzle as Super Follows also supports susbcriber-only newsletters.

  5. 1

    Hi! I like twitter. But my Twitter account still low, I first tried to promote it on my own, but it takes a lot of my time and I am not good at it. I have a come across platforms that help you in the started. So far, I've settled on the best choice. I like their work and and quality of service. I Think it will be helpful for someone https://get-accs.com/twitter-accounts/

  6. 1

    It is funny. A lot of us here see as a positive thing to allow "flexibility" if a creator wants to monetize. Not everyone would want to do that, everyone has a diff tactic.

    But if you read on Twitter, a lot of people are saying they will never pay for tweets. I'm thinking maybe some of them didn't read into the details (?) and are thinking they're forced to pay, which is not the case. They can choose to get the free version vs paid version.

  7. 1

    That's amazing news. It ties in nicely with the intro of Revue. It's a great example how traditional platforms can support creators.

  8. 1

    Yup...trying to compete with Substack, Patreon, and others. It's subscription-model-madness!!

    But, Twitter is a genius.

  9. 1

    Unfortunately I think it's not a sustainable business strategy when they love banning people arbitrarily.

    Would be nice for an extra "add-on" stream of income, but if people are making it their primary revenue stream, I think they're asking for trouble.

  10. 1

    it'll be interesting to see where this goes!!

  11. 1

    It's a bit scary to see Twitter and even LinkedIn getting their act together. YouTube might be next.

    These platforms hold a massive amount of power as some of the biggest distribution channels on the web. And unlike Facebook they're actually popular with our demographic.

    If they throw their weight around, I think they can absolutely crush the "branches" growing off their tree: the Gumroads, Patreons, Substacks, OnlyFans, and every other creator economy company.

    1. 2

      I'm not sure if that's true. To what extent has facebook communities wiped out other community websites? Ex. Reddit is still very active.

      I think this will be a boon and validate that there is lots of money to be made here. Also I believe the savvy entrepreneurs watching will be ready to deploy new features that work with twitter super followers.

  12. 3

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