Twitter’s New Subscription Service: Blue Skies Ahead?

Twitter Blue launches in Canada and Australia…
Features include ‘undo tweet’ button and dedicated support…
Part of company’s efforts to diversify revenue…

Twitter officially begins the rollout of its first subscription service Twitter Blue.

The social media giant announced today the new service is now available for users in Canada and Australia.

They also tamped down fears that free Twitter could disappear, confirming the longtime site is here to stay.

What Does Twitter Blue Include?

Twitter is launching the subscription service to give users access to many features that have long been requested, including the ability to undo a tweet.

Using the “Undo Tweet” feature, users will be able to preview their tweet before sending and set a timer of up to 30 seconds to undo it or make changes before it permanently posts to their profile.

That means no more autocorrect casualties plaguing your timeline and seems to be Twitter’s answer to a long-requested “edit” option.

Image credit

Subscribers will also be able to bookmark folders, which Twitter says will “let you organize the Tweets you’ve saved by letting you manage content so when you need it, you can find it easily and efficiently.”

Twitter Blue includes a “Reader Mode” which will turn long threads into easier-to-read text, similar to the “Reader View” offered by Apple on its Safari browser on iPhones.

Twitter says, “Subscribers will also get access to perks, such as customizable app icons for their device’s home screen and fun color themes for their Twitter app, and will have access to dedicated subscription customer support.”

The company told The Verge that Twitter Blue users will get an expedited timeframe on any issues they report to the site ranging from account issues to harassment reports.

The company says they chose the features for the service based on feedback they’ve received over the years from Twitter users.

For Canadian users, the subscription costs $3.49 CAD per month while Australian users will pay $4.49 AUD monthly.

The social media giant said they will continue to add more features to the service over time, as they receive feedback from subscribers.

Twitter did not provide details on when the subscription service will launch in the U.S.

Twitter Works to Diversify Revenue Stream

The launch of Twitter Blue comes as part of the social media’s efforts to increase revenue over the next two years.

An SEC filing from February shows the company set a goal to reach 315 million monetizable daily active users by the fourth quarter of 2023 and at least double its total annual revenue to $7.5 billion or more in 2023.

But Twitter’s first-quarter earnings did not look to be on track with those goals as user growth fell short of expectations and the company provided lower than expected revenue guidance for Q2.

The majority of Twitter’s revenue currently comes from ads but after a sharp drop in ad revenues in Q2 2020, the company began talking about diversifying that money stream.

In his Q2 2020 Letter to Shareholders, CEO Jack Dorsey said, “We are also in the early stages of exploring additional potential revenue product opportunities to complement our advertising business. These may include subscriptions and other approaches.”

On the earnings call, Dorsey said, “most importantly, we want to make sure that any new line of revenue is complementary to our advertising business. We do think there’s a world where subscription is complementary. We think there’s a world where commerce is complementary. You can imagine work around helping people manage paywalls as well, that we believe is complementary.”

For now, those in the U.S. can watch the rollout of Twitter Blue from afar as users to the North and down under start to pay for access to those exclusive features.

Featured image editorial credit: Ascannio / Shutterstock.com

What Does Twitter Blue Include?

Twitter Works to Diversify Revenue Stream

One Platform. One System. Every Tool

Leave a Comment Cancel reply