Twitter Rolls Out ‘Super Follows’, New Feature That Allows Creators Charge For Exclusive Content
Twitter on Wednesday launched a long-promised “Super Follows” feature that lets creators sell subscriptions for access to special content.
The feature, first revealed in February, will allow users to subscribe to accounts they like for a monthly subscription fee in exchange for exclusive content. For creators, Super Follows are another useful tool in the emerging patchwork of monetization options across social platforms.
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Influencers like makeup artists or sports experts will be able to offer “behind the scenes” content, early access or other perks to their subscribers
Eligible accounts can set the price for Super Follow subscriptions, with the option of charging $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 per month. They can then choose to mark some tweets for subscribers only, while continuing to reach their unpaid follower base in regular tweets.
Paid subscribers will be marked with a special Super Follower badge (Super Follower) differentiating them from unpaid followers in the sea of tweets. The badge shows up in replies, elevating a follower’s ability to interact directly with accounts they opt to support.
For accounts that have Super Follows turned on, the option will show up with a distinct button on the profile page.
“With Super Follows, people can create an extra level of conversation on Twitter to interact authentically with their most engaged followers – all while earning money,” Twitter product manager, Esther Crawford said in a blog post.
She added;
Creating Super Follows content is for anyone who brings their unique perspectives and personalities to Twitter to drive the public conversation.
Crawford noted that the list of such personalities includes activists, journalists, musicians, writers, gamers, astrology enthusiasts, beauty experts, comedians and more.
Twitter had been testing the Super Follows feature, and said it officially launched with a small group of creators in North America.
The option to follow participating creators will roll out globally to people using Twitter on Apple mobile devices in coming weeks.
The feature will be eventually brought to smartphones powered by Google-backed Android software as well as to the twitter.com website reached through browsers, according to Crawford.
Twitter will take no more than three percent of subscriptions as a transaction fee until a creator rakes in $50,000 at the platform, at which point Twitter’s share rises to 20 percent, according to the San Francisco-based company.
App store fees, which can be as much as 30 percent of transactions, are paid by creators selling the subscriptions.
Twitter recently added ways for popular users to take gratuities with a “Tip Jar” feature, or make money from online events hosted in “Ticketed Spaces.”
The company, which has more than 200 million active users, is looking for new ways to generate revenue without further more advertising.
