The brand new ‘Subscriptions’ program is a re-naming of its ‘Tremendous Follows’ initiative, for which Twitter’s additionally decreasing the entry necessities, which can allow extra customers to sign-up and start taking in cash for his or her content material.

This system will allow Twitter customers to cost subscribers for unique tweets, subscriber-only Areas, particular badges on their tweets to show their affiliation, and a Subscriber-only tweets tab on creator profiles:

“Navigate to the profile of the particular person you Subscribe to, and choose their Subscription Tweets tab. This tab allows you to see all of somebody’s Subscription Tweets in a single place, and also you’ll have entry to it for so long as you’re Subscribed.”

Within the first iteration of Tremendous Follows, customers wanted to have no less than 10k followers to qualify for this system, however now, as you’ll be able to see within the picture above, Twitter has decreased that to 500 – although completely different components of its documentation nonetheless checklist the 10k restrict.

Although it does look like many extra customers can now entry the choice, and at that a lot decrease viewers requirement, that’ll open up monetization to tens of millions extra Twitter customers.

Creators additionally must have tweeted 25 occasions within the previous 30 days, and be over 18, with US customers at the moment the one ones in a position to monetize through this system (although customers around the globe can sign-on to be a subscriber).

Creators could have the choice to cost $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99 per 30 days for entry to their unique components, with the entire income being handed on to creators for the primary 12 months.

That’s not completely right – Google expenses all subscriptions at 15% from the start – however mainly, any income generated via Subscriptions might be handed onto the creator, until Twitter takes a lower within the second 12 months.

Musk has recognized creator monetization as a key ingredient in his revamp of the platform, with the view being that by offering extra methods for customers to become profitable within the app, that may hold them extra aligned to Twitter, and posting extra content material, extra typically.

Twitter’s already carried out longer video uploads for Twitter Blue subscribers, together with longer tweets, and Musk’s view is that these components will hold customers from posting their content material on third-party websites, with all the pieces to be housed inside Twitter as an alternative.

However I don’t know. It’ll take some pretty massive behavioral shifts to get Twitter customers extra aligned with long-form content material within the app. Already, persons are aggravated by the longer tweets, which you must faucet via on within the feed to learn the entire thing, whereas YouTube and Meta nonetheless provide higher monetization potential, even with Twitter passing on any revenue to its customers, for the primary 12 months no less than.

And naturally, after that first 12 months, Twitter will take an as but undefined lower of any income. That’ll add one other income stream for the corporate, which, mixed with Twitter Blue, might, no less than theoretically, cut back the platform’s reliance on advert {dollars}, thereby releasing it of the moderation obligations that it could must appease advert companions.

I’m unsure that’s going to take – and it’s price additionally noting that Twitter has tried subscriptions, long-form textual content, and different related choices prior to now, to restricted curiosity.

Possibly it’ll be completely different this time, and undoubtedly, decreasing the thresholds to entry will see much more customers no less than attempt to become profitable from the app. However I’m not satisfied that almost all of individuals will ever pay for tweets or associated content material, or that what individuals tweet is well worth the cash, no less than for 99% of customers.

Which is a key problem. You’ll be able to’t simply cost in your tweets and anticipate individuals to pay, you might want to really provide extra worth, with a purpose to entice subscribers. That’s not simple, and as with the primary iteration of Tremendous Follows, most creators peter out fairly fast.

However perhaps it will add extra incentive for greater, extra established stars to construct their Twitter presence, whereas additionally offering new alternatives for smaller gamers.

We’ll discover out – Twitter’s up to date subscriptions program is offered to US customers from as we speak, with a worldwide growth reportedly coming quickly.