Wow, Twitter. You’ve always been famous for your drama, but these days you’ve got more going on than an episode of Succession. Since Elon took over the site, Twitter has been through a ton of changes (we reviewed a few here).
But one recent big one that hasn’t got as much airtime as the whole Twitter Blue hullabaloo? Twitter verification for ads. The thing is, it’s kind of a big deal.
If you’re still doing the Twitter thing, and you’re running ads on the platform, here’s what to know.
Twitter will now let only verified accounts run ads.
Yep, that’s bolded for a reason. If you’re a verified account, meaning that you’ve paid for Twitter Blue or you’re a Verified Organization, no worries – life continues as normal.
If you’re NOT a verified account, it’s time to take action. Because your new campaigns won’t be able to launch until you’re verified. This means either paying for Twitter Blue ($8/month) or for Verified Organization status (a massive $1000 a month PLUS $50/month per affiliate).
Is throwing all that dough at Twitter worth it?
Okay, $8/mo is doable. But a thousand buckaroos is some serious cash to shell out, especially on a platform that’s considered high-risk by advertisers – and is also seeing shrinking investment (Twitter ad spend is estimated to plummet by 27% in 2023). Consumer sentiment is also shifting when it comes to Twitter, with more than half of users believing that brands should pull back on Twitter advertising.
We’re also seeing major brands like NPR leave the site altogether. And no wonder, given a media landscape can change on a dime, as well as the burgeoning of spammers, bots, and “blue-check” misinformation accounts.
My take? Twitter is still a great way to chat with people in your industry, share news, and help out with customer service. If you’re an entrepreneur or influencer, sticking with the Twitters is totally fine (although if you’re not verified, make sure you use a 3rd-party security app to keep your account from being hacked!)
If you’re a bigger brand, think long and hard about the implications of hanging around on a website that’s gaining a ton of notoriety. If you do decide to run ads on Twitter, be mindful that your ads might run in proximity to content that you’re not comfortable with – and that you might not be able to get in touch with Twitter support if you need help.
Need some help figuring out whether Twitter should form part of your social media presence? Book a Pulse Check and we’ll chart a way through the chaos!