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In April 2023, Twitter announced its plans to introduce a new feature that would allow publishers to charge users on a per-article basis, effectively bypassing paywalls that restrict access to their content. This move is seen as a potential game-changer for the publishing industry, as it offers a new revenue stream for publishers and provides Twitter users with greater access to high-quality content.
“Super Follows”: What’s That?
The feature, previously known as “Super Follows,” now “Subscriptions” will allow users to pay a monthly subscription fee to access exclusive content from their favorite creators, journalists, and writers. Within this feature, publishers will be able to offer individual articles for purchase, allowing readers to pay for access to a specific piece of content without having to subscribe to the entire publication.
The feature is still under development and will roll out in May 2023, according to Musk.
In Musk’s words:
Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2023
This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article.…
Musk suggests this might provide another avenue for newspapers to collect money from people who will never become subscribers but may pay for an article here and then. Which sounds interesting. However, this is a tried, tested, and abandoned method by other social media giants.
Additionally, Twitter has stated that it will take a small percentage of the revenue generated from these transactions, but the exact percentage has not yet been disclosed.
What Does That Mean For Twitter?
This move by Twitter has been seen as a response to the increasing trend of paywalls in the publishing industry, which restrict access to premium content unless users subscribe or pay for individual articles. Many publishers have seen a decline in revenue from traditional advertising models, and paywalls have become an increasingly popular way to monetize their content.
However, paywalls have also been criticized for limiting access to important information, particularly for those who cannot afford to pay. Twitter’s per-article feature has the potential to address this issue by allowing users to pay only for the content they want to access, rather than having to subscribe to the entire publication.
The move by Twitter has been welcomed by many publishers, who see it as an opportunity to reach a new audience and generate additional revenue. However, there are also concerns about the impact this feature could have on the industry as a whole. Some critics have argued that it could create a two-tier system, where only those who can afford to pay have access to high-quality journalism.
The Problem
But by charging modest, one-time fees for single article access, media companies devalue subscriptions, which are significantly more valuable. Sure, not everyone will become a subscriber, but a fraction of their audience will, and if those few no longer need to subscribe to access content, your per-article model will need to give a lot more to compensate for the lost subscription revenue.
Future Outlook?
Overall, Twitter’s plans to enable publishers to charge per article to bypass paywalls in the app is an interesting development for the publishing industry. It offers a new revenue stream for publishers and provides Twitter users with greater access to high-quality journalism. However, it remains to be seen how successful this feature will be and what impact it will have on the industry as a whole.
Whether you love or hate Musk, you can’t deny his consistency.
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