Twitter, under the ownership of Elon Musk, has introduced a new initiative that allows verified creators to earn a share of the ad revenue generated from ads served in the replies to their posts. This move aims to allow creators to monetize their content and incentivize engagement within the platform. To be eligible for participation, users must be subscribed to Twitter Blue and have amassed over 5 million tweet impressions each month for the past three months. The first round of payouts, totaling $5 million, will be cumulative from February onwards and delivered through the payment platform Stripe.
Summary: Twitter begins sharing ad revenue with verified creators, allowing them to monetize their content and engage with followers, in a move to compete with rival platforms and attract more creators.
According to reports, the payouts received by creators have been quite significant. Notable individuals, such as writer Brian Krassenstein, with approximately 750,000 followers, claimed to have received $24,305 from Twitter. Another creator, SK, with around 230,000 followers, stated earnings of $2,236, while political commentator Benny Johnson, boasting 1.7 million followers, reported earning $9,546.
The payout amounts are determined based on tweet impressions, with Babylon Bee writer Ashley St. Clair, who has 710,000 followers, claiming earnings of $7,153. St. Clair estimates her impressions to be around 840 million from February to July, resulting in an approximate rate of $0.0085 CPM (cost per mille) or $8.52 per million impressions. It remains unclear whether individual CPM rates differ between users.
Twitter just paid me almost $25,000. pic.twitter.com/oIJ2Ycymzb
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) July 13, 2023
Twitter has opted to monetize ads served in tweet replies, as discerning which creators should be compensated for ads in the main feed poses a challenge. This issue mirrors the struggle faced by short-form video platforms like TikTok in implementing revenue sharing. While this approach encourages meaningful conversations, it also opens the door to highly emotional and polarizing interactions, a phenomenon well-known on platforms like Facebook.
Interestingly, some users have noted that the more negative comments or “haters” a creator receives in their replies, the more money they stand to make on Twitter. This observation prompted a humorous exchange between Farzad Mesbahi and Elon Musk, who quipped, “The more haters you have in your replies the more money you’ll make on Twitter,” to which Musk responded, “Poetic justice.”
It is important to note that Twitter has outlined specific guidelines regarding the types of content eligible for monetization. Sexual content, violence, criminal behaviors, gambling, drugs and alcohol, pyramid schemes, and get-rich-quick schemes cannot be monetized. This policy adversely affects Twitter’s community of sex workers, as the platform has been one of the few mainstream social media platforms where adult content was permitted. Additionally, creators cannot monetize copyrighted content they do not own.
While Twitter celebrates its commitment to sharing $5 million with creators, the company faces legal challenges related to unpaid severance checks amounting to $500 million for laid-off employees during Musk’s acquisition. Furthermore, Twitter has encountered difficulties in paying rent for its office spaces.
In another development, Twitter has been sued by Meta, a rival company, for launching the Threads app, seen as a potential threat to Twitter’s dominance. However, with the news of substantial payouts to content creators spreading rapidly across social media, many more creators are likely to be enticed to join Twitter. This influx of content creators, coupled with the ability to earn money through ad revenues and offer monthly subscriptions, positions Twitter as an appealing platform for those seeking to establish their online presence.
Also read: Google Bard AI Now Takes Image Prompts And Is Now Available In The EU With 40 Language Support
Conclusion
In conclusion, Twitter’s introduction of a revenue-sharing program for verified creators marks a significant milestone in the platform’s evolution. By compensating creators for ads served in reply threads, Twitter aims to empower content creators financially while fostering engagement among users. This move also comes at a crucial time as Meta’s Threads enters the scene, intensifying competition in the social media landscape. The availability of revenue sharing and the freedom to offer subscriptions further solidify Twitter’s position as a platform of choice for aspiring creators.
Sources: Twitter, Techcrunch.com
