Social media companies have changed their business models in the past decade. However, they are facing challenges from Tech Congress due to deep tracking of users’ online activity. Privacy policies are also affecting their ability to deliver personalized advertisements. As a result, social media companies are now turning to subscription models to generate better profits. This document will explore the pros and cons of paying for a social media subscription, focusing on the example of purchasing a blue tick on Twitter or Meta. Suggestions for features and benefits users may expect from their subscriptions will also be provided.
Context
When something is free you are a product
Tweet
For the past two decades, we are the products for social media companies. They are making the money by selling us, I mean selling our data(either directly or indirectly).
I am not here to tell you whether or not you should pay for the blue tick. That is entirely up to you, and it’s not my place to say.
Over the past two decades, social media companies have operated using the same business model. This model involved tracking your scrolling behavior and displaying ads to you. However, there has been a recent shift in this approach.
Social media companies are currently encountering challenges from Tech Congress, which is questioning and impeding their deep tracking of users’ online activity. Furthermore, leading phone brand Apple has implemented privacy policies concerning tracking users within apps and other areas, posing issues for social media giant Meta. Without the ability to track user preferences, it becomes challenging for these companies to deliver personalized advertisements.
With the subscription model, companies can now generate better profits. However, it is important to note that this concept is not a new one, having been around for the past 1-2 years with services such as Snapchat Plus, Telegram subscriptions, Reddit Premium, and Discord Nitro. It is worth noting, however, that these are not mainstream social media platforms like Meta Group or Twitter.
However, what these mainstream social media platforms were offering was entirely different from others. With Meta and Twitter subscriptions, you are just getting blue verification. Some other options on Twitter, which in my opinion are a waste.
So my question here is, are we still products for these social media companies even if we pay $15?
Still, they are tracking our data. It would be good if they tracked our behavior and showed us relevant posts or reels, but they still show us ads.
So why pay $14 for it?
Suggestions
Ads
I am not a big fan of ads. I think if you are paying $15, removing ads is the feature that I was expecting from these companies.
If you can’t remove the ads, at least try to minimize them to reduce 80% of ads.
Twitter says that for blue subscribers there will be 50% ads, but I don’t think so. They may still be showing at least 70-80% of ads. For every 5-8 posts on Twitter, I am finding an ad.
Member Exclusive Features
I’m not sure what the new feature will be, but I can compare it to Reddit, where we can earn coins and other rewards. I also heard that Twitter is working on a similar feature called Coins, which will allow users to donate to fellow creators as a form of support.
I’m hoping that Meta will have a similar feature as well.
Oh, and by the way, those features should also be super engaging. You know how in Reddit the award feature was totally awesome and interactive and, like, EVERYONE used it? Yeah, well, I gotta say, sorry Elon, but I hardly ever see edited tweets. I mean, I saw them during the Edit Tweets launch and, to be honest, didn’t see a single tweet.
Organic Reach
The most anticipated thing that I wish to see from these companies is a boost in organic reach to paid users. So, here these companies need to boost the users in search and in comment sections. Twitter has been making this but I can’t find it useful.
These companies need to integrate them into one section rather than adding a “Blue Comments” section or something similar, which affects users drastically. In my opinion, I would prefer to see normal comments only, rather than blue comments, if they were in a separate section.
