The world of social networks had already badly received the “Twitter Blue” subscription, unveiled last November by Elon Musk – before being suspended because of numerous controversies. Relaunched in December, this first subscription allows you to obtain the blue certification badge. On Saturday January 21, the network boss announced in a series of tweets “a new, more expensive subscription that will no longer have advertisements”.
The implementation of these subscriptions illustrates a change in the economic model for Twitter. The platform had so far relied on targeted advertising to generate revenue. This new zero-ad subscription will be part of a broader strategy to overhaul their presence on the social network, according to messages from Elon Musk. “Ads are too frequent and too big. We will act on these two parameters in the coming weeks,” he said.
A change of model in the face of economic difficulties
The social network has been facing major economic difficulties since its takeover by the boss of Tesla and SpaceX at the end of October. The radical decisions taken by one of the most famous and controversial entrepreneurs in the world have indeed scared away a significant part of the main advertisers, frightened by the return to the platform of people initially banned for racist or conspiratorial comments.
At the end of December, Elon Musk had estimated that the social network could achieve a turnover of around three billion dollars this year, which would equate to a contraction of 41% compared to 2021. As a result, the company laid off in November nearly half of its 7,500 employees.
The multi-billionaire is therefore counting on the Twitter Blue subscription formula (between 8 and 11 dollars per month depending on the subscription method) as well as on this new, more expensive subscription, to compensate for the flight of advertisers and avoid cessation of payment.
Elon Musk is also looking for his successor at the head of the network (for about a month), after a poll he himself launched showed that 57% of the approximately 17 million participating users would like to see him leave the direction. of the company.