The day Twitter opened up blue tick to everyone for a monthly fee, we have all been wondering about its use. Like, why is it such a big deal? At first, it seems just like any ordinary tick next to your name. However, Twitter claims, “the blue verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic.”
It used to be reserved for public accounts of notable people or entities but has since evolved into something completely different. Before, in order to get verified you had to request it from Twitter and meet a certain criteria. Now, you can simply pay for a Twitter Blue subscription for $11/month and get verified.
While some people think that this has devalued the importance of the blue tick, it can still be beneficial to many. In this article, we will discuss why (and whether or not) you should pay for the blue tick and also 3 simple steps on how you can get one for yourself.
A Brief History of Twitter Verification
At first, Twitter’s blue tick was only used as a way to authenticate the profile. It used to be open to everyone if they could prove their genuineness and popularity. As the time passed, people started assuming that the verification meant that Twitter was promoting a certain profile, which was not the case. In 2017, Twitter suspended its verification program to figure out ways to improve it. In 2021, they restarted the service for everyone regardless of the number of followers. In late 2022, after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, the company completely revamped the entire verification process and criteria.
Anyone can now become verified on Twitter if they subscribe to Twitter Blue and confirm their phone number. Early problems with this new scheme included some users using the tool to pretend to be famous people and other social media influencers. Twitter made the decision in 2023 to remove blue ticks of users who had already been approved through the company's previous verification system. It decided to charge a fee for blue tick from everyone.
Why Twitter Verification Matters
Many people oppose the merits of being verified or paying for Twitter Blue. Now, other social media sites are joining the discussion with Meta announcing Meta Verified, their own subscription service for an Instagram verified badge. Being verified on Twitter has lost some of its unique appeal because anyone can get it. So, it is not as big of a deal as it once was. However, it is still a way to stand out from the crowd and prove that you're a real person.
Twitter Blue users can now sort their bookmarks and post longer videos, among other things. Twitter is always improving its subscription. Twitter Blue users will soon see 50% less ads and their tweets will be given priority in Twitter's algorithm.
How to Get Verified on Twitter 3 Easy Steps
It has never been easier to get a blue tick on Twitter. It only takes three steps.
Step 1: Subscribe to Twitter Blue
You must first register for Twitter Blue before you get Twitter verified. You must ensure that your account is active, truthful, and complies to the app's eligibility requirements.
- Go to your Twitter app on your phone.
- Head over to your profile menu.
- Select Twitter Blue.
- Hit Subscribe.
If you’re on a PC:
- Go to twitter.com.
- Select More.
- Select Twitter Blue.
- Hit Subscribe.
If you pay for Twitter Blue using your web browser, the monthly plan is $8 per month and the yearly subscription costs $7 per month. If you register through the iOS or Android app, you will be charged $11 per month instead. The price difference is due to Apple and Google app taxes.
Step 2: Add Payment Details
Once you opt-in for Twitter Blue, enter your credit or debit card details and select Subscribe when ready.
Step 3: Wait for the Process
You have done your part. Now you must wait while Twitter performs checks on their end before validating your request. You can always go to the Twitter Blue settings to check your application status.
Types of Twitter Verification
While Twitter Blue is a paid membership scheme that gives all qualified subscribers a blue tick, Twitter Verified Organizations uses color-coding to differentiate types of organizations and brands on Twitter. The Verified Organisations system is primarily for business entities such as non-profits, companies, and government agencies. You must apply through Twitter to become a verified organization.
Here are some other types of badges available on Twitter:
Twitter Gold Tick
A gold tick suggests an account has been verified as an official business by Twitter's Verified Organisations service. You get a square profile photo and a golden checkmark. For example, National Geographic has a gold tick.
Twitter Gray Tick
The gray tick shows that you’re a government official or multilateral organization registered on Twitter. For Instance, Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau’s account has a gray tick.
Perks of Being Verified on Twitter
A verified Twitter account is still very important. In addition to the possibility of increasing your following and credibility, here are some other perks of having a blue tick:
- Bookmark Folders: Store tweets in a bookmark folder that you wish to return to later.
- Custom App Icons: Change the color of your Twitter app icon to something quirky.
- NFT Profile Pictures: Do you want to display your NFT? You can now set it as your profile photo.
- Themes: Customize your Twitter experience with different interface colors and themes.
- Edit Tweet: You can edit your tweet within 30 minutes of sharing it.
- Text Formatting: Add flavor to your tweets by using bold and italic text formats.
- Spaces Tab: Get access to audio content such as podcasts with the new Spaces Tab.
- Reader: Use the Reader feature to display threads in an easy-to-read style.
- Undo Tweet: Delete a Tweet before it gets seen by anyone on Twitter.
- Custom Navigation: Customize your navigation bar by placing only items and features that you wish to see.
- Longer Videos: Upload longer videos of up to 60 minutes and 2 GB in size (1080p).
- Longer Tweets: Get up to 10,000 characters in a tweet. Non-subscribers are limited to 280 characters per tweet.
- SMS Two-Factor Authentication: Set up 2FA for an extra layer of security.
Twitter Blue Requirements
After the backlash, Twitter made it a little strict for people to subscribe to Twitter Blue. Your account must pass Twitter’s validation first.
Here are the minimum requirements:
- Your account must have a proper real name and a profile photo.
- You must have been active at least once in the previous 30 days before applying.
- When you apply, your account must be over 30 days old and have a verified phone number.
- You must maintain your current profile photo, display name, and username. If you changed any of these recently, Twitter may reject your request.
- Your account must also show no signs of being "misleading or deceptive." There is no definition of what Twitter characterizes as “misleading or deceptive”, however, this rule may be based on incidents such as when Sean Morrow disguised as Eli Lilly and tweeted that insulin was free.
Twitter is Overcrowded
On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey (Twitter's CEO) made the first tweet. It took three years, two months, and one day to reach the one billionth tweet on the site. Twitter went public in November 2013 when it had over 200 million users. Today, Twitter is one of the top three social networking apps with its 400 million active users. This has made this platform overcrowded.
Getting noticed on Twitter is becoming more and more difficult especially for content creators and aspiring social media personalities. Twitter is great to achieve your long-term goals but if you’re just starting out, your Tweets are likely to get lost in the noise. To get a head start on your social media journey, consider using a platform with less competition and easily accessible monetization tools such as Paysenger.
What’s Paysenger?
With so many verified accounts, it is difficult to compete on Twitter. You must be influential in real life to get any type of valuable engagement on your tweets. And most importantly, maintaining a Twitter account as a newcomer is hard work with no guarantee of success. Paysenger is a social marketplace designed to catapult content creators and aspiring social media personalities on their journey to get noticed, earn money and build a following on the internet.
Even if you’re a small to medium size creator, you can immediately start earning money on Paysenger through monetization tools such as:
- On-demand content: Get requests from sponsors, idea makers and fans to create content based on their ideas. Get paid each time you complete a request.
- Paid messaging: Your time and attention are worth money. On Paysenger, you can set a price on every message you receive. This puts a “money filter” on communication so that people who mean business can connect with you to discuss collaboration or to ask for advice.
- Exclusive content: Offer exclusive or premium content to fans in exchange for one-time or recurring payments. If you’re running out of ideas, allow the community to sponsor your next post and describe the idea in detail. And much more!
Paysenger has a tokenized economy where all interactions pay EGO tokens – the platform’s native currency. EGO is a freely traded cryptocurrency on all major exchanges, and Paysenger provides many ways to earn and spend the tokens. Your earnings depend on your creative potential, so if any of your videos go viral (regardless of how many followers you have), you get compensated in EGO tokens which can easily be withdrawn to your real-world bank account.
Most importantly, if someone collaborated with you on a viral video, they also get compensated fairly, making it worthwhile for people to sponsor internet content and own a piece of it. You can try Paysenger for free on iOS, Android and Web.
Exploring Twitter Alternatives
Here are some other low-competition Twitter alternatives that will help you get some spotlight and find your niche audiences in the early stages of your growth as a social media personality.
Bluesky
Bluesky is similar to Twitter because users can post photos and short texts, as well as comment to and share other people's posts. Bluesky is different from other social media apps because it is a decentralized system in which users are able to create their own groups and apps. It is currently available through invitation only.
Club House
Clubhouse is an audio-only platform where users interact in a live podcast discussion. When someone speaks, their profile icon illuminates. It is similar to Twitter Space. Clubhouse users can listen to a wide range of topics such as sports, business, finance, literature, and parenting.
Discord
Discord may not seem like Twitter because it is not based on a single server environment but it can let users create their own social and professional circles that allow conversation. Discord began as a way for gamers to communicate while playing games. It has now expanded to cover a much broader range of topics.
Reddit is not a new alternative but it gives users a big collection of forums on plenty of topics. Subreddits are small community forums, which are divided into categories such as hobbies, entertainment, health, news, and business. Anybody can read the content on Reddit, but they must register to comment, engage, or create a subreddit.
Final Word
Getting verified is an excellent way to earn more followers and to increase your credibility on Twitter. By following the three simple steps outlined above, you can get a blue and boost your Twitter presence. To always stand out from the crowd, you must keep your profile up to date and communicate with your audience on a regular basis. Join Paysenger as an early adopter to become one of its first trendsetters. It’s a rapidly growing platform with low competition and proven monetization tools all under one roof. Get a head start on your social media journey today!