Hey there – have you noticed fewer familiar blue checkmarks popping up in your Twitter feed lately? Or perhaps you‘ve spotted some recently and wondered if the rules around those coveted verification badges had changed?
You‘re correct on both counts! Twitter rolled out some major shifts in the final months of 2022 around who can get verified with a blue checkmark on their profiles.
As your resident social media guide, let me catch you up on everything that has transpired and walk through step-by-step how you can get your own blue checkmark using Twitter‘s new Blue subscription in 2023.
A Blue Check By The Numbers
Let‘s rewind for a second to understand what that little blue checkmark meant before and why people valued its prestige. Back in 2009, Twitter introduced the verification program to confirm the authenticity of high-profile accounts on its platform.
The requirements to earn that blue check were strict – you had to prove direct association with the entity you were representing. Whether you were a celebrity, global brand, government official or journalist, you had to confirm your real-world identity with official documentation.
Only about 363,000 accounts ever earned the blue verification checkmark under these standards out of Twitter‘s approximately 237 million monetizable daily active users.
That‘s less than 0.2% of all accounts! So spots were highly exclusive.
Those tiny blue checks carried enormous weight in signaling importance and trust in the eyes of others on Twitter. Let‘s explore the evolution with some case studies:
User Type: Celebrity
Handle: @KimKardashian
Followers: 73.7M
Verified: Yes (2009-current)
User Type: Brand
Handle: @Nike
Followers: 16.6M
Verified: Yes (2009-current)
User Type: Journalist
Handle: @andersoncooper
Followers: 5.3M
Verified: Yes (2009-current)For over a decade, that blue checkmark by a user‘s handle meant "This is the legitimate, vetted account of the celebrity/brand/public figure it claims to be."
In late 2022 however, new Twitter CEO Elon Musk decided it was time to open verification access up beyond just the cultural elite.
Let‘s take a look at what it takes to get your own blue check using Twitter‘s new subscription model next.
Introducing Twitter Blue Verification
In November 2022, Twitter introduced a major change to its verification program by allowing any user to get a blue checkmark through a paid subscription.
For $8/month on web or $11/month on iOS/Android, you can now enroll in:
Subscription Service: Twitter Blue
Cost: $8/month web or $11/month iOS/Android
Notable Features:
- Blue Checkmark
- Edit Already-Published Tweets
- Bookmark Folders
- Profile Customization
- Ad-Free Articles
- Subscriber-Only SpacesThat‘s right – for less than the cost of a couple coffees, you can finally unlock that prestigious blue checkmark for your own profile!
Twitter Blue rolls the legacy verification badge in with a bundle of other premium featuressubscribers can now access like customizing profile colors, categorizing bookmarked Tweets into folders, and editing already-published Tweets within 30 minutes of posting.
But before we go claim your blue checkmark, let‘s discuss…
What Does The Blue Check Mean Now?
Given that 350,000+ new checks could flood Twitter practically overnight, skeptics may argue this mass availability waters down the verification symbol‘s significance.
Previously representing years building celebrity influence or brand authority, could a blue check sourced from a $8 impulse subscription carry that same clout? 🤔
User Type: Standard User
Handle: @JohnDoe92348594
Followers: 417
Verified: Yes (Via $8 Subscription Fee)In response to public criticism that the blue checkmark no longer reflected identity verification, Musk clarified:
"Far too many corrupt legacy Blue ‘verification‘ checkmarks exist, so no choice but to remove legacy Blue in coming months."
His stance seems to be that although more ubiquity means the symbol doesn‘t automatically indicate celebrity status, it still signals a real person who cares enough about their profile to pay.
Rather than an superficial elite status marker, Musk wants it to denote authenticity and active platform investment.
And money talks – or tweets – because bots are unlikely to purchase a monthly subscription for verification. They‘d lose money attempting to spoof inactive parody accounts.
So while scandalous celebrities or news pundits may clutch their pearls around exclusivity dilution, there‘s a solid argument the checkmarks still establish validity, just evolving from an elite perk to monetary proof-of-skin-in-the-game.
But I‘ll let you weigh in once you have your own!
Signing Up For Your Blue Checkmark
If you‘ve decided to take the plunge and subscribe to access your blue checkmark along with the other Twitter Blue bonus features, here‘s exactly how to get setup:
Step 1: Navigate To The Twitter Blue Settings Page
- On Desktop: Click your profile icon > Settings & privacy > Twitter Blue
- On Mobile: Tap your profile icon > Settings & privacy > Scroll down to Twitter Blue
Step 2: Choose Your Subscription Plan
You can subscribe monthly for $8.99/month or save ~$16 by prepaying annually at $84/year. Select your preferred plan.
Step 3: Enter Your Payment Details
They accept major credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Be sure to double check your billing details. No free trial is offered so your first payment will process immediately.
Step 4: Verify Your New Blue Check Appears!
Once your transaction completes, you should see your blue checkmark granted automatically. Welcome to the club!
Step 5: Explore The Other Twitter Blue Perks
Now that you‘re a paid supporter, enjoy premium features like 30-minute edits on tweets, bookmark organization, custom navigation priorities focused on longform content, and more surprises surely to come!
Maintaining Your Blue Checkmark Status
While obtaining a paid blue checkmark is more accessible than the legacy verification trail, Twitter does enforce standards around keeping it long term. Be sure your account stays in good standing by adhering to the platform‘s rules and community guidelines.
If you make significant changes like altering your profile picture, display name username after subscribing, Twitter may also temporarily remove the checkmark pending identity review.
For full details, visit their help page on proper account setup for paid subscribers.
The news feed waves around high-profile blue checks may never fully settle. But hopefully this breakdown demystified the chaos so you can now decide whether $8 monthly fits your Twitter needs! Personally, I find the new features perfect for a power user like myself.
Let me know what other social media platform transformations you want help decoding!
Happy tweeting!
@YourTrustySidekick