TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Social media company Twitter launched a premium version of its platform in the United States and New Zealand on Tuesday after testing in Australia and Canada. For a small monthly subscription, users can now opt-in to Twitter Blue.
For consumers of all things social media and online connection, Twitter Blue lets you pay for features, content and conversation, according to Twitter. It’s cheap too. For the cost of an average two-liter bottle of soda, $2.99, you can be a member of Twitter Blue. You can upgrade to it on iOS and Android phones.
Twitter Blue first came to Australia and Canada in June 2021, now it’s expanding.
So, let’s talk features.
If you’re like most people on the internet, you hate ads. With Twitter Blue’s subscription, you can read the news with ad-free articles.
“On iOS and desktop, Twitter Blue members will enjoy a fast-loading, ad-free reading experience when they visit many of their favorite news sites available in the US from Twitter, such as The Washington Post, L.A. Times, USA TODAY, The Atlantic, Reuters, The Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed, Insider and The Hollywood Reporter,” Twitter said in a blog post announcing the launch.
The company announcement also promised more ad-free content to come as they “continue to build more partnerships, with more publishers, in more markets.”
Twitter said the move also adds to their commitment to supporting a free “thriving” press. Portions of the revenue from Twitter Blue subscriptions go directly to the publishers in the network.
“Our goal is to help each publishing partner make 50% more per person than they would’ve made from serving ads to that person,” Twitter said. “A better experience for readers – and more support for the journalism they care about.”
Users will be able to customize their Twitter feeds, add more “flair” and change their experiences on the app through exclusive app icons, themes, custom navigation and Bookmark Folders. They’ll also have options for top articles, as well as an option to make a quick access menu for their favorite Twitter topics.
Tweets for subscribers can also be undone, and users will be able to preview tweets before sending, plus have access to what Twitter calls “Reader” to turn long threads into easy reads. They’re labeling the feature as a way to “Tweet smarter, read better.”
For private messages, users can also pin conversations, and everyone who subscribes will have early access to new features coming to the platform.