Twitter Is Charging Companies To Pay  For Check Marks To Advertise

Companies that want to advertise on Twitter Inc. must either pay for verification or meet a minimum monthly ad spend, the social media site announced this week. 

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According to an email obtained by Bloomberg, advertising will be available exclusively to verified accounts beginning Friday, including individuals who pay $8 per month for Twitter Blue and "Verified Organizations" that pay $1,000 for a gold or gray check mark. 

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Businesses that already spend $1,000 per month on advertising will be permitted to continue and will receive a gold check mark, according to the business. 

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Since being bought by Elon Musk last year, Twitter has been experimenting with various monetization tactics, including charging for verification and API access. Its paid-for verification strategy originally failed to take popularity since many notable accounts had already been validated for free. However, the firm stripped these "legacy verified" accounts of their blue checks this week and restricted several product features, like the ability to modify tweets, to Twitter Blue members. 

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Some digital marketing companies have changed their strategy as a result of the new advertising rules. "With the uncertainty of whether clients want verification or how long it will take to go through the process, we are already moving budget away from projects launching next week," said Tom Davenport, managing director of UK-based media firm Digital Marketing Specialist Ltd. 

Advertising revenue has declined following Musk's acquisition, with the SpaceX and Tesla CEO's online behavior raising worries about the platform's brand safety. Several big media firms recommended clients halt campaigns. 

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According to social media strategist Matt Navarra, the adjustment might be the "last straw" for marketers who are already fed up with Musk. "If he had any hope of inspiring brands and advertisers to return to the platform or spend more, things like this are going to completely work against him," he added.

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