Just as promised, Elon Musk has come through with his project uncheck the blue-checked, the new development came like a wave and washed everyone along with it, or not everyone, as we have seen that Elon had to pay for the blue check of some famous celebrities including King LeBron James.
However in a recent turn of events today, it seems anyone, corporation, or brand who wishes to advertise with Twitter must first be verified by the checkmark.
In confirmation of this several Twitter users, including social media guru Matt Navarra, have posted screenshots of an email allegedly sent by Twitter, which states that verified checkmarks are required to continue running ads on the platform beginning April 21 (today).
The email reads:
Building a better Twitter through verification
Hello!
Starting April 21, your @account must have a verified checkmark or subscribe to either Twitter Blue or Verified Organizations to continue running ads on Twitter. Business accounts spending in excess of $1000 per month already have gold checks or will soon, and they’ll continue to enjoy access to advertising without interruption at this time.
This change aligns with Twitter’s broader verification strategy: to elevate the quality of content on Twitter and enhance your experience as a user and advertiser. This approach also supports our ongoing efforts to reduce fraudulent accounts and bots.
Subscribing to either of these services means you have been verified by Twitter as a real person and/or business.
Amongst other features, you’ll have a more visible organic presence and a broader range of creation tools. We’re excited for you to get started and to benefit from a superior Twitter experience.
For Twitter Blue, sign up here.
For Verified Organizations, apply here.
Also, see: Twitter updates its policy to restrict the visibility of tweets that violate platform rules
While Musk has emphasized subscriptions as a primary revenue generator as advertisers have fled the platform, it is clear that Twitter still wants (and requires) advertising dollars. Top advertisers on the platform, those who spend $1,000 per month, already receive a free gold checkmark indicating that they are an official business account.
However, at the moment there is nothing on the official Twitter ads account pages to support the claims that only verified accounts will be able to advertise, but requiring verification for advertisers makes sense if it reduces spam or deters other bad actors from using the platform. However, for this to be truly effective, it would undoubtedly require rigorous vetting beyond simply requiring a credit card and phone number, and the $8 monthly fee is not a significant deterrent in and of itself.
Accounts with a grey checkmark, which are reserved for official government and related accounts such as agencies, embassies, parliaments, and so on, will most likely be an exception here.
Having a verified account may be beneficial for advertisers, as it can help establish credibility and trust with their audience. However, it is currently not a requirement for advertising on Twitter. Advertisers can create and run campaigns on Twitter without having a verified account until the social media app says otherwise.
