Social media: no more free
Twitter is launching a paid offer these days. Other services have had one for a long time or are planning similar steps.
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–Content on social media is also becoming more and more chargeable.
KEYSTONE
From 10,000 subscriptions, you can now offer a monthly subscription on Twitter and send exclusive messages to paying customers (Twitter introduces subscriptions). The short message service is not alone in this. In the last few months and especially since the corona pandemic, many established platforms have launched or announced such functions. With Only Fans and similar services, platforms have even emerged that specialize in selling paid content.
At first glance, that sounds like goodwill campaigns by Internet companies. Artists who are no longer performing can now put down a virtual hat and collect money. For example, a function called “Super Thanks” is to come on YouTube this year. This allows you to throw some money into the virtual tip box for particularly successful videos.
The platforms want to earn money
But of course it’s not that simple. Because in most cases not all of the money goes to the artists, filmmakers, musicians or other creative minds. The platforms pick off part of the donations and subscription income for their good services.
It’s a bit like a department store having a share in the revenue of an artist performing there. Absolutely legitimate and a classic win-win situation.
Because it’s not just the people who generate content who need money. The platforms too. Until now, they have been financed through advertising. But social media is no different from traditional media. Advertising is not popular and advertisers want to pay less and less for it. In addition, customers are increasingly able to refuse targeted advertising.
So it’s no wonder that payment barriers, such as those already known from the website of this newspaper, are now also finding their way into social media. Good content is not just created casually and on the side. Neither on paper nor on the Internet.
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