With a potential European ban looming, Twitter’s new CEO has her work cut out to allay the concerns of customers and users
By Samantha Kretmar, Paid Media Supervisor, Just Global
Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the company remains in a state of flux. On May 11, Musk announced he was to become the CTO and executive chair, while someone new is appointed CEO. The next day it was announced that NBCUniversal’s Linda Yaccarino would become Twitter’s new CEO. During this transition, Musk continues to make key strategic decisions, such as not signing the voluntary EU Disinformation Code, unlike many other large media outlets such as Meta, TikTok, and Google.
What Does it Mean for Social Media Advertising?
From its inception, Twitter has never been seen as an advertising platform leader, but rather as a bottom-of-funnel channel for marketers. However, the open nature of the platform has meant that almost 85% of its annual revenue comes from brand budgets over performance budgets.
Right now, user experiences aren’t anticipated to change much. The influx of ads to users’ feeds, and in ad types has already happened, and is going to continue, as Musk focuses “on product design & new technology.” By not participating in the EU Disinformation Code users in the EU are looking at bigger changes to their experience. However, if Twitter/X doesn’t sign the code, it faces a potential ban in Europe.
Whatever the changes, the unique nature of the Twitter/X platform will continue to leave an opening to gain branding. Audiences remain on platforms because of the content. If users believe what they’re receiving is safe and adds value they’ll stay, if they don’t, they’ll leave. If Twitter does sign the code, content will probably continue to add value, especially if users also know that it’s signed with the “aims to prevent profiteering from disinformation and fake news, as well as increasing transparency and curbing the spread of bots and fake account.”
The Blue Check & Platform Safety
In an attempt to lure advertisers back, pay-to-play checkmarks have replaced the blue verified check. These new tiers of verification are intended to resolve the brand safety and security issues which have seen brands pull their advertising. Given the chaos surrounding this new system, advertisers like Disney and Eli Lilly have found themselves at the center of major PR situations, caused by the lack of security and brand safety the checkmark system was designed to protect.
These are the three tiers of verifications of “Checks” currently available:
Blue – Costs $8-11 per month for individual users, which allows access to features like longer tweets and fewer ads.
Gold – This level is for large brands and advertisers, costing up to $1,000 per month. Without this, brands open themselves up to serious issues that can happen when fake accounts are created.
Grey – This is for governmental and unilateral organizations that require a more rigid process for approval.
As the Twitter/X platform evolves, it’s vital that user and brand safety is maintained to create an ideal experience for users. It’s recommended that brands invest in the “Gold” check verification. While $1,000 a month may seem steep, it’s essential in preventing nefarious actors from posing as your brand and sharing compromising content.
How we can help
There’s still no one size fits all approach to advertising, so it’s not possible to say which platforms are right for your business. At Just Global our social media experts are always prepared to do a deep dive into your business, your goals, and help answer your questions.
As the Twitter/X platform continues to evolve, adopting a diverse and fluid strategy will position your business for success. Tactics and targeting are shifting in this ever-changing landscape, which needs to be monitored to ensure you’re delivering ads that your key audience sees as safe, and which add value to their online experience.
Samantha Kretmar is a Paid Media Supervisor at Just Global. She has always been passionate about technology, marketing, and culture. She has both agency and client-side experience that has allowed her to develop effective digital media strategies for large-scale, Fortune 500 companies, driving over $2+ million in revenue.
If you’re looking for a more in-depth analysis for your brand, drop us a line and our team of Social Media Experts will customize a strategy that meets your needs.
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