Meta charge for verification
You can reach more people on Facebook and Instagram if you pay… but not just for ads.
Meta has clearly been watching Twitter, and this week has launched a test of ‘Meta verified’, a subscription that will give you a verified checkmark, protection from impersonation, customer service, and more visibility.
You know stuff you should get for free if you create good content and are a human being. It’s being tested in Australia and New Zealand for personal accounts only. The fee? $11.99 on desktop and $14.99 on mobile.
Subscriptions are definitely hot. We subscribe to Netflix, Spotify, memberships, software, and now social networks.
As a business maybe we should all look for ways to integrate a subscription model into our businesses.
The Snapchat subscription seems to be going well (according to them). They now have 750 million monthly active users and 2.5 million have subbed to Snapchat+.
That’s a tiny 0.33% conversion rate but actually, that could be enough for a social network.
And that subscription model is bringing in $100 million a year.
If subscribers to Meta hit a similar conversion rate it could be a massive revenue generator.
Twitter charge for 2-factor authentication
2FA is crucial for social media users and particularly business social media users. It’s a pain, but it adds an extra layer of security to your account, so you will be far less likely to be hacked.
But many Twitter users were surprised to get a notification that if they used SMS for 2FA they would now have to pay for Twitter Blue to retain it.
Twitter claims that this is because SMS isn’t a safe way to receive your authentication.
But I’m pretty sure it’s about the money.
Yes, there are other ways to use 2FA. Authenticator apps and keys are ideal but inevitably many users won’t choose this and instead will abandon 2FA altogether. Which won’t end well.
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Meta Messenger channels
Wouldn’t it be good if there was something like email that could help you reach people who just don’t use email? Like kids, who apparently don’t do it.
Of course, there are broadcast channels on WhatsApp and now Meta is introducing the same concept to Facebook and Instagram.
Broadcast channels will allow you to share text, video, audio and polls with subscribers. Those subscribers are able to respond with reactions and poll votes but not comments.
It’s kinda cool, definitely not a replacement for email but a good way to build stronger connections with your audience. In some ways, it’s like Facebook before the algorithm.
You know what it’s like. You get a message on social. Think ‘oh that’s interesting’ and instantly forget about it. Months later you remember and then you can’t find it.
LinkedIn is addressing this issue with ‘Starred messages’
This will add a star next to the message in your inbox, and you’ll be able to filter your inbox by ‘Starred’ to see them all in one place.
Facebook early access for top fans
I get notifications all the time that I’m a ‘Top fan’ on pages on Facebook. But that’s all I get, no reward, nothing!
But that could soon change. Meta is testing allowing Creators (and maybe pages) to post content to top fans earlier than they do to the masses.
This could have two benefits. Top fans will feel special and valued.
And because they are top fans they are more likely to engage, giving you a boost in the algorithm when the post goes public.
Which is nice.
#Facebook has a new “Early access for top fans” post audience feature:
•24hrs
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• 1 week@MattNavarra pic.twitter.com/Bbzr8V7te3
— Radu Oncescu (@oncescuradu)
New Instagram sticker
It’s been a while since we’ve had a new Instagram sticker. But the wait could be over.
Spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, a ‘Before and After’ sticker is on the way.
It could be fun, both for real before and afters and for humorous stories and Reels.
#Instagram is working on a new sticker: “Before and After” 👀 pic.twitter.com/idaM04kYLE
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a)
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