Twitter Requires Verification Checkmark or Subscription for Advertisers Starting Today

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The Gist

Twitter Ads will cost you. Beginning today, Twitter will require that all accounts running ads must get “checked.”

Twitter check marks changing. Users can select blue or gold verification.

Starting today, accounts running ads on Twitter must have a verified checkmark or subscribe to either Twitter Blue or Verified Organizations to continue advertising.

Twitter has announced a new policy that requires users to be verified before they can continue to run ads on the platform. The policy, which goes into effect on April 21, will affect all users with @account handles. Only those business accounts that spend over $1,000 per month will not be affected because they already have gold checks (or will soon), so no additional subscriptions are required, at this time.

The new mandate came as quite a shock to several Twitter users, who say they just received an email announcing the new requirement.

“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,” the email reads. “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.”

Twitter also promises subscribers “a more visible organic presence and a broader range of creation tools.”

WOW… Twitter is now telling advertisers it MUST subscribe to Twitter Blue or Verified Organisations to continue running ads! pic.twitter.com/4DrDu82Zi0

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) April 21, 2023

Twitter’s Legacy Blue Checkmarks Phased out as Paid Verification Takes Over

First introduced in the pre-Musk days of 2009, Twitter’s legacy blue checks were bestowed upon those elite accounts the company had “verified” at no charge to the user. The program was intended to curb imposter accounts, spam and misinformation by identifying legitimate accounts from celebrities, brands and other “notable” accounts of public interest.

Last year, under Musk’s regime, Twitter staffers were instructed to introduce a new “paid verification” system, leaving those with legacy blue checks to either pay up — or get un-checked — and discontinuing the previous verification criteria (active, notable and authentic).

Twitter noted they would “begin winding down” the legacy program and removing legacy verified checkmarks on April 1.

The change is notable as several previously-verified celebrity accounts, like Lady Gaga and Beyonce, no longer display the familiar blue check — seemingly because they refused to pay for the privilege — at $8 per month.

Related Article: Will the Musk Takeover Rescue or Wreck Twitter Marketing?

Twitter Offers Two Choices for Verification

In order to be “verified” as a real person or business, Twitter offers two choices.

Twitter Blue

Subscribers are now the only accounts that are eligible to receive the blue checkmark, and Twitter has established specific eligibility criteria to receive it — namely you must pay for the service, demonstrate active use of the account in the past 30 days, provide a confirmed phone number and display no recent changes to the profile photo, display name or username. Accounts must also not be deceptive or engaging in platform manipulation and spam. Once a Twitter Blue subscriber’s account meets these requirements, Twitter’s team will review it before “awarding” the blue checkmark.

The cost — Price varies by country. In the U.S. a web account is $8 per month (or $84 per year) and an IOS account is $11 per month (or $114.99 per year.)

Twitter Verified Organizations

This designation bestows a gold check upon the account and is available to organizations of all types including businesses, nonprofits and government bodies. In addition to all the benefits of a Twitter Blue account, Twitter says, all verified organizations and their affiliated accounts are defended against impersonation, have access to “premium support” and receive “significantly elevated Tweet, DM, and media upload rate limits.”

The cost — $1,000 per month (plus any applicable tax) and $50 per month (plus any applicable tax) for each additional affiliate in the U.S.

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