Get ready for the next phase of Twitter 2.0’s subscription revenue push, with the platform announcing today that ‘legacy’ blue checkmarks will begin being revoked as of next week.

As per the above tweet, Twitter’s hoping to boost Twitter Blue and Verification for Business subscribers by prompting them to start paying for their blue tick instead.

Twitter’s also alerting blue tick account holders with this in-stream notification.

That could see some legacy verified accounts paying up, bringing in a few more Twitter Blue subscribers – though the amount that are going to revert to Verification for Business, which costs $1,000 per month, will be far less.

But if Twitter wants to reach its target of 50% of its revenue coming from subscriptions, it needs to take action, because right now, according to analysis, Twitter Blue has around 450k subscribers, which equates to only 0.12% of Twitter’s total user base.

In order to generate 50% of Twitter’s total income, Twitter needs around 24 million users to sign up to the program. So while Twitter Blue is set to bring in more money for Elon and Co. (around $11 million per quarter to be exact), it’s nowhere close to being half of the platform’s intake, which, based on its last revenue report, would be around $590 million every three months.

While it also dilutes the value of the thing that it’s aiming to sell. The problem with selling blue checkmarks, both on Twitter and Facebook, is that you’re charging users for the exclusivity, and the perceived reputational value of having a blue tick, but as soon as anyone can buy it, it’s no longer valuable in this respect.

And as more people sign up, it becomes even less valuable over time, and once Twitter removes the legacy blue ticks, that will mean that the only checkmarks left are those that are attached to accounts that are paying for it, which will make it completely worthless in this respect. At that stage, the blue check is only going to show others that you have enough money to afford it, and that you want to support Elon Musk’s mission to change how Twitter works.

Maybe that has some value in itself, and there are some aspects of Twitter Blue that some users will pay for. Though even then, Twitter’s experimenting with a new option that would enable subscribers to not show their blue tick, if they choose – because even Twitter is moving to acknowledge that it’s not the indicator of reputational or exclusivity that it once was.

And it’ll become less so from next week – while it’s also worth noting that even if every legacy checkmark holder were to sign on to pay $8 per month, and keep their blue tick, that would still only be another 420k extra subscribers, max.

And I suspect many won’t. I suspect, too, that removing the legacy checkmarks will have a negative impact, in that it will see some of those users tweet even less, because they won’t feel as aligned to the platform that has taken away that marker from their account.

This is why selling verification ticks is a flawed strategy, because its growth and expansion dilutes its own value, and undermines the concept of what it is. Sure, Meta’s trying the same thing, but even Meta staff raised this same concern (as did Twitter staff), and Meta at least offers a truly valuable aspect, in providing additional, in-person support for paying subscribers.

But even then, Meta’s approach is also flawed, because you can’t sell reputation, you can’t charge for authority or recognition.

Some will think that’s what they’re getting, but eventually, when they’re the only ones left, I think you’ll find that it’ll be much easier to dismiss blue checkmark accounts in-stream.

It’s a confused approach, which won’t become a significant revenue driver – at least not without some significant additions that are worth paying for. But Twitter’s pushing ahead either way.  

Prepare to pay up, or lose your blue tick, from next week.

Contrary to the pressure you might be feeling, you really don’t need to be everywhere simultaneously. It’s easy to become overwhelmed thinking about the seemingly endless options to choose from. Most business owners feel pressure to juggle multiple social media accounts, email sequences, public relations efforts, etc. It’s enough to leave anyone with a headache — and a loss in which direction to move.

Though some would argue that showing up in different places will help you reach as many people as possible, that shouldn’t be your end goal. To grow and increase brand awareness, it’s about reaching the right people — not all people.

If you don’t know where to start? Choose one tactic at a time. Doing one thing incredibly well is much more strategic than doing a handful of things mediocrely. 

Start with your business goals

The key word here is your. Too often, we get wrapped up in what others do. This brand is on TikTok, that brand has a podcast, and this brand has countless influencers. The problem is that none of those brands have your mission, audience, or goals. So if you develop your marketing strategy around their approach, it’s bound to fall flat.

Establish your end goal first. Then, move into what tactic is going to help you get there. All businesses are in different places — even if they’re selling the exact same things. “They do it, so we should too” isn’t the way to go. Instead, be selfish, put your brand first, and get clear on your goals before moving forward.

Different stages of business, different goals. If you’re unsure which tactic to focus on, establishing your goals will point you in the right direction. 

Startups and early stage companies

Once you have a place to send people, like a website, consider moving into public relations strategies. PR allows new businesses to move in two ways: wide and deep. You can go wide by sharing insight into your audience or industry, reaching as many people as possible. And you can go deep by offering a tactical approach to said audience or industry. 

Many entrepreneurs think social media should be their main (and first) priority, but if you want to grow quickly, there are better moves. These channels can take longer to build up, whereas showcasing your expertise through different PR efforts will help you build credibility while giving you social proof to feature on your website. 

Established companies looking for new customers

Let’s say you’re an established company with a handful of basic customers, but hoping to expand and reach new people. If you want to attract new customers, it’s time to meet them where they’re at. If you’re more B2B focused and want to reach different professionals, LinkedIn is your best bet. However, if your audience is more Gen Z-focused, TikTok is a better use of your time. 

You don’t need to be on every single platform. You only need to spend time on one, maybe two (should you have the resources) channels that your ideal customers use regularly. Then, once you have a handle on your channel(s), consider expanding to others.

Established companies looking for referrals & repeat business

There’s power in not forgetting about your current customer base. If you’re looking for more referrals and repeat business, one marketing tactic to focus on are loyalty programs. Should an image of a well-worn punchcard come to mind, know there are plenty of other forms a loyalty program can take. First-timer discounts, referral rewards, and spending points, to name a few. To convince your current customers to stick around and share the wealth with others, think about a reward or discount that would boost their loyalty.

Brick-and-mortar businesses can go with that classic punch card, while digital businesses can offer a specific percentage off for those who refer their business to someone who becomes an actual customer. PR and social media tend to get all the hype, but these internally-focused tactics can make a massive difference in the long run. The customer experience shouldn’t end with a sale. Remember to nurture those who’ve made your business successful in the first place. 

One tactic at a time

Marketing is a unique beast — one that leads to plenty of analysis paralysis (aka, when we end up doing nothing because the number of options is incredibly overwhelming). Fortunately, focusing on one tactic at a time allows us to hone in on our goals and allocate our resources accordingly. So think about your needs, bring in your audience, and choose the strategy that will help you move the needle forward.

Cover image source: allvision

LinkedIn has published a new report on the latest trends in recruiting, based on a series of interviews with a range of HR professionals, along with LinkedIn user data, which highlights key shifts and changes, as per LinkedIn profiles and job listings.

The full, 29-page global report covers overall recruitment trends, while there are also regional reports which hone in on specific markets for closer analysis.

You can download all the different variations of the report här, but in this post, we’ll take a look at some of the highlights.

The report looks at five key elements of the recruiting process:

• The role of recruiting
• The impacts of economic uncertainty
• Employer branding
• Skills-first hiring
• Internal mobility and upskilling

These are the key areas where LinkedIn’s data shows the biggest shifts, with the pandemic, in particular, changing the way many people look at their work, and what they want out of their careers.

Each section provides a series of predictions for that element, and how the recruiting landscape is changing.

Which is particularly relevant in regards to flexible work – though that’s still not the key focus for candidates.

There are also notes on LinkedIn usage trends, and how recruiters are searching for candidates in the app.

There are also overviews of how new technology, like generative AI, will impact recruiting, along with trend notes on learning, upskilling, and how employers and candidates vary in their perspective of each.

Most of this, of course, is very industry-specific, so not overly indicative of LinkedIn usage trends or shifts, but there are some valuable data points as to how people are changing their LinkedIn behaviors in line with the latest tools, features and trends, within their respective industries.

If you’re a HR pro, it’s definitely worth a look, while if you’re looking to get a better understanding of how people are using LinkedIn, there are also some valuable notes to consider.

You can download LinkedIn’s full Future of Recruiting report här.