Twitter opens applications to test Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows for a small number of users, who will keep 97% of revenue after the IAP cut if making <$50K

Users initially keep 97 percent of their revenue — Twitter is opening applications for a limited test of its Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces features.

The Verge 2021-06-23 Adi Robertson

Context & Ripple Effects

Twitter is moving its announced paid-tweets feature from product plans to a limited creator test, alongside ticketed live audio. The earlier Ticketed Spaces plan had set a participation bar of 1,000 followers and recent Spaces activity; applications make that creator funnel operational.

The 97% creator share below $50,000 is designed to make paid posts and rooms attractive while Twitter tests whether direct audience payments can work alongside its existing business.

First-order effects

Eligible creators can apply to charge audiences through Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces while retaining 97% of revenue after in-app-purchase fees until they pass the stated earnings threshold.
Twitter gains a controlled cohort for testing two creator-payment formats and their revenue split before a broader release.

Second-order effects

Creators who already meet the earlier follower and Spaces-hosting requirements have an immediate advantage in accessing Ticketed Spaces, giving established hosts a head start in paid live audio.
The low initial platform take rate puts pressure on Twitter to demonstrate that paid features bring creators incremental income rather than merely shifting activity that was already free.

Third-order effects

The pilot points toward Twitter adding direct creator transactions to an advertising-led platform, with the platform's take rate becoming a central lever for creator retention.
As paid posts and paid rooms expand, platforms will increasingly compete on the terms of audience monetization, including how mobile purchase fees are shared with creators.

The trend: Social platforms are building creator-payment layers around subscriptions and live events, using revenue shares to recruit and retain the people who bring audiences.

Discussion

Twitter Media Twitter Media on x
Be the first to try Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows
@twittermedia @twittermedia on x
Big news. Starting today, you can apply to be one of the first to try Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows with your audience. https://twitter.com/...
@jacknicas Jack Nicas on x
If someone pays $10 to subscribe to your tweets: - You get $5.60* - Apple or Google get $3 - Twitter gets $1.40 *If you've made >$50,000 on Twitter and the subscriber is paying through an app. https://twitter.com/...
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
@fatuogwuche Apple would be my first boss, Twitter my second. And here I thought the creator economy was all about being your own boss!
@nbashaw Nathan Baschez on x
Apple is holding back creators! 👉 https://every.to/... https://twitter.com/...
@stockmktnewz @stockmktnewz on x
My application is sent ... hoping for the best 👀🤞🤞 https://twitter.com/...
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
If I convert 10% of my followers to #SuperFollows, I'd make $37K/month. Apple's 30% cut is brutal: ((10% * 110K followers) * $4.99) * 97% = $53,243.30 -  tax = $37,270.31 After month two, I'd make ((10% * 110K followers) * $4.99) * 80% = $43,912 -  tax = $30,738.40 https://twit…
@bdsams Brad Sams on x
You can now buy tickets to the front row of the end of civilization https://twitter.com/...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
Okay, so: apps aren't allowed to tell people it's possible to pay outside the app store to avoid in-app purchase fees, When these features hit the web, say somebody tweets that they make more money if you pay outside the app ...what will App Stores do? https://twitter.com/...
@dangillmor Dan Gillmor on x
Twitter is becoming a newsletter and audio platform, too, and giving users a way to make money on what they do here. https://www.theverge.com/... Interesting possibilities...
@derella Matt Derella on x
I love these launches because they align incentives between Twitter and the people who give Twitter its superpowers👇 https://twitter.com/...
@timothybucksf Timothy Buck on x
@chrismessina @kirkburgess @jacknicas Ah but is a super follow an App Store subscription? Because those drop to 15% after the first year (and have for years now) for all developers.
@kirkburgess Kirk Burgess on x
@jacknicas @TimothyBuckSF After 12 months of being a subscriber, the revenue cut from Apple drops to 15%, do Twitter pass that on or keep it for themselves?
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
@kirkburgess @jacknicas @TimothyBuckSF Great question — the take rate from the platforms could be variable, but I presume Twitter will generate more than $1M/year and so will still be subject to the higher platform fees. IOW, each SuperFollowee isn't a separate entity from Twitte…
@seyitaylor @seyitaylor on x
fantastic feature. please when will I be able to pay people to read my tweets? https://twitter.com/...
@sminero Stacy Minero on x
Creator monetization is happening! We're inviting a select group of people to try out Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows and share your feedback on these new features. More info on how to apply here👇 https://twitter.com/...
@kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz on x
That's a lot of money going to middlemen. https://twitter.com/...
@can Can Duruk on x
@TimothyBuckSF @chrismessina @kirkburgess @jacknicas Doesn't Apple require for subs to be App Store subs?
@rsg Bobby Goodlatte on x
Super Follow might be what finally topples the Apple / Google 30% rake. You'll have a growing base of individuals—not corporations like Epic—who will be paying the in-app-purchase tax. Eventually translates to more lobbying power & votes in DC to regulate. https://twitter.com/...
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
Twitter only taking a 3% revenue share (after Apple/Google 30% cut) for your first $50,000 earned from Super Follows & Ticketed Spaces is a fantastic gesture. Aggressively slashing rev share on creator products is going to become a new price war across social apps. https://twitte…
@mwirigi @mwirigi on x
America only. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@chrismessina Chris Messina on x
Oh wow...! There's now a Monetization option in the sidebar! #NewTwitter #SuperFollows #TicketSpaces #CreatorEconomy https://twitter.com/...
@arainert @arainert on x
It's fun to see Twitter go full Zuckerbergian buzzsaw on a space they clearly feel very strongly they should own. https://twitter.com/...
@keccers Katherine Champagne on x
I regret to inform you all I will not be paying for your tweets at this time (subject to change) https://twitter.com/...
@libshipwreck Librarianshipwreck on x
I'm not paying to see anyone's tweets, but I'd be willing to pay to never see certain people's tweets (you can't always block/mute your way around screenshots)... https://twitter.com/...
@adriana_lacy Adriana Lacy on x
Here's the eligibility for Super Follows, one of the twitter monetization features: https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@twittermedia @twittermedia on x
For more details on Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows and how to apply, take a look at our latest blog post 👇 https://media.twitter.com/...
@wongmjane Jane Manchun Wong on x
it's time to monetize your wisdoms by putting your fortune cookie tweets behind the paywall 😌 https://twitter.com/...
@mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x
Twitter opens applications to test Ticketed Spaces + Super Follows - SF lets users charge $2.99, $4.99, $9.99 per mth for access to exclusive content - TS lets users charge $1 to $999 - Twitter will take 3% cut, rising to 20% if user earns $50k+ - https://www.theverge.com/...

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