Unless you‘ve been living under a rock, you‘ve likely seen the flurry of hype tweets and news articles excitedly announcing the launch of Twitter Blue – the long-awaited premium subscription service from everyone‘s favorite bird app.
Originally teased way back in 2017 under the codename "Twitter Plus", Twitter Blue promises to deliver a host of exclusive features and perks for the most devoted of Twitter users. From undoing sent tweets to organizing bookmarks to a magical reader mode for threads, Twitter Blue aims to address the most common gripes and feature requests from its user base.
https://twitter.com/TwitterBlue/status/1402050630342393856
So it‘s no surprise that when Twitter Blue finally began rolling out to users in mid-June 2021, thousands flocked to the app to throw their (Twitter) blue checkmarks at the chance to be first in line for that shiny new "Subscribe" button.
Anticipation quickly turned to frustration
However, the much-anticipated Twitter Blue launch quickly turned into a massive case of Twitter FOMO as user after user discovered the Twitter Blue option was seemingly nonexistent for them. Cue the panicked app updates and frenzied Googling of "Twitter Blue not working???"
https://twitter.com/sam_d_1995/status/1470235820505559040
Rumors swirled about Twitter secretly hiding the feature for certain users or revoking Twitter Blue privileges for the most enthusiastic tweeters. The Twitter Blue hype train appeared to be derailing before even leaving the station.
So what‘s really going on with Twitter Blue?
To unpack the mystery behind the case of the missing Twitter Blue, let‘s start with the facts straight from the bird‘s beak. According to the official Twitter Blue Help Center, here are the current details on availability:
"Twitter Blue is currently available for in-app purchase on Twitter for iOS and Android in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We are slowly making Twitter Blue available to everyone in these countries, so you might not see it in your app just yet. We will be expanding Twitter Blue to more regions and platforms in the near future, so stay tuned."
Aha! So the key points are:
- Twitter Blue is only available in 4 countries during the initial launch period: US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
- Even within those countries, Twitter Blue is slowly being made available to all users so not everyone will see it right away
- Twitter Blue will be expanding to more countries and devices in the future but no timeline is given
This tells us that if you don‘t live in one of the 4 supported countries, you won‘t be able to access Twitter Blue yet, no matter how hard you look. And even if you are in the right location, you might still be waiting for Twitter to finish rolling it out to your account.
The benefits of a gradual rollout
While it may be frustrating to be left out of the initial Twitter Blue hype wave, a gradual rollout strategy like this is actually pretty common and beneficial for major tech companies like Twitter.
Rather than risking server overload or revealing overlooked bugs by releasing a massive new feature to hundreds of millions of users all at once, a phased rollout allows Twitter to:
- Test the reception and stability of Twitter Blue with a smaller, controlled user group
- Gather feedback and data to improve the Twitter Blue experience before a wider release
- Hype up the anticipation and exclusivity of Twitter Blue as users encounter it in the wild
- Iron out any pricing or payment processing issues on a country-by-country basis
So in the long run, a gradual rollout is likely the smart move to ensure Twitter Blue is a smashing success worldwide. We‘d rather wait a bit longer for a polished product than be the guinea pigs for a rushed release.
What the data tells us
Now you may be wondering – why those 4 specific countries for the initial Twitter Blue release? What makes the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand the chosen ones?
While Twitter hasn‘t given an official reason for the rollout locations, we can make some educated guesses based on the data. According to Statista, here are the top 10 countries with the most Twitter users as of April 2021:
As we can see, the United States dominates in terms of Twitter audience size, accounting for over 73 million users. Japan, the 2nd highest Twitter population, is notably absent from the Twitter Blue launch list.
However, the locations of the Twitter headquarters and offices likely played a role. Of the top 10 list, the US (San Francisco), Canada (Toronto), and Australia (Sydney) all have official Twitter offices, allowing for easier localized support and feature monitoring. And as an English-speaking country, New Zealand rounds out the batch as a smaller test market.
Additionally, the 4 countries in the initial Twitter Blue release all rank highly in terms of iOS and Android users and in-app purchase revenue. As Twitter Blue is primarily an in-app purchase, it makes sense to prioritize the countries with the most potential for mobile subscriptions.
The nitty-gritty on how to get Twitter Blue
Alright, so let‘s say you are one of the lucky users in the right country at the right time to be graced with Twitter Blue access. Here‘s how you actually get to that glorious blue Subscribe button:
- Check that your Twitter app is up-to-date by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store and installing any available updates
- Open the updated Twitter app and make sure you‘re logged into the account you want to use with Twitter Blue
- Tap on your profile icon in the top left corner to open the side menu
- If you have access to Twitter Blue, you should see a new "Twitter Blue" option appear in the menu
- Tap "Twitter Blue" and you‘ll be taken to the features overview and pricing page
- Review the features and pricing, then tap the "Subscribe" button at the bottom
- Follow the in-app purchase prompts to confirm payment and start your Twitter Blue subscription
https://twitter.com/TwitterBlue/status/1407076851327037440
If you don‘t see the "Twitter Blue" option in your menu, you can try force closing and reopening the app. But if it‘s still MIA after that, you‘ll just need to keep waiting for the full rollout to hit your account.
Is Twitter Blue worth it?
Now the million (or $2.99/month) question – is a Twitter Blue subscription worth it for the average user? As with most premium memberships, the value will depend on how heavily you use Twitter and how much the extra features will improve your experience.
For casual tweeters who just rely on Twitter for the occasional news update or meme share, the Twitter Blue features may not seem all that compelling compared to the free version. Organizing bookmarks and undoing tweets sound handy but perhaps not "take my money now" levels of enticing.
Where Twitter Blue really shines is for the power users – the journalists, the thread-makers, the social media managers tweeting on the job. Features like Reader mode for long threads and undo tweet could be legitimate time and sanity savers for those whose work revolves around Twitter.
https://twitter.com/htmyell/status/1469362000384528385
And for anyone who‘s ever rage-tweeted a poorly worded take, that undo tweet button may quickly prove its worth after one too many happy hour tweets. Though it remains to be seen exactly how the "undo" function will work and if it‘s more of a brief delay than a true edit button.
From a competitive side, Twitter Blue‘s $2.99/month price point is on the lower end compared to other social media subscription models. YouTube Premium rings up at $11.99/month, while the recently launched Snapchat+ goes for $3.99/month.
What the Twitterverse is saying
Despite the limited rollout, Twitter Blue is already causing quite the stir among Twitter users. Some are raving about the exclusive features and claiming Twitter Blue has made the app usable again, while others are accusing Twitter of money-grabbing and questioning why basic functions like an edit button are locked behind a paywall.
One common suggestion seems to be around offering a cheaper, ad-free version of Twitter Blue without all the bells and whistles. Surveys have shown many users would be willing to pay a small fee to remove Promoted Tweets and other advertising from their feeds.
https://twitter.com/chriswelch/status/1470208994930167808
For many, the current Twitter Blue price and features list doesn‘t quite hit the mark to convert them to paying subscribers. But the Twitter Blue team has stated they will be actively monitoring feedback and reception to tweak the Twitter Blue offering over time. So it‘s still early days.
Final thoughts
As someone who spends an arguably unhealthy amount of time on Twitter, I‘m cautiously optimistic about Twitter Blue. While I was disappointed to discover I didn‘t make the first access batch, I‘m looking forward to seeing how Twitter Blue evolves before it hits my region.
I can‘t say I‘m 100% sold on it being worth a monthly fee just yet, but I‘m open to the possibilities. If Twitter Blue can deliver on its promises of a cleaner, customizable Twitter experience while still maintaining the core elements that make Twitter great, I could see it becoming an essential upgrade for many.
It will also be interesting to see how Twitter Blue stacks up against the competition as more social media services introduce their own premium subscription models. Will there come a day when we have a monthly fee for every app on our phones? Or will free, ad-supported social media reign supreme?
Only time will tell. For now, I‘ll be keeping my eyes peeled for that elusive blue Subscribe button and crossing my fingers for an edit tweet feature that doesn‘t break my bank account. See you on the timeline!
