One of the things that made Twitter great was its support for third-party clients. There was an entire ecosystem of apps to use the platform, which eventually fell out of favor with API limitations. One of these platforms was Tweetdeck, which was acquired by Twitter for $40 million in 2011. This tool is useful for column viewing, multiple accounts, team usage, etc. allowed Twitter to be used on another level. And the best thing is that it’s completely free. But it was.

What is Tweetdeck?. First of all, it would be useful to review what Tweetdeck is. Those working in marketing or social profile management are probably familiar with the tool, but in short, Tweetdeck is a tool for user columns, hashtags, lists, etc., among many other things. It is a Twitter platform that allows adding a global vision of what’s going on.

For example, if you want to follow an event live, there are few things better than putting a column on Tweetdeck with the official hashtag to do so without missing a beat. Likewise, and until it officially came to Twitter, tweets could initially be scheduled on this platform. It was and is a very complete tool, but now it will pay off.

Tweet from official Twitter Support account confirming that only verified/paid users can access Tweetdeck within 30 days.

Within 30 days, payable by Tweetedeck. That’s exactly what they announced on Twitter via official support account. Within 30 days, Tweetdeck will become paid as only verified users, i.e. those who have paid for Twitter Blue, will be able to use it. Thus, Tweetdeck becomes a special feature hidden behind a paywall, such as long tweets or tweet editing. It does this on the occasion of the launch of the new version, which has been in preview for two years and will now be the main release.

Earn money from Twitter at any cost. And Elon Musk has worked actively and passively to monetize the platform since his arrival. Verified payment was the first big step, but API limitations are towards that too. Putting Tweetdeck after Twitter Blue is exactly what it wants to incentivize the users most like to the platform to somehow pay. In that sense, it’s important to note that Twitter’s ad revenues have dropped considerably, with key advertisers slashing their investments by up to 90%, according to Bloomberg a few months ago.

Twitter adds and follows. This is another decision from the “new Twitter” that is now X Corp. Probably one more change from what’s to come. Meanwhile, alternatives continue to emerge trying to accommodate Twitter dissatisfied users, from Mastodon to BlueSky (founded by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey) and Threads, a Meta proposal that should launch if all goes as planned. That same Thursday is Friday in the United States and the rest of the world.

Image | xataka

on Xataka | Elon Musk’s biggest mistake was ending the most valuable thing Twitter has: ‘doomscrolling’‘