It will cost Kenyan firms and government agencies Sh132,520 monthly to have their Twitter accounts verified, under the new verification model adopted by the platform.
Given that the government has many agencies while firms own a number of affiliated, the subscription fee could add up into millions of shillings annually.
Twitter announced on March 23 that it would do away with the legacy blue badge and withdraw verification marks for accounts from April 1, and shifts to subscription model.
Twitter has set a $1,000 (Sh132,520) monthly subscription fee for Kenyan firms, ministries and other State agencies that want ta verified account. Affiliated accounts such as those of CEOs, directors, staff and subsidiaries will part with Sh6,626 ($50) monthly.
Twitter’s new changes could see the government and firms spend millions of shilling monthly for verified accounts.
“A Twitter verified organisations subscription is $1,000/month (plus any applicable tax) and $50/month (plus any applicable tax) for each additional affiliate in the US. Prices may vary by region and are subject to change,” Twitter stated.
Upon verification, firms or organizations will receive a gold checkmark and square avatar if they are a business or non-profit. A governmental or multilateral organization will get a grey checkmark and circular avatar. An affiliated account will get a blue, gold, or grey checkmark, an affiliate badge, a small image of their parent company’s profile picture, displayed next to their checkmark.
Some of the Kenyan organisations that have since paid the fees include Safaricom, Statehouse, KCB Group, Kenya Airways, NCBA, National Bank, I&M Bank Group and Equity Bank. Others are Co-operative Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Absa Bank, and Stanbic Bank.
“By subscribing, organisations can access our new tool to manage verification, meaning you have full control over your organisation’s presence on Twitter,” Twitter said.
“You will be able to add and remove affiliated accounts at any time. Affiliates must accept an invite and double opt-in in order to receive verification.”
The firm, owned by American billionaire Elon Musk has also made changes to individual account verification. Users will pay a monthly fee of Sh1,457 ($11) to obtain a blue badge.
Verified account is an affirmation of the firm’s credibility and authenticity. This gives brands and personalities a competitive edge against their business rivals.
Twitter is betting on the new reforms to shore up its revenues after advertising was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since taking over the social media platform, Musk has made far-reaching changes, especially in the top management of the company.
The second-richest man in the world has indicated he sees Twitter as a foundation for creating a “super app” that offers everything from money transfers to shopping and ride-hailing.
But Twitter is struggling to engage its most active users who are vital to the business. These “heavy tweeters” account for less than 10 percent of monthly overall users but generate 90 percent of all tweets and half of the global revenue.