• by Colin Kirkland , April 21, 2023

While Elon Musk is purging blue check marks for Twitter account holders -- including Pope Francis, Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey -- who are unwilling to pay the $8 per month for Twitter Blue, another verification change has come to light: all advertisers on Twitter reportedly now have to pay for a verified account.

Social media enthusiast Matt Navarra posted a screenshot of an email Twitter sent out that declares that verified checkmarks will be required to continue running ads on the platform beginning April 21.

“WOW…Twitter is now telling advertisers it MUST subscribe to Twitter Blue or Verified Organisations to continue running ads!” Navarra tweeted.

Twitter wrote that the change aligns with the platform’s “broader verification strategy: to elevate the quality of content on Twitter and enhance your experience as a user and advertiser. This approach also supports our ongoing efforts to reduce fraudulent accounts and bots.”

“Business accounts spending in excess of $1000 per month already have gold checks or will soon, and they’ll continue to enjoy access to advertising without interruption at this time,” Twitter states, adding that verified accounts and advertisers will have a “more visible organic presence and a broader range of creation tools.”

Twitter's ads account pages have not yet  requirements stated in the email Twitter sent out to Navarra and other select users -- but as TechCrunch notes, in order for forcing advertisers to pay for Twitter Blue (or $1,000 per month) before advertising to be effective, “it would surely need rigorous vetting beyond requiring a credit card and phone number.”

Advertisers have already left Twitter in record-setting numbers, with almost half of the platform's biggest advertisers departing since Musk’s takeover last fall.

While Musk wants Twitter Blue to become a key driver of profit for the deeply in-debt social platform, this ad -policy update may continue to dissuade advertisers from returning or continuing to spend money.