TweetDeck is vital for any journalist or editor using Twitter, but it might be time to reassess your relationship with the tool after the latest report from social sleuth Jane Manchun Wong.
According to Wong, code within the Twitter app suggests TweetDeck could soon become a part of the new Twitter feature and subscription service Twitter Blue. In this version, users who try to access the dashboard are redirected to sign up for Twitter Blue if they aren’t already a member.
So, while TweetDeck isn’t confirmed to be going away, here’s how any changes could impact journalists.
Improved TweetDeck Features
Okay, let’s start with the positives. Twitter has been pondering the idea of a TweetDeck subscription since 2017. When this paid TweetDeck story first broke, it was touted as an advanced version of the original.
While some of the alleged features have since been implemented in TweetDeck for no extra charges, the addition of further analytics and audience segmenting tools could be welcome improvements for audience teams who want to improve their Twitter output.
Of course, we don’t know whether these would be implemented in the premium version, but Twitter would need to give something to convince people to pay for a once-free tool, right?
TweetDeck Alternatives
Here’s the kicker – putting TweetDeck behind a paywall could ultimately increase costs in an industry with ever-tightening purse strings. Would newsrooms or individual journalists be willing to splash out on a $2.99/month subscription to Twitter Blue, or would they look elsewhere instead?
While most alternatives aren’t free either, they also provide additional benefits perhaps beyond the scope of even an advanced TweetDeck.
The likes of HootSuite and Buffer provide more advanced features for social platforms outside of Twitter, which means that if newsrooms do have to start paying for their social management systems, perhaps they will look elsewhere.
The Future of Twitter Blue
After a period of quiet, Twitter has begun rolling out new features within its ecosystem – whether that’s Twitter Tips, Twitter Spaces, or the now-defunct Fleets.
One of its more immediately monetisable features comes in Twitter Blue. This premium offering gives subscribers access to several minor Twitter features, including NFT profile pictures, custom app icons, and a ‘Reader’ feature for Twitter threads.
With TweetDeck potentially paving the way for Twitter to paywall some larger features behind its subscription. After acquiring both Revue and Scroll, could Twitter be testing out ways to get returns on its investment through subscriptions?
MA Interactive Journalism student, interested in gaming, tech, and crypto journalism, focusing on Audience Growth. Once attended a physical NFT art gallery opening.